What video ram??? He has a dedicated card, no onboard graphics that uses any ram.
Is it worth upgrading to 64bit?
- Thread starter dave1701
- Start date
What video ram??? He has a dedicated card, no onboard graphics that uses any ram.
Two different things. The amount that is subtracted because of onboard video has nothing to do with it. Even with a 64it OS, thats still subtracted.
As far as system memory. Windows 32bit can only address 4gb. That includes (any) memory on the computer. If you have 4gb of system memory, thats the most it can access for the OS. Any memory other then that is subtracted as (hardware memory addresses) from the upper 2gb. of systems memory. Hence why is shows up less then 4gb. available to the OS. Windows 64bit doesnt have the limit.
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Okedokey
Well-Known Member
You really have no idea right?
Windows 32bit can address 32^2 memory total. Period. Doesnt matter where it comes from.
Get a calculator out 87dtna, and times 2 x 2 x 2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x 2x 2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x2 x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2x 2 (e.g. 2 ^ 32)
And what do you get? 4billion or near about? thats 4GB. Now subtract from that maximum, the space already allocated for VRAM, HDD memory, etc etc and thats the amount of system RAM available to the OS. Where did you get a magic 3.5GB from? LOL>
4GB is the most a Windows 32 bit OS can address in memory. For everything.
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2048Megabytes
Active Member
Someone posted some incomplete information in this thread so here is the complete information on how much memory different 64-bit Windows 7 versions can use.
Windows 7 64-bit Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Enterprise 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Professional 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 16 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Home Basic 8 gigabytes of RAM
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7
Windows 7 64-bit Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Enterprise 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Professional 192 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 16 gigabytes of RAM
Windows 7 Home Basic 8 gigabytes of RAM
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7
Well, thats really up to you if its worth the cost for a 64bit OS, to access the full amount of your systems memory. Running 4gb, its a toss up if its worth the money or not. If you had like 8gb. then yes it would be worth it.
OK fine. Please explain again in specific details how he's only going to gain 500mb going from 2gb to 4gb of ram. Since thats what you stated earlier.
Okedokey
Well-Known Member
Because the 4GB addressable space minus the 1GB VRAM = 3GB. Minus approximately 500MB (rough guess) of other memory (e.g. HDDs etc) leaves somewehere between 500MB and say 700MB to be gained by adding 2GB of RAM under a 32bit OS. At best he will gain 900MB of system RAM by adding 2GB. Pretty simply maths.
To the OP, you will see significant gains because your system ram will be usable. This has a much faster access speed than your hard drive. Windows 7 also manages memory a lot different to previous versions of Windows so it will use pretty much what you give it in preference to other types of memory (e.g. pagefile).
To the OP, you will see significant gains because your system ram will be usable. This has a much faster access speed than your hard drive. Windows 7 also manages memory a lot different to previous versions of Windows so it will use pretty much what you give it in preference to other types of memory (e.g. pagefile).
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S.T.A.R.S.
banned
bigfella just gave you all the answers you need.
He just told you that Windows 7 uses RAM different then previous versions of Windows which is true.If you don't understand it well,here is a simple explanation:
-Windows XP
-Windows 7
These 2 operating systems are BOTH from Microsoft,but they BOTH handle RAM memory usage on different ways:
In Windows XP,RAM usage is programmed on that way that XP tryes to free up more REAL RAM as much as possible while writing most of the things which are in "rare" use to the PAGE FILE.This results in having MORE available free real RAM memory so that things you CURRENTLY use such as GAMES can be loaded in REAL RAM in order to work a LOT faster while other things in RARE use such as background executions are loaded in PAGE FILE.
So for example:
When Windows XP is loading and starting up,it's executions and codes are being processed in REAL RAM in order to start up a lot faster.BUT once Windows XP has been fully loaded,most of the loaded things are being moved from REAL RAM to a PAGE FILE in roder to leave more free REAL RAM for YOUR use.Windows XP loads many things in PAGE FILE and MOST of them are those which are being used very RARE so that those MOST USED things can have MORE free REAL RAM memory in order to work faster.
So if the computer which running Windows XP has 4 GB of RAM memory and the page file has been adjusted to the max which is 4096 MB on 32-bit editions and you have let's say 20 programs running in the background: in this case the page file will be used a lot.Probably even up to 800 - 900 MB or even 1.00 GB (but of course that depends on how your background programs handle memory).So the reason why page file will be that high is that Windows XP SEES that those background programs are simply there,but are not doing a god damn thing so it transfers their REAL RAM usage to the page file usage in order to leave more free REAL RAM memory for usage for those programs/games which actually DO something in order for them to work a lot faster.
It's true that if the things are being read from PAGE FILE will work a lot slower,but that will happen very rarely because Windows XP will always attempt to put all RARELY used things to the page file since you really do NOT use them or just use them VERY RARELY and put ALL the things you actually CURRENTLY use to the REAL RAM memory so that they work faster.It doesn't matter if the REST of the things are in the PAGE FILE because you don't even use that REST of the things.If you do then Windows will use REAL RAM for THEM too but then it will put PREVIOUSLY USED things to the PAGE FILE in order to free up more REAL RAM for your OTHER currently used thing(s).
So in short...Windows XP transfers ALL RARELY USED or/and NOT USED AT ALL running things in page file in order to leave more free REAL RAM memory for things which are BEING USED ALL THE TIME or/and USED A LOT and OFTEN in order for them to work faster.
And of course at the end this results in MORE free REAL RAM memory during the computer usage no matter if you have 1,2,3 or 4 GB of RAM memory.
In Windows 7,RAM usage and handling is different.Many people say that Windows 7 is faster than Windows XP.And they really are faster.But why? Here is an explanation:
During the Windows 7 usage,MOST of the things (non-used AND used things) attempt to stay in REAL RAM memory as much as possible such as:
-video RAM...
-HDD usage...
-OS kernel (threads,executions,methods,objects)...etc...
-running programs...
-and so on...etc...
And that results in a lot better performance and speed of everything in general,but of course it reduces the amount of free REAL RAM memory just like bigfellla said.
And as we all know REAL RAM memory is a lot faster than empty HDD space (virtual memory - page file) which XP uses a lot for RARELY used things for the difference of Windows 7 who puts EVEN THOSE RARELY USED THINGS IN THE REAL RAM MEMORY and that is the reason why Windows 7 works faster and it is ALSO a reason why at the end in Windows 7 you have LESS available FREE REAL RAM for the difference of Windows XP.
So if you have 4 GB of RAM memory,Windows 7 will attempt to use ALL 4 GB of REAL RAM memory for everything while XP won't attempt to use 4 GB of REAL RAM memory for everything but only for the things currently in use while putting the rest in the page file.
I hope that my post helped you understand what bigfellla tryed to tell you because he told you completely the same thing in one sentence lol:
"...you will see significant gains because your system ram will be usable. This has a much faster access speed than your hard drive. Windows 7 also manages memory a lot different to previous versions of Windows so it will use pretty much what you give it in preference to other types of memory (e.g. pagefile)..."
Cheers!
Stars, I understand the difference between XP and 7 as far as the way memory is used.
But this is the statement that started my entire line of quesitoning-
My point is, if you only have 2gb installed, why isn't this 1gb and 500mb being subtracted from the 2gb leaving you with 500mb of useable real ram? Meaning, once you install 4gb you will have gained literally 2 more GB of useable real ram.
In this statement by bigfella, it makes it sound like the 1gb and 500mb will only be subtracted if you are using 4gb but not if you are running 2gb. Doesn't make any sense to me.
But this is the statement that started my entire line of quesitoning-
My point is, if you only have 2gb installed, why isn't this 1gb and 500mb being subtracted from the 2gb leaving you with 500mb of useable real ram? Meaning, once you install 4gb you will have gained literally 2 more GB of useable real ram.
In this statement by bigfella, it makes it sound like the 1gb and 500mb will only be subtracted if you are using 4gb but not if you are running 2gb. Doesn't make any sense to me.
Okedokey
Well-Known Member
87dtna, the reason is simple. You only lose the availability of system RAM when there is a requirement for the 32bit OS to address a total memory array above 4GB.
For example
GPU 1GB
Other stuff, sound card, HDD, DVDRAM drive etc etc = 500MB (to make it simple)
System RAM = 4GB
Now that is a total of 5.5GB that windows has to deal with. It can only address a max of 4GB (2^32). It will fully address the GPU, 1GB, and the other stuff 500MB. That 1.5GB of addressable memory is no longer available for system RAM, leaving on ly 2.5GB of total sytem ram addressable space left. So on a system with 2GB, adding another 2GB of RAM effectively gains you 500MB of system ram max (ie. 4GB - 1.5 GB = 2.5GB).
Now on a system with 2GB RAM, there is still a whole 2GB of the total 4GB addressablity left. Meaning the full 2GB of system RAM can be utilised as well as the 1.5GB of other address space. Again basic maths, 2GB + 1.5GB (GPU and other) = 3.5GB. Still below the max 4GB space allocation.
To answer the OP's question though, my thoughts:
For example
GPU 1GB
Other stuff, sound card, HDD, DVDRAM drive etc etc = 500MB (to make it simple)
System RAM = 4GB
Now that is a total of 5.5GB that windows has to deal with. It can only address a max of 4GB (2^32). It will fully address the GPU, 1GB, and the other stuff 500MB. That 1.5GB of addressable memory is no longer available for system RAM, leaving on ly 2.5GB of total sytem ram addressable space left. So on a system with 2GB, adding another 2GB of RAM effectively gains you 500MB of system ram max (ie. 4GB - 1.5 GB = 2.5GB).
Now on a system with 2GB RAM, there is still a whole 2GB of the total 4GB addressablity left. Meaning the full 2GB of system RAM can be utilised as well as the 1.5GB of other address space. Again basic maths, 2GB + 1.5GB (GPU and other) = 3.5GB. Still below the max 4GB space allocation.
To answer the OP's question though, my thoughts:
- If you install 4GB of RAM, and you have a discrete GPU or other memory space that needs to be allocated - you need a 64bit OS.
- 2GB RAM, a 32bit OS is fine and you wont see/need any thing else
- Where 4GB of RAM is installed, you will see a massive increase in performance over 32bit especially when gaming etc. My machine uses nearly 6GB of RAM (remember Windows 7 handles memory different to before and will take as much as you give it)..