627. trick to get 4 gigs w vista32. is this a bad idea | NotebookReview

cuib Notebook Consultant

Reputations:: 1

Messages:: 104

Likes Received:: 0

Trophy Points:: 30

So the GT627-18US has 4 gigs ram but Vista32, which sort of annoys me for no practical reason at all.

Well this guy at this link http://windowssecrets.com/2008/12/18/03-Access-more-memory-even-on-a-32-bit-system says you can get all 4 gigs recognized:

Fortunately, there are techniques you can use to get around Windows' system-memory limitations. One method is to use Physical Address Extension (PAE), a feature of x86 processors that lets 32-bit operating systems overcome the 4GB memory limit.

Another MSDN article explains that 32-bit Windows operating systems support PAE. Even though XP and Vista still cling to the 4GB limit with PAE enabled, the feature may help you get back some of your unused RAM.

In one or two rare cases, a developer may take advantage of PAE technology to get around the usual Windows limits. For example, reader Alan Gorski reports that when he increased a computer to 8GB, the program AutoCAD was able to open large drawing files without generating the "out of memory" errors he previously had seen. As Gorski notes, "AutoCAD has long used special memory management techniques since the DOS days to maximize use of available RAM."

There's a good chance your system is already using PAE. That's because Windows relies on the technology to support the security feature known as Data Execution Prevention (DEP). For more information about Windows and DEP, see my Top Story in the May 3, 2007, issue.

If a computer supports hardware-enforced DEP, then PAE is enabled as well. Here's how to check for it in Windows XP:

Click to expand...

instrux follow... but...

You can read more about PAE in this post on Microsoft's TechNet site.

Microsoft warns in another TechNet article that some drivers will not load if PAE is enabled. After you make this change, keep an eye on your system. If you have problems with drivers or your system starts acting up, remove the /pae switch from boot.ini in XP, or enter the following command line in an administrator command prompt in Vista:

Click to expand...

Bolded part is the part that doesn't sound so good.

Actually I'm not even sure I understand what this means. Even if you did all this, we're talking, if an app supports PAE then the rest of the ram will show up? Is that all this is?

cuib, Feb 6, 2009

#1

alpinex Notebook Enthusiast

Reputations:: 56

Messages:: 24

Likes Received:: 0

Trophy Points:: 5

I've been running 32bit Vista w/4GB on my desktop for the last year and never had any problems I could attribute to the amount of memory installed. Vista 32bit even reports 4.0GB memory installed.

alpinex, Feb 6, 2009

#2

Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

Reputations:: 7,857

Messages:: 16,212

Likes Received:: 58

Trophy Points:: 466

I hate to burst the bubble, but PAE is not going to work for you. PAE is only used to expand beyond the 4GB limit in corporate environments. It requires PAE aware hardware, PAE aware drivers (all of them), and PAE aware software. In other words, big money.

Vista32 (starting with SP1) reports how much memory is installed, not how much it is using. That was so that less people would call Dell, HP, and others demanding why they didn't get all 4GB they paid for...

Greg, Feb 6, 2009

#3

cuib Notebook Consultant

Reputations:: 1

Messages:: 104

Likes Received:: 0

Trophy Points:: 30

Greg said: ↑

Vista32 (starting with SP1) reports how much memory is installed, not how much it is using. That was so that less people would call Dell, HP, and others demanding why they didn't get all 4GB they paid for...

Click to expand...

That's hilarious though. The whole concept of programmers being tasked just to shut people like me up.

cuib, Feb 6, 2009

#4

627. trick to get 4 gigs w/vista32. is this a bad idea?

cuib Notebook Consultant

alpinex Notebook Enthusiast

Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

cuib Notebook Consultant