My vista desktop reads less RAM than my laptop?

Technically, Vista 32-bit has a 4GB addressing limit. Vista 64-bit's addressing limit is much higher. (2^64 instead of 2^32.)

That said, Intel CPUs use memory-mapped IO. That is, devices like the RAM on your video card, registers on your Ethernet chip/card, and registers on your sound card are all mapped into locations in memory. Devices overlay the very topmost memory addresses starting at the 4GB limit and work their way down. Your RAM starts at 0 (not quite, but close enough for this discussion) and starts using addresses going up. When you have enough RAM (around 3 or 4 GB) the devices in most PCs will start to collide with and overlay the RAM at the higher addresses.

On your laptop, your GPU might only be using 128 or 256 MB of shared or dedicated RAM (doesn't matter which really). The other devices on there are probably using less than your desktop as well (think two-channel sound on your laptop and maybe 5.1 or 7.1 [or more] sound on your desktop .. with more bells and whistles.) So that shiny new video card you got for Christmas with 768 MB or 1GB of video RAM lops off an equal amount of RAM (plus some more for registers) out of the top of the addressable 4GB limit.

Bottom line is your desktop shows less memory because the superior hardware in it is hogging more of the addressable upper memory.

i do not pretend to know a lot about about computers but u mention the operating system (vista). but it also depends on the type of computer like weather it is a Pentium 4, dual core, or quad core (or one of the less common types like VA10). maby evan older but depending on the type the would be more or less ram. like my sis has a laptop that has like twise as much ram and memory as my family's desktop

You have a visto 32bit operating system.

32 bit operating systems only recognise up to 4 GB ram.

However, this 4 GB of ram includes not only the ram you install but dedicated ram such as Video Card ram and ram dedicated for your OS. This ram is not shown and not useable by applications.

Your desktop is reading 2.75 ram because you probably have a graphics card that has 1 GB of onboard video ram. The rest of the ram is being reserved for your OS.

How do you get around this?

Get vista 64 Bit (bad choice unless your installing like 8 GB of ram)

Personally, i have Windows XP which is a 32 bit operating system. i have 4gb of ram installed but my computer only shows 3.25 GB of ram. My graphics card has 512mb of onboard ram.

You should have a professional take a look.

Your hard drive is in no way related to your RAM. They do not affect each other.

Your processor might not support more than what Vista says it "sees". The OS might have a program that limits your RAM so you don't overload your processor and force a crash.

Again, see a professional.

Tha Same With Me!XD I Guess We Have The Same Laptop..

It Depends Of The Computers.. It's Normal..