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From: Eivind Eklund <perhaps@yes.no>
To: Louis-Philippe Reid <lpreid@videotron.com>
CC: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG
In-reply-to: Louis-Philippe Reid's message of Mon, 12 May 1997 22:12:18 -0400
Subject: Re: (none)
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This belong in the -questions list.  Besides, I believe the answer is
in the handbook - if not, find a suitable place to insert it based
the information I give you below, and send me a diff :-)

> I'm upgrading my FreeBSD server to a Compaq presario 64 megs ram (2.2.1
> release).  When it boots i get
>  
> 639/15360 of memory  
> 
> Why can FreeBSD see all the ram installed...?

Because Compaq and Dell use a custom BIOS interrupt to get memory
above 16 MB, and write max 16MB to the Real Time Clock memory, which
is where FreeBSD get memory size.  You'll have to override the default
memory size, preferably by compiling a new kernel.  This will make
FreeBSD probe for RAM up to the amount you say you have.  (This mean
that you can usually specify that you have e.g. 256MB, and it will
probe and find how much there really is.  The reason this isn't the
default is that it doesn't work with all motherboards.)

> btw, Windows95 can see all the ram, so it seems to be properly installed.
> 
> Anyone ever tried to install FreeBSD on a Compaq...and had it working
> properly?

Yes.  Works like a charm.  (This is written on an xterm into a Compaq
Prosignia 500 running FreeBSD.)

Eivind.