Why does Vista lie, re: RAM?

[Deja Q]

32-bit Vista on my secondary compuer, when going onto the main system screen (right click 'my computer' then left click 'properties'), it says 8GB.

When I go into Task manager it finds, of course, the 3.2GB.

With 32-bit Server 2003 capable of seeing more than 4GB, why can't Vista, an OS that's 3 years newer and said to have been built from Server 2003 code?

I know 64-bit will use all 8GB, but I don't want to re-format, go through re-activation and dealing with people on the phone that aren't going to give a crap...

Or is this another example of Microsoft Sloth(tm) at work?

[Shardik]

1. I read some explanations on that and that's why my last build ended up being Vista 64.

It really does seem odd though that the 32 won't see the extra RAM though.

[Gore1FL]

2. I wonder if you could the extra 4GB as a Ram drive and use it for ready boost. n/t

[Deja Q]

3. Nope. Due to hardware limitation.

:(

I'd read Microsoft nixed PAE for Vista... even though it's based on Server 2003, which can use it. Too many driver issues, or so they claimed...