32 bit os ram issue

ashatron

ashatron

ashatron

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Hi all :]
current set up -
windows xp 32 bit (i have a 32 bit cpu)
4 gig ram installed (2x2gb)
512mb gpu - Geforce Go 7900 GTX

This only shows 3 gig of visible, useable ram.​

Question 1)
Is it worth upgrading to windows 7?

I ask because ive heard windows 7 32-bit can use 4 gig of ram straight out the box.
is this possible?
if i did upgrade would it show 4 gig? or 3.5 gig (my 4 gig of ram MINUS my 512mb of GPU ram)?
and if money was no object is it worth upgrading for an extra gig/half a gig of ram?

Question 2)
Also, is there anyway that you can deactivate and re-activate your GPU easily?
So that the ram from your GPU does not get deducted from your currently installed ram.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
ashatron said:
Hi all :]
current set up -
windows xp 32 bit (i have a 32 bit cpu)
4 gig ram installed (2x2gb)
512mb gpu - Geforce Go 7900 GTX

This only shows 3 gig of visible, useable ram.​

Question 1)
Is it worth upgrading to windows 7?

I ask because ive heard windows 7 32-bit can use 4 gig of ram straight out the box.
is this possible?
if i did upgrade would it show 4 gig? or 3.5 gig (my 4 gig of ram MINUS my 512mb of GPU ram)?
and if money was no object is it worth upgrading for an extra gig/half a gig of ram?

Question 2)
Also, is there anyway that you can deactivate and re-activate your GPU easily?
So that the ram from your GPU does not get deducted from your currently installed ram.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

As above 32 bit operatings systems including windows 7 cannot address 4GB of RAM full stop, but the 64bit version of course will.

I don't believe it is possible to dynamically change the amount of system RAM your onboard GPU uses. The only option would be to change it in the BIOS if there is a setting allowing you to do so.
 
Its odd that a mobo would take 4GB of RAM but not support 64bit.

Like dangerstat said, I dont think its possible to change the RAM/GRAM like that.
 
32 bit windows has a max 4gb address range.

Graphics card Ram and all other system hardware take out chunks of that. Leaving windows with something like 3gb available.
 
djkav said:
32 bit windows has a max 4gb address range.

Graphics card Ram and all other system hardware take out chunks of that. Leaving windows with something like 3gb available.
Click to expand...

Crudely put but essentially correct.

32 bit Windows will address 4GB of RAM. The graphics card RAM and other expansion cards steal the memory addresses at the top end (3-4GB range) to access the devices directly. This displaces the system RAM above this point so it can't be seen.

Same happened back in the 16-bit days with the 640KB limit. Machines could address 1MB of RAM but the top 384KB was reserved in the hardware spec for expansion cards as no one would ever need more than 640KB according to Bill Gates.
 
On one of my rigs, I get 2.9gigs from 4gigs under Xp 32. I've since migrated to Win7 64bit rc in preparation for the release later this month. :)

My other rig shows 3.4gigs also from 4gigs ram.
 
dangerstat said:
;)

So your telling me Windows 7 32 Bit edition will address >3GB of system RAM?
Click to expand...

The version of 32-bit Windows is irrelevant.

The hardware configuration is the limiting factor. The amount of available RAM varies between machines with 4GB installed on 32-bit Windows. I've seen anything between 2.8GB and 3.4GB.
 
3Gb is about all you will see on 32bit OS, doesnt matter how new the OS (Windows 7) its the fact its 32bit.

you need to upgrade your system to a 64bit cpu, which would prob require an entire new rig if you wanted to use the 4GB. If your cpu is only a 32bit anyways your system prob isnt powerfull enough to run programs that need 4GB anyways. my rig I built 5 years ago never utilized 2Gb and I ran loads of stuff and latest games etc, and that was a 64bit cpu back then, I just never needed the 64bit process at the time. what cpu is it ur running out of interest thats only 32bit? thought they went out with the dinosaurs :D
 
Does using the /PAE flag allow you to reclaim some of that memory? It's pretty late and I haven't the energy to read those MS pages that detail it :)
And Atom is mixed 32/64-bit. Some models support 64-bit, some don't!
 
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