Comments on: 32-Bit Vista Memory Limits http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/ Windows Vista and Windows 7 Help Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:48:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Matt Peters http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94935 Matt Peters Sat, 18 Dec 2010 19:06:04 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94935 I am running 32-bit Vista on my laptop with 2GB (2x1GB) RAM. Does it make any sense to upgrade to 4GB (2x2GB) or can I just replace 1 SoDIMM and live with 3GB. I am running 32-bit Vista on my laptop with 2GB (2x1GB) RAM. Does it make any sense to upgrade to 4GB (2x2GB) or can I just replace 1 SoDIMM and live with 3GB.

]]> By: Bob http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94904 Bob Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:26:22 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94904 After doing some research I found that I was also suppose to go into regedit and change it to clear the page file at shutdown. To be honest I'm not really sure if there has been much of a performance change (in my case). I could still play Fallout New Vegas (with maxed graphics), and watch a movie on my secondary monitor, whilst runnung a myriad of programs in the background, and still have it all run flawlessly. In the end I'm not really sure if it did help any, but I didn't really notice any increase or decrease in performance. I'll likely give my extra RAM away, as I didn't really notice a performance differance. Thanks for the input. After doing some research I found that I was also suppose to go into regedit and change it to clear the page file at shutdown.

To be honest I’m not really sure if there has been much of a performance change (in my case). I could still play Fallout New Vegas (with maxed graphics), and watch a movie on my secondary monitor, whilst runnung a myriad of programs in the background, and still have it all run flawlessly. In the end I’m not really sure if it did help any, but I didn’t really notice any increase or decrease in performance.

I’ll likely give my extra RAM away, as I didn’t really notice a performance differance.

Thanks for the input.

]]> By: Tony Northrup http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94901 Tony Northrup Sun, 12 Dec 2010 13:46:06 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94901 Unfortunately, this would just waste memory. Windows has a really complex algorithm for deciding what should be stored in physical vs. virtual memory, and tricking it like this will only reduce performance. Unfortunately, this would just waste memory. Windows has a really complex algorithm for deciding what should be stored in physical vs. virtual memory, and tricking it like this will only reduce performance.

]]> By: Bob http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94898 Bob Sun, 12 Dec 2010 02:22:07 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94898 Create a RAMdisk (using something like RAMDisk Plus. Make sure it's only using un-used RAM) Then go into virtual memory settings (Vista: Control Panel>Performance Information and Tools>Advanced Tools>Adjust the Appearance and Performance of Windows, advanced tab, change...) Set virtual memory paging file to run on your newly made RAMDisk. This is what I did. I'm not really sure if it helped, as my computer was runnung top notch before hand, anyway. I hope I've been a help. Create a RAMdisk (using something like RAMDisk Plus. Make sure it’s only using un-used RAM)
Then go into virtual memory settings (Vista: Control Panel>Performance Information and Tools>Advanced Tools>Adjust the Appearance and Performance of Windows, advanced tab, change…)
Set virtual memory paging file to run on your newly made RAMDisk.

This is what I did. I’m not really sure if it helped, as my computer was runnung top notch before hand, anyway.

I hope I’ve been a help.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94126 Wayne Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:32:23 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94126 Hi Tony Many thanks for your response. I am inclined to agree with you that maybe the BIOS update mapped more address space to a system component. I do have an ageia physx card in the laptop (now redundant as 9800 gtx has an onboard chip) so I guess this takes some of the addressing. As for the SLI, I guess the 2 cards are addressed by a single space and share the processing. I don't truly understand how it works. I suppose 2* 1024 mb cards would be a a bit draconian if they took all that address space leaving me with just over 2 gig available! Hi Tony

Many thanks for your response. I am inclined to agree with you that maybe the BIOS update mapped more address space to a system component. I do have an ageia physx card in the laptop (now redundant as 9800 gtx has an onboard chip) so I guess this takes some of the addressing.

As for the SLI, I guess the 2 cards are addressed by a single space and share the processing. I don’t truly understand how it works. I suppose 2* 1024 mb cards would be a a bit draconian if they took all that address space leaving me with just over 2 gig available!

]]> By: Tony Northrup http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94125 Tony Northrup Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:55:51 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94125 Heya Wayne. It's not just the video card that steals address space, so the remaining .24 GB must be allocated by a bus (such as the PCI bus) or another card. The video card just happens to be the biggest culprit. I'm not at all sure why updating the BIOS would change the available memory. Maybe the new BIOS update mapped more address space to some system component. Re: the two cards in SLI, I'm not an expert in SLI, but based on what you're saying, it sounds like the two cards are addressed by a single address space. I think SLI just shares processing, right? Heya Wayne. It’s not just the video card that steals address space, so the remaining .24 GB must be allocated by a bus (such as the PCI bus) or another card. The video card just happens to be the biggest culprit.

I’m not at all sure why updating the BIOS would change the available memory. Maybe the new BIOS update mapped more address space to some system component.

Re: the two cards in SLI, I’m not an expert in SLI, but based on what you’re saying, it sounds like the two cards are addressed by a single address space. I think SLI just shares processing, right?

]]> By: Wayne http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94123 Wayne Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:02:57 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94123 I find the whole memory thing confusing. Basically i had 4 gigs ram. Vista would show approx 3.26 available. Now my graphics card was Nvidia 8800m GTX 512 mb ram plus a second sli one. So if the graphics card mapping should steal 512 mb ram only why did it drop as far as 3.26 gig only being available. Or another way of looking at it, is if they were in Sli confg then surely my available should of been more like 3.072 and not 3.26. Why is this? Funnily enough I had to do a factory restore on my dell laptop which returned it to it's factory shipped state. Suddenly the available memory changed to 3.072? Why did it suddenly do this? Maybe the fact the bios was upgraded to a newer version is responsible? Another oddity - my 8800m GTX slis were eventually replaced due to overheating by dell. In their place are 9800m GTX cards in sli. Each with 1024 mb memory. So surely my available vista memory should now read 4096 - 1024 - 1024 equalling 2.048. Yet it still says 3.072. It's bizarre. Anyone know why this happens? Thanks Wayne I find the whole memory thing confusing. Basically i had 4 gigs ram. Vista would show approx 3.26 available. Now my graphics card was Nvidia 8800m GTX 512 mb ram plus a second sli one. So if the graphics card mapping should steal 512 mb ram only why did it drop as far as 3.26 gig only being available. Or another way of looking at it, is if they were in Sli confg then surely my available should of been more like 3.072 and not 3.26. Why is this?

Funnily enough I had to do a factory restore on my dell laptop which returned it to it’s factory shipped state. Suddenly the available memory changed to 3.072? Why did it suddenly do this? Maybe the fact the bios was upgraded to a newer version is responsible?

Another oddity – my 8800m GTX slis were eventually replaced due to overheating by dell. In their place are 9800m GTX cards in sli. Each with 1024 mb memory. So surely my available vista memory should now read 4096 – 1024 – 1024 equalling 2.048. Yet it still says 3.072. It’s bizarre. Anyone know why this happens?

Thanks
Wayne

]]> By: Wim Bervoets http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94027 Wim Bervoets Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:06:12 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94027 If you can't find your bios update at the manufacturer site, a good place to start is http://www.wimsbios.com/biosupdates.jsp. You should be able to find a bios update via the manufacturer links. Wim If you can’t find your bios update at the manufacturer site, a good place to start is http://www.wimsbios.com/biosupdates.jsp. You should be able to find a bios update via the manufacturer links.

Wim

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94005 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:03:59 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94005 Vista and 7 support PAE. Applications have to be written specifically to page memory in and out of the PAE-extended memory, however. Apps just don't take advantage of it. Here's the thing--when a 32-bit app is compiled, it uses 32-bit values to identify memory locations. So, it'll be limited to the first 4GB of addressable memory. For a 32-bit app to use more than 4GB via PAE, it has to specifically say something like, "Access memory at location 0x329034 in PAE memory page 0x01." For a while, some enterprise server applications (such as Microsoft SQL Server) took advantage of PAE, but once 64-bit OSs were released, developers just started developing for the 64-bit platform. So, Vista and 7 support PAE, but it doesn't really win you anything. Vista and 7 support PAE. Applications have to be written specifically to page memory in and out of the PAE-extended memory, however. Apps just don’t take advantage of it.

Here’s the thing–when a 32-bit app is compiled, it uses 32-bit values to identify memory locations. So, it’ll be limited to the first 4GB of addressable memory. For a 32-bit app to use more than 4GB via PAE, it has to specifically say something like, “Access memory at location 0×329034 in PAE memory page 0×01.”

For a while, some enterprise server applications (such as Microsoft SQL Server) took advantage of PAE, but once 64-bit OSs were released, developers just started developing for the 64-bit platform.

So, Vista and 7 support PAE, but it doesn’t really win you anything.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94004 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:44:07 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94004 The latest Vista service pack shows you the amount of physical memory installed rather than the amount that is usable. Basically, it's lieing to you. You don't have any more usable memory than you did before. The latest Vista service pack shows you the amount of physical memory installed rather than the amount that is usable. Basically, it’s lieing to you. You don’t have any more usable memory than you did before.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94003 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:42:51 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94003 If you're getting popups and you can't install updates, that's a good sign that you have malware (such as spyware or adware). It's not uncommon for it to defeat anti-malware like your McAfee. Sometimes, malware can be removed with anti-malware, and other times it's very persistent. If I were you, I'd copy all my files to an external drive (or consider using an online backup service if you don't have an external drive). Then, I'd re-install Windows (or better yet, install Windows 7). If you’re getting popups and you can’t install updates, that’s a good sign that you have malware (such as spyware or adware). It’s not uncommon for it to defeat anti-malware like your McAfee.

Sometimes, malware can be removed with anti-malware, and other times it’s very persistent. If I were you, I’d copy all my files to an external drive (or consider using an online backup service if you don’t have an external drive). Then, I’d re-install Windows (or better yet, install Windows 7).

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94002 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:38:46 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94002 It's true that using a memory card with less memory will leave more for the OS to use (assuming you have 4GB of RAM in a 32-bit OS). It doesn't mean performance will be terrible, though. 3D games and such might be awful, but standard Windows apps like IE, Firefox, Office, etc., will work just fine. It’s true that using a memory card with less memory will leave more for the OS to use (assuming you have 4GB of RAM in a 32-bit OS). It doesn’t mean performance will be terrible, though. 3D games and such might be awful, but standard Windows apps like IE, Firefox, Office, etc., will work just fine.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94001 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:28:33 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94001 Both Linux and Windows have similar PAE capabilities (and limitations) Both Linux and Windows have similar PAE capabilities (and limitations)

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94000 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:27:48 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-94000 Windows might display the amount of physical RAM installed, but 32-bit operating systems are limited to 4GB of addressable memory. So, if you have 8GB installed in your computer, more than half of it is being wasted. Windows might display the amount of physical RAM installed, but 32-bit operating systems are limited to 4GB of addressable memory. So, if you have 8GB installed in your computer, more than half of it is being wasted.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93999 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:26:00 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93999 This is because Service Pack 2 displays the amount of physical memory installed rather than the amount of usable memory. Your usable memory is still 3.3GB. This is because Service Pack 2 displays the amount of physical memory installed rather than the amount of usable memory. Your usable memory is still 3.3GB.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93998 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:25:00 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93998 Sounds like you're using the 32-bit version. Do this: Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. Check the System Type. It should read, "64-bit Operating System" (directly below the amount of memory). If you really are using a 64-bit OS, double-check that you have the memory you think you do. If you do, try and upgrade your BIOS. Sounds like you’re using the 32-bit version. Do this: Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. Check the System Type. It should read, “64-bit Operating System” (directly below the amount of memory).

If you really are using a 64-bit OS, double-check that you have the memory you think you do. If you do, try and upgrade your BIOS.

]]> By: Tony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93997 Tony Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:22:11 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93997 In that configuration, the OS wouldn't boot. You'd need to use a 64-bit OS. In that configuration, the OS wouldn’t boot. You’d need to use a 64-bit OS.

]]> By: David Spicer http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93992 David Spicer Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:18:45 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93992 ok so if you're running a 32-bit OS and you install say... 8 gb of ram, have 2x2gb video cards... then how much ram would your OS "see"? ok so if you’re running a 32-bit OS and you install say… 8 gb of ram, have 2x2gb video cards… then how much ram would your OS “see”?

]]> By: Gluttony http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93990 Gluttony Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:08:56 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93990 Please ca anyone help me? i just purchase a new pc and i can`t use my 16Gigs of ram even with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bits. It`s showing only 3.50 (usable). Please ca anyone help me? i just purchase a new pc and i can`t
use my 16Gigs of ram even with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bits. It`s showing only 3.50 (usable).

]]> By: 4g63t http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93672 4g63t Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:20:54 +0000 http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-32-bit-vista-memory-limits/#comment-93672 Im running quad core and vista ultimate 32bit. after service pack 2 install and all upgrades my system sees 4gb. before would just be 3.3gb. try it out by doing a full update Im running quad core and vista ultimate 32bit. after service pack 2 install and all upgrades my system sees 4gb. before would just be 3.3gb. try it out by doing a full update

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