System Properties in Vista SP1 reports the amount of ram installed. Even
Vista x86 should see 8GB if installed even though Vista x86 cannot address
more than 4GB. It should agree with the POST result at startup. So yes, it
should agree with what the BIOS reports during POST. That is not to say
that the BIOS is not reserving memory on a 64bit OS that it should only do
on a 32bit OS. That's why I would look to see if there is something about
"memory hole" or "memory mapping" in the BIOS that can be toggled off.

Winver is what shows what your operating system can use.

I just don't know a whole lot about this, but Carlos and Charlie Russel in
microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general sure do. That's why I suggested your
posting the question there too.

"iamc3k" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:5f173086c6fd6fa0e3658988e509b912@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> Colin,
>
> Thanks. If the OS sees 8Gb of memory, per the system information
> screen, doesn't that mean that the BIOS must be accessing it?
>
> I've run Memtest and it shows 8Gb. Memtest is run on a bootdisk, so the
> BIOS loads, but not the Vista OS. I'm pretty certain the BIOS is not at
> issue. Of course, I _have_ looked at every BIOS parameter and I do not
> see any memory mapping setting. (I have an Abit mobo.)
>
> I'll check the link you mentioned.
>
> Regards,
> Ken
>
>
> --
> iamc3k