How much memory can xp home or pro recognise

experience said:
Topic^

im having an arguement with someone and just want to settle this.

thanks!
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It can "recognize" a full 4gb. However, it cannot "utilize" all of it. The total address space available with ANY 32 bit OS is 4gb. So, ANY device in the system with memory on it gets allocated address space before the installed system memory.

For example, let's say you have 4gb of installed memory on a very plain MOBO with a GPU that has 64mb of memory. And, let's say your CPU has 2mb of onboard cache. Your system should then be able to see 4030mb (4096 - 66mb) of memory, after XP has given address space to the CPU cache and the GPU memory.

Change the same system to a GPU with 768mb and you will be able to "see" (4096-770mb) 3.326gb. There is no hard limit on XP under 4gb.
 
How much you see in XP 32bit depends how much GPU Memory you have (so it is claimed), with a 768MB GPU I seen 3.25GB, I have heard it varied from 3GB to 3.5GB, you can use a CMD in Boot .ini to switch it to use all 4GB but not correctly, I think it uses the left over as Page/Swap/File instead of HDD, not 100% on this sorry.
 
helmutcheese said:
How much you see in XP 32bit depends how much GPU Memory you have (so it is claimed),
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It is more than GPU memory. It is ANY device with onboard memory such as the CPU cache, sound cards, PhysiX, etc. All of the devices must be allocated space before the installed memory.
 
The OS on my rig gives 3.5gb and hangs back 500mb for the GFX.

Generally, the GFX will take 256mb of a 128mb card, 512mb for a 256mb card but then when you hit either 320mb, 640mb or 768 it takes the identical amount.

Even between 1-3GB, the OS will still hang back a percentage of the RAM depending on what GFX Card it is.
 
so if i decided to buy 4gb of memory for vista 32bit, it would use any amount from 2.8-3.5gb? Is that actually much difference between that and 4gb?
 
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