Can Vista use all 4 MB of RAM?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rmo555
  • Start date Start date
R

rmo555

I read somewhere (in a magazine) that there was a way for 32 bit Vista
to use all 4 MB of RAM - but I can't remember where I saw it. Anybody
know?
 
I read somewhere (in a magazine) that there was a way for 32 bit Vista
to use all 4 MB of RAM - but I can't remember where I saw it. Anybody
know?.
Click to expand...
..
I know you mean four gigabytes and the short answer is No. If you're using
32 bit Vista some of the address space is taken by hardware so less then
four GB is available to the OS and applications. If you use 64 bit Vista
and have four GB installed then it will be available to the OS and
applications (that's a simplification, but basically the 64 bit OS doesn't
have the 4 GB address space limitation).
 
.... and the answer was no in the other newsgroup you asked in. It's still
no, by the way. :-)
 
I read somewhere (in a magazine) that there was a way for 32 bit Vista
to use all 4 MB of RAM - but I can't remember where I saw it. Anybody
know?
Click to expand...

Vista x86 can address 4GB, but hardware requirements
reduce the address space available to 3.0GB to 3.5GB.
 
Hi, Richard.

"rmo555" reminds me of the definition of the difference between psychotic
and neurotic:
A psychotic thinks that 2 + 2 + 5.
A neurotic KNOWS that 2 + 2 = 4...and he's mad about it!

It sounds like rmo555 already knows the answer, but is mad about it and is
still looking for someone who will confirm the mistake. :>(

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64
 
I read somewhere (in a magazine) that there was a way for 32 bit Vista
to use all 4 MB of RAM - but I can't remember where I saw it. Anybody
know?
Click to expand...

There is a way to use RAM above 4 GB but here's the deal. A 32 bit
binary number can only "Count up to" 4 Gigabytes, and when you get there
and add one it rolls back to zero again. This means that if you have
hardware that only has a 32 bit address bus, or Vista 32 that is a 32
bit operating system, you cannot have a memory address that is bigger
than 4 GB.

What you can do is "Page" memory, in other words you can have like a
book of 4GB "Pages" and swap from one to the next. This is called "PAE"
but is not terribly useful for normal use, you would be much better to
use a 64 bit operating system.

So 4GB is like a limit fixed by hardware or the operating system, and
since your hardware needs some permanent memory addresses to work you
lose those addresses from the maximum available. In short you will get
3.2 or 3.3 GB max, although I would still suggest you install 4 GB
rather than 2GB.

If you upgrade from Vista 32 I strongly suggest you go for Windows 7 64
bit or you could run a Linux 64 bit solution. W7 looks pretty good to me
so far and although I have not had that much time to spend with it MS
have taken a step forward.
 
There is a way to use RAM above 4 GB but here's the deal. A 32 bit
binary number can only "Count up to" 4 Gigabytes, and when you get there
and add one it rolls back to zero again. This means that if you have
hardware that only has a 32 bit address bus, or Vista 32 that is a 32
bit operating system, you cannot have a memory address that is bigger
than 4 GB.

What you can do is "Page" memory, in other words you can have like a
book of 4GB "Pages" and swap from one to the next. This is called "PAE"
but is not terribly useful for normal use, you would be much better to
use a 64 bit operating system.

So 4GB is like a limit fixed by hardware or the operating system, and
since your hardware needs some permanent memory addresses to work you
lose those addresses from the maximum available. In short you will get
3.2 or 3.3 GB max, although I would still suggest you install 4 GB
rather than 2GB.

If you upgrade from Vista 32 I strongly suggest you go for Windows 7 64
bit or you could run a Linux 64 bit solution. W7 looks pretty good to me
so far and although I have not had that much time to spend with it MS
have taken a step forward.
Click to expand...

My concern with 64 bit is driver availability.
 
My concern with 64 bit is driver availability.
Click to expand...

As more and more people move to the 64 bit os's mroe and more 64 bit
drivers will become available. I have heard, but never personally
tried, that 32 bit drivers will work with a 64 bit os.
 
If you upgrade from Vista 32 I strongly suggest you go for Windows 7 64
My concern with 64 bit is driver availability.
Click to expand...
..
If you're concerned about drivers for hardware you already have then it's
easy enough to find out if they are available. It's not generally a problem
with new hardware though it's still good to check to make sure x64 is
supported immediately and not "coming soon".
 
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