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The only way to use more then 3.5GBs of RAM with Windows is if your running a server edition, or Vista x64. I believe XP x64 will see up to 4GBs, but im not 100% on this. I learned the hard way, back on page 5 you'll see I have 8GBs of RAM.
-CollinstheClown
Rule of thumb:
32bit windows can see 4GB of ram, but can only use so much, windows takes soo much away for devices such as your GFX,
Example,
Install 4GB ram, have 512MB GFX card, windows will tell you you have 3.5GB, have a 700MB GFX windows will say you have 3.3GB.
But don't forget that you have to take all your PCI devices off, if they have a rom or memory, this gets deducted also. Its to do with Memory mapping
Windows 64bit can see upto 32GB, but the same thing applys but only when you get to 32MB of ram.
Windows server can see huge ammounts but it all depends on what version you use, i think the top server can see about 125TB
Damn that's a lot of RAM lol. That guide should help a lot.
Mobo: Asus AN35N Ultra (nForce2 Ultra 400)
CPU: AMD Athlon XP Barton 2600+ (2017mhz core, 350mhz bus)
RAM: 3x Corsair 512mb DDR 400mhz modules
HDD: WD 80gb system/docs, Seagate 250gb scratch/media
Video: GeForce4 Ti 4200 (StarStorm 44.67q drivers)
I know it's all stoneage but it's been running steady for the last 5 years and hasn't broken a sweat. Adobe PS CS2 is the most cpu hungry app I use and my Barton never hiccups. The only limitations I've encountered is not having SSE2 to run the latest Adobe Premiere.
My secondary rig, mostly a tv tuner but itll handle some old games
Shuttle SK41G
AMD Athlon 1900+ OC
512mb DDR266
Visiontek Xtasy 9600 XT (back when visiontek actually meant something lol)
40 gig western digital drive
cdrw/dvd combo drive
sabrent tv tuner
939 pin AMD 64 X2 4200 (Dual Core)
Asus a8n-SLI Premium
1GB RAM DDR400 Corsair
EVGA 7950GT 512MB
Creative SoundBlaster Audigy SE
320GB Hitachi SATA HDD
Sony DVD-RW
LG DVD-RW
Flash Memory Reader/Writer
Floppy
Silverstone Temp Display
200GB Western Digital external HDD
Logitech items:
Logitech X-230 Speakers
Logitech G15 Keyboard
Logitech MX-518 Mouse
Logitech Headset
Hopefully to be getting a Logitech MP-Orbit to replace my ****ty Dynex Webcam!
I just left microsoft as a support tech. XP will only see 3.5GB of RAM. Vista 32bit will only see up to 3.5GB as well. Basically, in any 32-bit operating system...including linux distros...the virtual address space is limited by definition to a 32-bit value...Quote:
Originally Posted by Collinstheclown
example would be:
232 = 4,294,967,296
4,294,967,296 / (1,024 x 1,024) = 4,096
As for XP (32-bit), 4,096 megabytes is it. That's all it can address.
If you want more than 4 GB of memory on XP or Vista 32, it is possible however it takes hardware hacking (36-bit PAE extensions of the CPU) and software re-coding (like the AWE API). Also, your apps have to be specifically coded to be take advantage of these hacks..otherwise you are still stuck at using 4 GB. Also, you WILL void your hardware warranty.
You've noticed that although 32-bit Windows can address up to 4GB of RAM , you never can see more that 3-3.5GBs? So what is going on with that missing space? Memory-mapped devices like your sound and Video card are using some of that physical address space (even the BIOS ROMs do too). After all the non-memory devices have had their say, there will be less than 4GB of address space available for RAM below the 4GB physical address boundary...Basically 3.5GBs.
Remember the 8086 days when memory was broken up between 'conventional' 640k and the 'other' 384k?
Now before you bash windows...this isn't a Windows only/created problem-- it's an x86 hardware problem. Linux has the same issues so switching to a different 32-bit OS isn't going to make the problem go away. It's the architecture that IBM designed...be pissed at them ;)
The new 64-bit OS's can address up to 8 Terabytes of RAM...but make SURE your board and bios can support more than 4GBs before dropping the cash.
My advice is if are planning to stick with XP pro 32-bit or Vista 32-bit for the next few years, don't waste your money on 4 GB of RAM. You won't be able to use it all. Buy 3 GB instead.
* * * THE RED BEAST * * *
HARDWARE
Asus P5LD2-VM Motherboard
Asus PhysX P1 Processing Unit
Intel Pentium D 830 3.0GHz (Overclocked to 3.3GHz)
Western Digital Raptor Hard Drive (36GB, 10,000 RPM, 16MB, SATA-150)
4 x Corsair 1024MB DDR2 667MHz Memory (4096MB)
XG Vortec 600 Watt Power Supply (100% Aluminum Alloy Housing)
XFX GeForce 7600 GT Fatal1ty (4 Heatpipes, 36 Fins, Aluminum Heatsink)
COOLING
4 x Ultra Aluminum Memory Cooler
6 x 80mm Aluminum Mesh Fan Filter
8 x Thermaltake Forged Copper BGA Heatsink
8 x Zalman Aluminum VGA RAM Heatsink
Thermal CPU Heatsink Fan Duct
Zalman Copper VGA Heatsink (100% Copper, 2 Heatpipes, 160 Fins, 80mm Fan, 39 CFM)
Zalman Aluminum Hard Drive Cooler with 11 Heatpipes
Zalman Aluminum Northbridge Chipset Heatsink with 20 Fins
Thermaltake Tower 112 CPU Heatsink (100% Copper, 59 Fins, 6 Heatpipes)
5 x 80mm UV Red Translucent Fan - 32.5 CFM (162.5 CFM)
2 x 80mm Vantec Tornado Fan - 84.1 CFM (168.2 CFM)
1 x 120mm UV Red Translucent Fan - 84.3 CFM
Vantec Spectrum PCI Fan Card - 29.5 CFM
Corsair Dominator Memory Airflow Fan - 28.2 CFM
Ever Cool Hard Drive Cooler - 28.3 CFM
TOTAL: 540 CFM, 275 Fins, 23 Heatpipes, 20 Heatsinks, 16 Fans
It must be hard not to wake up the neighbors with that thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by j00 60t PwN3d
Case: Black Ultra Wizard ATX
MoBo: MSI K8N SLI nforce 4
Video Card: (2x) NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT (512)
HDD: Samsung HD300LJ (300GB), 40GB Maxtor (just for os)
RAM: 2 GB PC3200 DDR (Ultra)
PSU: 500w
Drives: LITE ON DVDD, Dell CD Burner