Windows Vista: does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions
does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions
by ginkosu - 5/15/08 6:40 PMpls i need to know, I'm buying a comp with home premium 32 and 4 gigs of ram, does sp1 fix it so it sees the 4 gigs?
Yep, Maybe...
by Grif Thomas
- 5/15/08 7:35 PM
In reply to: does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions by ginkosu
Here's a quote from 'General Improvements and Enhancements" section in the link below:
"With SP1, Windows Vista will report the amount of system memory installed rather than report the amount of system memory available to the OS. Therefore 32-bit systems equipped with 4GB of RAM will report all 4GB in many places throughout the OS, such as the System Control Panel. However, this behavior is dependent on having a compatible BIOS, so not all users may notice this change."
Notable Changes in Windows Vista Service Pack 1
Hope this helps.
Grif
No...
by John.Wilkinson - 5/15/08 8:17 PM
In reply to: does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions by ginkosu
Grif's quote summarizes it nicely, but to clarify, SP1 doesn't fix anything at all. SP1 enables Vista's 32-bit editions to report the full 4GB, but the 4GB will not be accessible 99.99% of the time. The amount of RAM reported without SP1 is all that is addressable/usable, and SP1's installation won't change that.
John
SP1 is to fix the amount of memory to show more
by Basket628 - 5/16/08 1:44 AM In reply to: No... by John.Wilkinson
SP1 is to fix the amount of memory to show more
My thought.
by R. Proffitt - 5/16/08 6:57 AM
In reply to: No... by John.Wilkinson
MS was being pinged to do something even if cosmetic since the PC makers were getting deluged with support calls about where the ram you paid for was.
And John is right it didn't and I'll add can't cause the memory to be used in any usable way. To explain why requires a small class on architecture, history lessons and a little more about memory maps.
But it should reduce support calls on this.
-> Did the OP look at the 3GB switch for Vista?
Hint at http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=9583842&linkID=9242018
Bob
Makes sense
by Willy - 5/16/08 2:00 PM In reply to: My thought. by R. Proffitt
It doesn't seem like a fix at all. Notification but possibility no full use of the ram installed. It a jerry-rig fix(report?) at that, IMHO. Oh well... -----Willy
Information
by Dango517 - 5/16/08 8:23 PM In reply to: does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions by ginkosuBasic:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/addmemory.mspx
Intermediate:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx
Advanced:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555223
About this last one; if you really want to know how much RAM your system is using see the items list at the bottom of this link and learn to use them. Do I know how to use them? No, but that's a way it can be done. 
Let's Hear It For PC Makers
by wexmary - 5/17/08 4:21 AM In reply to: Information by Dango517For pushing 4 GB RAM on PCs running Vista without specifying that you MUST run 64-bit Vista to use the RAM.
Makes you wonder if next OS for Microsoft will truly be 64-bit.
Windows 7 will be both 32-bit and 64-bit...
by John.Wilkinson - 5/17/08 9:05 AM
In reply to: Let's Hear It For PC Makers by wexmary
The next version of Windows will be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit editions, though there is no word on Windows 8. Unfortunately it's not a Windows problem that causes the 3GB-4GB limitation...it's a 32-bit limitation, and thus affects other operating systems as well. It's a shame manufacturers don't make the limitation clear before purchase, though.
John
RAM slots are standardized
by Dango517 - 5/17/08 4:23 PM In reply to: Let's Hear It For PC Makers by wexmarythis is so there isn't a different one on each motherboard you buy. In the world of computing the big players are business and government. PC users get the hand-me-downs. Those slots were made to provide for the needs of business. This will not be fixed, this is just the way it is. Two areas drive the development and improvement of computing...business and gaming. This being the case, then there needs should come first because in the end we will all gain.
If you would like to get exactly what you pay for, you could buy a motherboard with four slots instead of two then you could configure it to 3.5 GB of RAM but this would cost you more then you would save.
Sometimes things are not as they appear. The wider and deeper ones pool of understanding and knowledge the more one can see.
I think I just had a Zen moment. Ommmm. 
next MS OS
by bruceslog - 5/18/08 1:32 PM In reply to: Let's Hear It For PC Makers by wexmaryBill Gates stated last week that the next Microsoft OS
( Windows 7 ) will be less memory and CPU intensive;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7 Read down to Bill Gates 2nd Quote, which is the third quote on the page.
Also here;
http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2008/05/12/gates-windows-7-will-take-less-memory-be-more-efficient
Hope the links work.
32-bit OS addressing is limited to 4G...
by jgsilva - 5/17/08 11:38 AM In reply to: does vista's sp1 fix the 3 gig limit for the 32-bit versions by ginkosuBut that is after the hardware addressing.
I have a 4G machine running XP MCE. XP only uses 3G because the first gig addressed is used up by 2 512k video boards.
A dual boot machine with Vista 64-bit on the other side which addresses 5G.
Someone else made note the PC vendors sell 4G machines with a 32-bit OS. My vendor was Gateway.
Both duo and quad core processors can run a 64-bit OS.
Can to fill us in on what PAE is then?
by R. Proffitt - 5/17/08 12:00 PM
In reply to: 32-bit OS addressing is limited to 4G... by jgsilva
Of course it's like good old EMS from Intel 8088 days. I wonder who will remember that?
PEA, Physical Address Extension
by Dango517 - 5/17/08 4:28 PM In reply to: Can to fill us in on what PAE is then? by R. Proffitt
"it may not work on all chip sets."
by R. Proffitt - 5/17/08 4:34 PM
In reply to: PEA, Physical Address Extension by Dango517
Sadly I've read (and heard) people claim this as a fix. OUCH!
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
