For Users Using 4Gb RAM On 32-Bit Operating System

[mac550]

A common question that users keep asking is, I am using Windows XP or Vista 32-bit and i have installed 4Gb RAM but Windows only shows that I have only 2.25Gb or 3.25Gb RAM.

Why is this?
Most 32-bit operating systems will only support and maximum of 3.25Gb of RAM, Why? All common 32-bit operating systems encounters this same limitation. It’s a limitation of the 32-bit address space.
64-bit operating systems still has this limitation but it's a lot higher, 128Gb in fact.

How do I get around this?
The only way to get around this is to use a 64-bit OS.

 

[tyttebøvs]

How do I get around this?
The only way to get around this is to use a 64-bit OS.

According to this guy, patch a few bytes in the Vista kernel, and you are around it.

http://www.geoffchappell.com/notes/windows/license/memory.htm

 

[mac550]

I just made this to inform people so we dont have to keep answering the same question over and over. Plus doing something like the will most likely be against Microsoft's End-User license and if so, you would be braking the law.

 

[mep916]

According to this guy, patch a few bytes in the Vista kernel, and you are around it.

http://www.geoffchappell.com/notes/windows/license/memory.htm

Interesting article.

 

[Gareth]

There is an Unofficial TweekUI for Vista called Ultimate Vista Tweaker which can be downloaded, and I noticed there is an option to enable 4GB or more RAM in x86 versions of Vista. It is a perfectly safe app, as recommended in a computer magazine. It can be found here

http://www.winvistaclub.com/Ultimate_Windows_Tweaker.html

and the option to allow 4GB+ RAM in 32-bit Vista is in the system performance tab. Would be interesting to see if it actually works.

 

[tyttebøvs]

#5 no, that does not work. I think that "tweak" exists because people take for granted that the OS will allow >4GB when they see the word "PAE" mentioned.