# Why does my Vista 32-bit crash with 4GB RAM?



## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

I bought 4GB RAM for my 32-bit Vista, but it always crashes! Now I only have 2GB on it. But I want it to use 4GB (I paid for it and I need it to work with it!). It first was a 1GB RAM (2 x 512MB), now I only have one occupied slot with a 2GB module. Please help me, I don't wanna get any BSOD anymore and I wanna use all my 4GB!


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

Hi there and welcome to TSF

first question will have to be whether you are running any NON-Vista Anti Virus Software ie what anti-virus software are you using and have you tried running with it disabled or removed . I note that you have sp1 installed and security problem appear to be a major headache with Vista after installing SP1. So Did you add the extra memory / new memory before of after your service pack update.
Next question will be to outline what your Computer System is .. is it a ready made, off the shelf build or something that you have put together yourself?
Can you give us an outline 
Thanks


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

you will not get four gigs of ram to work. 32 bit vista will only use 3 gigs. If you want to use all four gigs, you need to upgrade to vista64, if your motherboard supports it.


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks for the welcome post! 
Well, I installed SP1 only yesterday, but I tried the memory thing about a month or two ago. Plus, it is a laptop built in store, the only thing I've done was to upgrade it from XP to Vista. Antivirus? I used to have Live OnceCare, but after the trial version, I've been left with demos. Right Now I only have Windows Defender, I know, it's not an antivirus, but what can I do! I would need help in that too, but I don't really wanna ask for too much!


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

ask whatever you want to .. the more the merrier .. just give us some time to sort out your current problems first though :grin:

I wasn't aware that 32-bit vista won't let you use 4GB's since that was the first thing I tried to check .. although something says at the back of my mind that it will probably force you down to 3GB's like XP does because of overlapping hardware / memory addresses.

check your BIOS configuration to see whether it is seeing all your memory, check in Vista to see what it will let you see as memory. My daughter also has Vista on her desktop plus I told her to put extra memory to make it 4GB's .. My other daughter took a laptop with Vista but it came with just 2GB's .. so I cannot make too many comparisons. I don't have vista or 4 GB's so I cannot even try to replicate the problem here ..


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## kodi (Jun 30, 2004)

Can you supply;
1. make and model of laptop
2. make type and size of extra ram


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

Well, I've got an Acer Aspire 9302WSMi. Once I updated the XP to Vista, all my Acer functions got deleted, but I was able to cope with that. But I need my memory so bad!


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

Done_Fishin said:


> ask whatever you want to .. the more the merrier .. just give us some time to sort out your current problems first though :grin:
> 
> I wasn't aware that 32-bit vista won't let you use 4GB's since that was the first thing I tried to check .. although something says at the back of my mind that it will probably force you down to 3GB's like XP does because of overlapping hardware / memory addresses.


it will work like xp. But depending upon the ram and/or the system, the extra ram could cause the system to be unstable. But no matter, 32 bit is going to be limiting to 3 gigs. The fourth will just sit there. 

I read a while back vista sp1 is supposed to fix it so when you check ram in windows it will show what is installed though it will still have the 32 bit limitations. I had not heard anything about it since...


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

based on your model, 4 gigs will run on your system with the proper operating system. As long as you have purchased the correct ram, you will need to install vista 64.


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

Yeah but...well, I gotta check the memory right now, I'll let you know. However, one thing is that it looks like it's a computer problem rather than OS problem, because when I insert all the memory, the BIOS recognizes the full 4GB memory. However, after the BIOS, it stops and I get a nasty BSOD screen, which then reboots the machine, and it goes all over like that again. Do you think an update of Vista in SP1 can do the work? So, basically, can I start again with the full memory?


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

bios will see all of your ram. it has absolutely nothing to do with windows operating system. Makes no difference if you upgrade to sp1 or not, if you have 4 gigs and want to use 4 gigs, you need vista 64. Sp1 might solve your bsod problems - no promises. It all depends whats causing it.


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

How can I get 64-bit? I know it doesn't work with many programs, as many people, the majority, have 32-bit. Plus, I've got loads of stuff in this 32-bit, and I can't lose all this to upgrade for a 64-bit...


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

Its a choice you are going to have to make. 

If you purchased the upgrade premium 32 retail version, then you can contact microsoft and get the 64 for the cost of shipping. I do not have a link for that. Once you get it, you will have to do a clean install - in otherwords, you will lose everything currently on your system.


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

Doesn't that mean, however, that I'll have to sacrifice not only my uncountable GBs of data, but also most of my programs? Most of them are only compatible with 32-bit, because that's the most widely known and used.
However, does flashing the BIOS help? I've found a website that helped me download something for that. I don't know what it really means, but could that help with the 32-bit and the 4GB I want on?


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

Might be a good idea to post the BSOD error message. :wink:


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

I'll test it again when I get home...
...however, if my memory is still alright, it said something like NOT FULLY ACPI COMPLIANT or something like that, then there were some "0x000001" numbers like that. Is that enough or do you need the whole lot in that BSOD?


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

The exact error message.


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

The message is:

"The BIOS in this system is not fully ACPI compliant. Please contact your system vendor for an updated BIOS.

*** STOP: 0x000000A5 (0x00001000, 0x00000000, 0xB0004044, 0x00000002)"

Sorry for the delay.
What can I do? I thought Vista SP1 would've solved the problem, but no way, I tried yesterday and it still throws up the same BSOD. HELP! :4-dontkno(please! :1angel


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

It's a problem in BIOS - nothing you can do in Windows.
Look for an updated BIOS at ACER (I would do it for you if the Acer website didn't refuse to load here).


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

??? What do you mean, is there anything that stops you from posting the link here? Anyway, does flashing the BIOS help? I'm confused!!


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

he is having problems accessing the ACER site otherwise he would have looked for you .. he suggests that you take a look for a BIOS upgrade ( on the ACER website) .. if you have any questions / problems then post back here again and we'll see what we can do to help overcome them


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

What I mean is - the Acer website won't open, so I can't post a link.
If there's an updated BIOS it might help.

**edit** Done_Fishin was faster. Thanks. :smile:


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

you're welcome ray: .. thought you might have been otherwise engaged ..


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks you two, very helpful, but the Acer website isn't as helpful! In fact, it doesn't give any BIOS update for Vista, whereas there are loads for XP. However, I subscribed to a website and they sent me a file that supposedly should flash the BIOS. Now, as you may have noticed, I'm not really hardware oriented, and I don't know if I should go ahead or just get a 64-bit OS (even though I guess that will delete everything I have and lower the chance that I will get my 32-bit programs again!). I'm stuck with a brand new 2GB module that's sitting there doing nothing, I feel pity for it... What can I do?:4-dontkno


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

The BIOS update will be for your Computer not for Vista or any other OS .. it might help your OS to function better but basically it's a computer related upgrade

you could leave your current install as it is and using gparted resize your partition to make room for a second partition .. whjere you can try out 64bit OS


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## Baby Boy (Apr 20, 2008)

With 120GB HDD, how can I have a partition? It means I'll have 60GB for 32-bit and 60 for 64-bit, which I guess won't be enough. Plus, why should I divide my hard drive in 2, I want to use only one! Is there any other way I can get round this?


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

A 64-bit OS won't help - the error is located in the BIOS.
I found a guide describing how to update BIOS in Linux (written in French) - none for Vista.

Check what BIOS version your computer is using - v.1.20 is the latest.


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

eneles said:


> A 64-bit OS won't help - the error is located in the BIOS.
> I found a guide describing how to update BIOS in Linux (written in French) - none for Vista.
> 
> Check what BIOS version your computer is using - v.1.20 is the latest.



The link is missing eneles ...


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## Deleted090308 (Jan 25, 2007)

Here... http://www.nautile.org/Flasher-un-bios-de-portable-sous.html

I tried to understand it - don't blame me when your head explodes. :smile:


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## Done_Fishin (Oct 10, 2006)

I do understand some of it and probably enough to follow the instructions .

From the ftp link I found this page for the 1.2 BIOS mentioned on a 9300 .. 9302 is not mentioned specifically ..

Bios versions found here
ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_9300/bios

readme.txt file says 


> [Fixed History]
> 
> 1. Modified from bios V119
> 2. Update AMD Agesa 2.08.09 for Rev G CPU
> ...


there's also an ftp directory for Vista with patches in it 

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_9300/vista/Applications

and drivers too including chipset ..

ftp://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_9300/vista/Drivers


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