maybe this has been addressed here, but i cant find any info. Built new system, specs are: Intel i5 750 MSI mobo P55-CD53 2 Duel Channel 4GB OCZ x 2 = 8GB total Ram Windows 7 Pro 32 Bit system info shows installed Ram 8GB(3.24GB Usable) i have been trying to figure a way to maybe re-allocate the memory to recognize all 8GB, but no success as yet. reading around the only answer i could find is to go into BIOS and change the setting to Remap Memory, unfortunately my BIOS does not have this feature. im currently trying upping to Win 7 (64bit) to see if that makes a difference.... i have a feeling it will not any ideas guys?? is it a Windows or Mobo problem?? Thanks
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that 32-bit can only use up to 4GB, 64-bit can take advantage of more RAM. In your case, 64-bit would be better for you since you have 8GB of RAM.
Yep, 32bit will only ever use 3.25gb of ram..... Re-install with x64bit, it will take advantage of the ram and the x64 bit processor!! <edit> You won't be able to upgrade to 64 bit it will need to be a fresh install!
thanks guys for all the quick responses. im installing a fresh Pro 64bit now. i'll let you know what happens
I would not mess with that. I recommend to install 64 bit OS version. It will be the real deal, anything else is just a compromise. Why buying such a powerful system and then using a 32 bit OS and a patch???? With a 64 bit OS you are future-proof.
i agree. looking into it, the patch changes the kernal. also its made by Russians.... brilliant programmers for sure, but not always trusted what about editing the PAE as i linked above?? im building this system for a friend, they went and bought the 32bit OS. i have the 64bit here, but the disc is damaged looking to download a retail ISO for replacement.
Just get the RTM x64 in repository and then use their retail key for the comp your building for them. What did they buy pro, ultimate. That is if it has 4+ GB
win7 Pro(x86) i will have a look in the Win7 repository 32 and 64 bit are torrent links, rather go with direct d'load
Lol, the patch to the kernel to change the licensing key and enable 4+ GB memory usage on 32-bit is made by the same guy who made the universal uxtheme patcher most of you already use for unsigned themes, and the "test mode" (among other things) MUI string patcher some of you use to kill the desktop text with various activation cracks. Oh yeah, he made that tcpip.sys connection limit removal utility too. It's perfectly safe, and easier than reinstalling if you already have a 32-bit installation.
Its not that we just don't entirely trust the russians because it may be a scapegoat or a excuse but it just doesn't make me comfortable knowing that I don't know how it happens it just magically happens... Heres what I recommend switch to a x64 Operating system when the ram is higher than 4 GB.... Use a patch like one in tweak vista or 7 to get the ability to use up to 4GB or ram in a x86/x32 OS.... Or just stick with the 32 bit OS if you have less than 3.5 GB of ram...
yah, thanks to all. problem solved by upping to 64bit. figured as much, but i didnt want to go thru the hassle of installing the OS again. anyway im off to re-install all the s/w and drivers big thumbs up to you guys ugh!! the ISO i downloaded from the torrent must be altered, the hashes dont match, and removing the ei.cfg is not working. wont let me choose different versions. guess its back to the direct download....
It works like this: all current 32-bit versions of Windows contain the same code to address memory in amounts greater than 4 GB as do the 32-bit versions of Windows Server. The ability to use memory beyond the 4 GB limit is a function of PAE. PAE has been enabled by default ever since support for DEP/NoExecute was added to XP; NX requires PAE on 32-bit platforms because PAE provides the larger page table it requires. Anyway, for reasons unkown to the public (I suspect they revolve around poorly written drivers which have problems addressing 4+ GB memory... see the Sound Blaster X-Fi for a good example of this), Microsoft limited client versions of the OS to 4 GB address space on 32-bit, even though the functionality to address more has been around in the Server edition for a while now. So, the patch merely alters the kernel so that when when querying that particular licensing key it returns a large number instead of what the licensing information actually says. There's no voodoo or weirdness going on here. It's really along the same lines as removing the limit client versions of the OS have regarding the number of allowed concurrent SMB connections. Edit: it would be interesting to see if that old ntswitch utility to flip the flags determining whether the OS is client or server also controls memory licensing. Perhaps not relevant with the existence of 64-bit Windows, but interesting.