4GB memory not recognized, Only 3GB in 2.6.28-11-generic

[apjjr]

Linux las 2.6.28-11-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 17 01:57:59 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux
See http://bugs.Launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/74179
I thought I should run "ubuntu-bug linux" as suggested, so here I am.

***Post on http://bugs.Launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/74179

I've just installed a Intel DG35EC motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3GHz processor and 4GB RAM now running Linux las 2.6.28-11-server #42-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 17 02:48:10 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux.
I was puzzled by the fact that only 3GB of memory was usable with the desktop 9.04 system. I "googled" and found this page. I also found the page at http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/ubuntu-linux-4gb-ram-limitation-solution/. After a little more reading, I followed the instructions on the cyberciti.biz site. Installing the server kernel worked for me.

~$ free -m
             total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 4015 396 3619 0 15 132
-/+ buffers/cache: 248 3767
Swap: 3867 0 3867

I'm too new at this to understand any caveats of using the server kernel on a desktop system, but I'm happy that I can utilize all of the memory that I paid for. I will be using this system for testing VMware and Virtualbox to try to get sco openserver 5.0.6 to run on newer hardware(wish me luck).

This should be fixed for the desktop install, as well. I'm just glad I could find a fix on the net and the server kernel works!
-Alex

***End post

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=f9408893-d396-4dab-a397-a1a29274d75c
MachineType:

Package: linux-image-2.6.28-11-generic 2.6.28-11.42
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=ff5f73d3-a6b6-4931-9777-94ffa90577a9 ro quiet sphostnameh
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.28-11.42-generic
SourcePackage: linux

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

Marking as duplicate of bug 74179.

The basic story: 32 bit operating systems are limited to 4 GB of memory (all operating systems). However, 32 bit Ubuntu is limited to 3 GB unless you install the server kernel.

Workarounds:
Install 64 bit Ubuntu
install server kernel

Bug 74179 covers releasing a 32 bit option for high memory ( > 3 GB) systems.