220-1102 Question 67
Single answerRandom-access memory (RAM) support limitationsA technician upgrades a small office desktop from 4 GB to 8 GB of RAM by installing two additional 2 GB DIMMs. After the upgrade, the system firmware reports 8 GB installed, but Windows shows only about 3.2 GB usable. The user wants to run several more applications at once and asks why the full 8 GB is not available. Which action should the technician take FIRST to address this RAM support limitation?
- A
Replace the DIMMs with ECC memory so the operating system can address the full 8 GB
- B
Upgrade the installed operating system from a 32-bit edition to a 64-bit edition
- C
Increase the size of the page file so Windows can use the remaining installed RAM
- D
Enable XMP in the firmware so the memory controller can map all 8 GB
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The key detail is that the firmware detects all 8 GB, which indicates the RAM is physically installed and recognized by the hardware platform. The limitation appears only within Windows, where about 3.2 GB usable strongly suggests a 32-bit operating system. In real-world troubleshooting, technicians should verify the OS edition, CPU 64-bit support, and driver availability before planning the upgrade. Microsoft documentation for 32-bit versus 64-bit Windows editions and standard PC architecture behavior explain that 32-bit client operating systems have a practical memory ceiling near 4 GB, with some address space reserved for hardware resources, reducing usable RAM below the full 4 GB. Best practice is to confirm motherboard, processor, and OS compatibility, then migrate to a 64-bit OS when the user needs access to more than 4 GB of RAM.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect. ECC memory provides error detection and, in some implementations, correction for memory data integrity. It does not solve the addressing limitation seen when a 32-bit client operating system can only use roughly 4 GB of address space, with some of that space reserved for hardware-mapped devices. A technician might choose this option if they confuse memory reliability features with memory capacity support.
- B. Correct.
Correct. This scenario is a classic 32-bit operating system limitation. Even though the motherboard and firmware detect the full 8 GB, a 32-bit Windows edition typically shows only around 3.2 GB to 3.5 GB usable because part of the 4 GB address space is reserved for hardware resources such as PCI/PCIe devices and video memory mapping. Moving to a 64-bit edition of Windows is the appropriate first step if the CPU and drivers support it.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The page file is disk-based virtual memory and does not increase the amount of physical RAM the operating system can directly address. Increasing page file size may help with low-memory conditions, but it will not make a 32-bit edition of Windows use all 8 GB of installed RAM. This distractor targets the common misconception that virtual memory can bypass physical RAM addressing limits.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. XMP is used to apply memory performance profiles, such as frequency, timings, and voltage, on supported hardware. It does not change the operating system architecture or remove 32-bit memory addressing constraints. Someone might pick this option if they associate firmware settings with all memory-related problems.