4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

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Yman

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Hi,
I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
of RAM.
I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.

This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
/NoExecute=OptOut".

Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit


"Yman" <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D171EF81-C231-4F43-BE6A-518F45EF8599@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
> I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4
> GB
> of RAM.
> I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
> it's
> 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
> luck
> I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>
> This is the bootini
> "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> /NoExecute=OptOut".
>
> Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>
>
You cannot access the full 4GB because Windows uses memory mapped i/o. This
unavailable 1 GB overlaps the i/o devices hence it cannot be used.
Jim
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Thanks,

So there's no way I can do this, I picked up this article from Microsoft Web
Site

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291988

"Jim" wrote:

>
> "Yman" <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:D171EF81-C231-4F43-BE6A-518F45EF8599@microsoft.com...
> > Hi,
> > I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> > @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4
> > GB
> > of RAM.
> > I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
> > it's
> > 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> > followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
> > luck
> > I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
> >
> > This is the bootini
> > "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> > Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> > /NoExecute=OptOut".
> >
> > Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
> >
> >
> You cannot access the full 4GB because Windows uses memory mapped i/o. This
> unavailable 1 GB overlaps the i/o devices hence it cannot be used.
> Jim
>
>
>
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit


"Yman" <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D171EF81-C231-4F43-BE6A-518F45EF8599@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
> I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4
> GB
> of RAM.
> I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
> it's
> 32 bit.

Not exactly. Windows can see it, it just won't let you use most of the
last gig because it uses it for system devices.

You will *not* get to use all 4 gig as user memory.

> I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
> luck
> I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.

Then you've pretty much "tuned" it as much as possible.

>
> This is the bootini
> "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> /NoExecute=OptOut".
>
> Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.

You have already achieved your goal, as far as it is attainable. If you
want to use more memory, you'l l need a 64 bit OS.

HTH
-pk
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:00:01 -0700, Yman
<Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> of RAM.
> I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.



All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just Vista/XP) have a 4GB
address space. That's the theoretical upper limit beyond which you can
not go.

But you can't use the entire 4GB of address space. Even though you
have a 4GB address space, you can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not
available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can
range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around
3.1GB.

Note that the hardware is using the address *space*, not the actual
RAM itself. The rest of the RAM goes unused because there is no
address space to map it too.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

>I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
>@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
>of RAM.
>I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
>32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
>followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
>I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>
>This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
>Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
>/NoExecute=OptOut".
>
>Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.

PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
switch. I would also ditch the /USEVA switch too. Only specific
applications installed would require you to need that switch and the
parameters following it. Do more research on Google for this.

- Thee Chicago Wolf
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

>Thanks,
>
>So there's no way I can do this, I picked up this article from Microsoft Web
>Site

It depends on the hardware you have installed. In theory, if you have
some simple VGA card or VGA RAM being used (64, 128, or 256 MB) you
might be able to squeeze out up to 3.1-3.6GB RAM but the more RAM
other devices and such require, the more it'll eat away at what you
might be able to squeeze out with even the /3GB switch. It's just the
limitation of a 32-bit Windows.

- Thee Chicago Wolf
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Thanks

I will be glad if I can get the machine to show 3.5GB of RAM. Is there any
other way than editing the Boot.ini ??

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:

> On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:00:01 -0700, Yman
> <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> > I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> > @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> > of RAM.
> > I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> > 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> > followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> > I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>
>
>
> All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just Vista/XP) have a 4GB
> address space. That's the theoretical upper limit beyond which you can
> not go.
>
> But you can't use the entire 4GB of address space. Even though you
> have a 4GB address space, you can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
> That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not
> available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
> use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can
> range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around
> 3.1GB.
>
> Note that the hardware is using the address *space*, not the actual
> RAM itself. The rest of the RAM goes unused because there is no
> address space to map it too.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Thanks,

I've tried only the /3GB switch, I only can see 3GB of RAM on the System
Properties.

"Thee Chicago Wolf" wrote:

> >I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> >@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> >of RAM.
> >I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> >32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> >followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> >I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
> >
> >This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> >Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> >/NoExecute=OptOut".
> >
> >Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>
> PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
> switch. I would also ditch the /USEVA switch too. Only specific
> applications installed would require you to need that switch and the
> parameters following it. Do more research on Google for this.
>
> - Thee Chicago Wolf
>
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

Yman wrote:
> Hi,
> I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> of RAM.
> I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>
> This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> /NoExecute=OptOut".
>
> Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.

Windows XP doesn't fully support PAE and the 4GT RAM Tuning doesn't
really have anything to do with physical memory (RAM), it affects how
the Virtual Address Space is alloted between user mode processes and the
kernel-mode components, you should remove these switches from the
boot.ini file. Due to hardware addressing needs Windows XP 32-bits
cannot fully utilize 4GB of RAM and there is no way to overcome the
limitation.

John
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Thanks,

How about if you have Qautro Process on windwos XP SP2 ?? will that work ?

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> Yman wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> > @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> > of RAM.
> > I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> > 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> > followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> > I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
> >
> > This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> > Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> > /NoExecute=OptOut".
> >
> > Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>
> Windows XP doesn't fully support PAE and the 4GT RAM Tuning doesn't
> really have anything to do with physical memory (RAM), it affects how
> the Virtual Address Space is alloted between user mode processes and the
> kernel-mode components, you should remove these switches from the
> boot.ini file. Due to hardware addressing needs Windows XP 32-bits
> cannot fully utilize 4GB of RAM and there is no way to overcome the
> limitation.
>
> John
>
>
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

With Windows XP 32-bits there is *no* *way* to overcome the limitation.
You should only use the /3GB switch if an application vendor instructs
you to do so, using this switch can starve the operating system of
needed virtual memory and it will do absolutely nothing to help you
access the unavailable RAM.

John

Yman wrote:

> Thanks,
>
> How about if you have Qautro Process on windwos XP SP2 ?? will that work ?
>
> "John John (MVP)" wrote:
>
>
>>Yman wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
>>>@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
>>>of RAM.
>>>I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
>>>32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
>>>followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
>>>I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>>>
>>>This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
>>>Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
>>>/NoExecute=OptOut".
>>>
>>>Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>>
>>Windows XP doesn't fully support PAE and the 4GT RAM Tuning doesn't
>>really have anything to do with physical memory (RAM), it affects how
>>the Virtual Address Space is alloted between user mode processes and the
>>kernel-mode components, you should remove these switches from the
>>boot.ini file. Due to hardware addressing needs Windows XP 32-bits
>>cannot fully utilize 4GB of RAM and there is no way to overcome the
>>limitation.
>>
>>John
>>
>>
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit


"Thee Chicago Wolf" <.@.> wrote in message
news:fsbtc41j6pirgabklmp1gogrsca2c9ob1i@4ax.com...
> >I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo
> >E6550
>>@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4
>>GB
>>of RAM.
>>I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
>>it's
>>32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
>>followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
>>luck
>>I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>>
>>This is the bootini
>>"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
>>Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
>>/NoExecute=OptOut".
>>
>>Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>
> PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
> switch. I would also ditch the /USEVA switch too. Only specific
> applications installed would require you to need that switch and the
> parameters following it. Do more research on Google for this.
>
> - Thee Chicago Wolf

The purpose of the /userva switch is to provide sufficient memory
address space for the XP kernel if the /3GB switch is used. The /3GB
switch adds 1GB to the default 2GB of application memory address
space at the expense of the OS kernel. If Task Manager showed 3.5GB
of physical memory you would be okay, as 0.5GB would be available
for the OS. If Task Manager only showed 3.1GB as available, XP
would only have 100MB, which could lead to a lot of OS paging, or
a system crash. That's why MS recommends a /userva in the range
of 2800 - 2900 MB. The /userva switch gives some memory back to
to OS that is taken by the /3GB switch.

In addition, the extra 1GB provided by the /3GB switch can only
be used by applications that are large address aware, such as
Adobe Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements.
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

Thee Chicago Wolf <.@.> wrote:


>PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
>switch.

No, don't. The 3/GB switch affects the way that the virtual memory
spaces are divided between the OS and the application, it has NOTHING
to do with physical memory. Using /3GB will squeeze the OS into 2GB of
each virtual memory space. Very few apps will need that, and it will
hurt performance.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
Slattery_T@bls.gov
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi


"Yman" <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D72BE592-9224-46C2-A0B4-6E494B285B27@microsoft.com...
> Thanks,
>
> I've tried only the /3GB switch, I only can see 3GB of RAM on the System
> Properties.
>
> "Thee Chicago Wolf" wrote:
>
>> >I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo
>> >E6550
>> >@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have
>> >4 GB
>> >of RAM.
>> >I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
>> >it's
>> >32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
>> >followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
>> >luck
>> >I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>> >
>> >This is the bootini
>> >"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
>> >Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
>> >/NoExecute=OptOut".
>> >
>> >Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>>
>> PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
>> switch. I would also ditch the /USEVA switch too. Only specific
>> applications installed would require you to need that switch and the
>> parameters following it. Do more research on Google for this.
>>
>> - Thee Chicago Wolf
>>
The /3GB switch only allows you to use 3GB of virtual address space. The
remaining 1 GB is used to map Windows into your virtual address space.
The switch does not affect the amount of RAM that Windows can use.
Jim
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:00:01 -0700, Yman wrote:

> Hi,
> I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> of RAM.
> I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>
> This is the bootini "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
> Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
> /NoExecute=OptOut".
>
> Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.

A lot depends upon the way the vendor set up the computer. I have an HP
Pavilion m7590n, MS Windows MCe 2005, SP3. It came with 2GB of RAM and SP2.
When I finally got around to throwing in more memory, I did absolutely
nothing, other than plugging in the RAM modules. I was expecting no more
than 3.1GB, based on my research. Whatever HP did, the System Properties
shows 3.5GB of RAM present; best anybody can hope for. Short of changing
your motherboard, I don't think there is anything you can do to max your RAM
beyond your current level.

--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

Ian D wrote:

> "Thee Chicago Wolf" <.@.> wrote in message
> news:fsbtc41j6pirgabklmp1gogrsca2c9ob1i@4ax.com...
>
>>>I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo
>>>E6550
>>>@2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4
>>>GB
>>>of RAM.
>>>I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because
>>>it's
>>>32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
>>>followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much
>>>luck
>>>I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
>>>
>>>This is the bootini
>>>"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
>>>Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /Userva=2900
>>>/NoExecute=OptOut".
>>>
>>>Any Idea, note the machine supports DEP.
>>
>>PAE is not for Windows XP so get rid of that. Only leave the /3GB
>>switch. I would also ditch the /USEVA switch too. Only specific
>>applications installed would require you to need that switch and the
>>parameters following it. Do more research on Google for this.
>>
>>- Thee Chicago Wolf
>
>
> The purpose of the /userva switch is to provide sufficient memory
> address space for the XP kernel if the /3GB switch is used. The /3GB
> switch adds 1GB to the default 2GB of application memory address
> space at the expense of the OS kernel. If Task Manager showed 3.5GB
> of physical memory you would be okay, as 0.5GB would be available
> for the OS. If Task Manager only showed 3.1GB as available, XP
> would only have 100MB, which could lead to a lot of OS paging, or
> a system crash. That's why MS recommends a /userva in the range
> of 2800 - 2900 MB. The /userva switch gives some memory back to
> to OS that is taken by the /3GB switch.

It doesn't have anything to do with RAM as such and what you say above
is not the way it works at all. The 4GT RAM tuning switch changes the
way the "Virtual Address Space" is alloted, regardless of how much RAM
is installed in the computer the 32-bit operating system always has a
full 4GB of Virtual Address Space to work with.

John
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

>The purpose of the /userva switch is to provide sufficient memory
>address space for the XP kernel if the /3GB switch is used. The /3GB
>switch adds 1GB to the default 2GB of application memory address
>space at the expense of the OS kernel. If Task Manager showed 3.5GB
>of physical memory you would be okay, as 0.5GB would be available
>for the OS. If Task Manager only showed 3.1GB as available, XP
>would only have 100MB, which could lead to a lot of OS paging, or
>a system crash. That's why MS recommends a /userva in the range
>of 2800 - 2900 MB. The /userva switch gives some memory back to
>to OS that is taken by the /3GB switch.
>
>In addition, the extra 1GB provided by the /3GB switch can only
>be used by applications that are large address aware, such as
>Adobe Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements.

Right, that's if you're using it primarily on a Server, not on XP. XP
isn't going to fall over from starved kernel pages so using USERVA is
moot unless the OP runs out of page table entries. /3GB will take 1GB
from kernel address paging and allocate it to physical and paged
memory. Tech references from MS folks and docs seem to state this.

- Thee Chicago Wolf
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bit

Thee Chicago Wolf wrote:

>>The purpose of the /userva switch is to provide sufficient memory
>>address space for the XP kernel if the /3GB switch is used. The /3GB
>>switch adds 1GB to the default 2GB of application memory address
>>space at the expense of the OS kernel. If Task Manager showed 3.5GB
>>of physical memory you would be okay, as 0.5GB would be available
>>for the OS. If Task Manager only showed 3.1GB as available, XP
>>would only have 100MB, which could lead to a lot of OS paging, or
>>a system crash. That's why MS recommends a /userva in the range
>>of 2800 - 2900 MB. The /userva switch gives some memory back to
>>to OS that is taken by the /3GB switch.
>>
>>In addition, the extra 1GB provided by the /3GB switch can only
>>be used by applications that are large address aware, such as
>>Adobe Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements.
>
>
> Right, that's if you're using it primarily on a Server, not on XP. XP
> isn't going to fall over from starved kernel pages so using USERVA is
> moot unless the OP runs out of page table entries. /3GB will take 1GB
> from kernel address paging and allocate it to physical and paged
> memory. Tech references from MS folks and docs seem to state this.

The /3GB switch does not allocate anything to physical and paged memory,
it simply changes the way the Virtual Address Space is devided.

John
 
Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

Re: 4GB of RAM tunning in windows xp professional xp sp2 with 32bi

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:03:01 -0700, Yman
<Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thanks
>
> I will be glad if I can get the machine to show 3.5GB of RAM. Is there any
> other way than editing the Boot.ini ??


No, it's mostly dependent on what hardware you happen to have.




> "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:00:01 -0700, Yman
> > <Yman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi,
> > > I 'm running windows XP SP2 on thinkcentre M55 with Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> > > @2.33GHZ. I'm trying to tune the memory on windows xp sp2 so I can have 4 GB
> > > of RAM.
> > > I can see the 4GB of RAM in the Bios, but windows can't see it because it's
> > > 32 bit. I found articles with Microsoft so you can tune the memory. I
> > > followed the documentation and modified the bootini. I didn't have much luck
> > > I can only see 3GB in window mean while 4GB in the BIOS.
> >
> >
> >
> > All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just Vista/XP) have a 4GB
> > address space. That's the theoretical upper limit beyond which you can
> > not go.
> >
> > But you can't use the entire 4GB of address space. Even though you
> > have a 4GB address space, you can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
> > That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not
> > available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
> > use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can
> > range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around
> > 3.1GB.
> >
> > Note that the hardware is using the address *space*, not the actual
> > RAM itself. The rest of the RAM goes unused because there is no
> > address space to map it too.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
> >

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
 
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