16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

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rocketman987654

16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by rocketman987654 »

To All,

Is this Normal ? I have just installed Linux Mint 14 Mate 64-bit on a 16 Gig of RAM Dell workstation. I created 32 GIG for swap space. BIOS detected 16 gig of RAM. Why do I see 14 gig when it should be 16 gig ?. Thanks, Bob Perez.

Code: Select all

robert@robert-Precision-WorkStation-T3400 ~ $ free -h
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:           14G       898M        13G         0B        35M       424M
-/+ buffers/cache:       438M        14G
Swap:          30G         0B        30G

Code: Select all

robert@robert-Precision-WorkStation-T3400 ~ $ free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:      15401060    1285120   14115940          0     118852     697840
-/+ buffers/cache:     468428   14932632
Swap:     31999996          0   31999996
robert@robert-Precision-WorkStation-T3400 ~ $
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
RC Da Kookee

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by RC Da Kookee »

Yes, it's normal but you most certainly don't need 32 GB swap -.-
Heck, you don't need it at all with 16 GB. I'm using just 2 GB with 8 GB RAM.
rocketman987654

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by rocketman987654 »

RC,

Ok. I think you are right.

Thanks,
Bob
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catweazel
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Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by catweazel »

RC Da Kookee wrote:Yes, it's normal
That isn't exactly correct.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
RC Da Kookee

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by RC Da Kookee »

catweazel wrote:That isn't exactly correct.
FYP

BIOS reports 16 GB. There's obviously 16 GB.
Mint recognizes whatever amount is left after hardware takes its RAM share (audio, video, ports and connected devices, caches, registers, all of the software stuff, services and such...)
After hardware initialization you're left with the amount of visible RAM.
For example take Android smartphone. My phone is equipped with 1 GB RAM but after I boot it up all there is left is 690 MB RAM.
Same with my PC. 8 GB but 7.5 GB visible ( http://i.imgur.com/2GDWxnI.png )
Last edited by RC Da Kookee on Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: fixed wrong quoting
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catweazel
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Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by catweazel »

Code: Select all

boot@catweazel ~ $ free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:      16396332    2212616   14183716          0      78024    1184448
-/+ buffers/cache:     950144   15446188
Swap:            0          0          0
boot@catweazel ~ $ 
You were saying?
Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: removed inexistent quoting
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
eanfrid

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by eanfrid »

Code: Select all

             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:      16424352    7406856    9017496          0     147368    3670244
-/+ buffers/cache:    3589244   12835108
Swap:      4194300          0    4194300
:)
Looks like some hardware is claiming about 1GB of your 16GB RAM. Maybe your CGU ?
Last edited by eanfrid on Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
RC Da Kookee

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by RC Da Kookee »

LOL, right what I'm saying... Now please feel free to open up System Monitor or Archey and report back.
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catweazel
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Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by catweazel »

RC Da Kookee wrote:LOL, right what I'm saying... Now please feel free to open up System Monitor or Archey and report back.
Twit.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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catweazel
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Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by catweazel »

eanfrid wrote:

Code: Select all

             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:      16424352    7406856    9017496          0     147368    3670244
-/+ buffers/cache:    3589244   12835108
Swap:      4194300          0    4194300
:)
Looks like some hardware is claiming about 1GB of your 16GB RAM. Maybe your CGU ?
No. I have 16GB ... Mem: 16424352

The OP doesn't ... Mem: 15401060

Perhaps you should tell the OP he's lost a gig.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
RC Da Kookee

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by RC Da Kookee »

catweazel wrote:
RC Da Kookee wrote:LOL, right what I'm saying... Now please feel free to open up System Monitor or Archey and report back.
Twit.
Hah, just like I thought. Btw, growing up is not that bad; just one hint for ya.
Last edited by RC Da Kookee on Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
zerozero

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by zerozero »

just 2 observations:

1- let's calm down a bit please and focus on the subject here, we are not helping the OP solving his(her) question;

2- now i have to go up some posts and fix them, please don't misuse the quote functionality. it's not nice :wink:
eanfrid

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by eanfrid »

@catweasel: I was replying to the OP, showing him he has "lost" 1GB, like you did ;) dmesg should tell something about it.
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catweazel
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Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by catweazel »

eanfrid wrote:@catweasel: I was replying to the OP, showing him he has "lost" 1GB, like you did ;) dmesg should tell something about it.
Oh. It looked just as if you'd replied to me. Mind you, at 84 not even spectacles will fix my eyesight.

Cheers.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
beetleshirt

Re: 16 Gig of RAM shows as 14 Gig on Linux Mint 14

Post by beetleshirt »

A common cause of large amounts of memory "missing" is onboard video using shared memory. The manufacturer lists the memory as say 4GB and video as 1GB, and the operating system only sees 3GB. I'd be guessing your video card is listed as 1GB and you plug your monitor cable into the back panel (where the USB, network, audio, etc connections are) rather than a discrete video card. If you do have a separate video card and that's what you're using (and not the onboard connection), I'd be looking in the BIOS to see if you have onboard video and whether it can be disabled. If you don't really care that you only (!) have about 15GB of memory, it won't hurt to leave it as is either.
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