Recovering my RAM

[Oppermongo]

I'm working with a native vista laptop with 4 gigs of RAM.
I installed ubuntu 9.04 and upgraded it to 9.10 at its release.
Since I needed to use some programs that are not available in linux, i used virtualbox to install winxp in ubuntu.
After a while, I found decent replacements and working versions so i deleted the virtual xp.
But when i boot in vista, it claims I only have 3gigs installed, since I allocated 1 gig to the virtual winxp, which doesn't exist anymore..
So my question is: how can i recover my lost ram, as i assume the problem is to be solved in ubuntu, but i don't know how.
Any comments are welcome.

[HappyFeet]

If you are using 32bit vista, it will only see a little over 3gb of ram. The only time ram is used for virtualbox, is when you are actually using the guest OS. When the guest OS is not in use or deleted the ram you allocated becomes available again for the host OS.

[Oppermongo]

I am indeed working on a 32bit vista, but vista itself keeps claiming it has 4gig installed. It's in programs like Ashampoo WinOptimizer and syschecks I only find 3gig.
I've been looking for some additional info online, but found nothing, o this is kinda my last hope.

[Rohan Kapoor]

Nothing is wrong with your RAM. All 32bit can only use 3gb of RAM. They will say it's there but won't use any extra.

[Oppermongo]

Yeah so I heard..Just another thing about Windows that makes me want to throw it away x)
Thanks for the help guys, I think we can consider this as closed..