Memory Question:Vista, Xp all Windows OS

[icarus]

I have been wondering about my ram, and if it is being used the way it should be. I don't know if there's some kind of setting to tell the computer to use more of it for programs, or whatever use would speed up the computer the most. When I look at how much RAM is being used it's only using up 1.8gb at the most this is the highest ive seen. Now I have 4gb is there any way to tell the computer or Vista OS to use more ram untill its up to its max or at least untill its near its max? What do you guys think would be the best usage? I've been searching for like an hour and I can't find any information on it.


Thanks for any help I can get.

AJ

[Bigeme]

As far as I know, Vista will adjust its ram usage based on what programs you run. You don't need to tell it to use more. It will use what is required. Don't worry about it. If anything you can change processing priority towards programs and away from background services, but I don't think that it will really make a difference.

[icarus]

Yeah its set on programs, ok thanks much.

[Bulletproof]

On XP, you can use /3GB & /USERVA=xxxx in the BOOT.ini.
This controls how much total memory (virtual+RAM) is seperated between 'system' and 'user' program/processes.
/3GB alone = 1GB system & 3GB user
slight issue is that some drivers like video drivers require contiguous chunk of memory, So I suggest adding /USERVA=2900, 1196MB system & 2900MB(2.83GB) user.
I've got 4GB in a Workstation, it will never use all this RAM unless I go 64bit, I also tried using 1GB of my RAM as a pagefile but that didn't work, tried using 1GB as a temp file folder and that seemed to work but there might have been stability issues.

Then again, my temp files and pagefile are on a dedicated 2xWD raptor 10k 78GB RAID0 array.