4 gig in 32 bit

[zigzag03]

I'm wondering if buying 2x2gig vs buying 2x1gig + 2x 51s meg nets the same amount of usable memory under xp or vista 32 bit? anyone have any experience or thoughts on this? thx zz03

 

[Canterwood]

Originally posted by: zigzag03
I'm wondering if buying 2x2gig vs buying 2x1gig + 2x 51s meg nets the same amount of usable memory under xp or vista 32 bit? anyone have any experience or thoughts on this? thx zz03

You wont see all 4gb (2x2gb) under 32bit Windows.
It'll be between 3gb and 3.5gb depending on your hardware.

 

[clarkey01]

I too need to know as well zigxag03....I may just buy another 2GB or get 2x 512.

 

[Nothinman]

I'm wondering if buying 2x2gig vs buying 2x1gig + 2x 51s meg nets the same amount of usable memory under xp or vista 32 bit? anyone have any experience or thoughts on this? thx zz03

This has been discussed ad nauseum on every forum on the Internet for the past year. 32-bit Vista and XP have the exact same hardware limitations and will see the exact same amount of memory and that number depends on your hardware setup.

It'll be between 3gb and 3.5gb depending on your hardware.

Technically it can go lower, a friend of mine was only able to get just over 2G because he had an SLI setup and both cards had 768M of memory IIRC so that kills 1.5G right there.

 

[zigzag03]

thanks, all. i get the 3 gig limit on either 32bit os, but my question is; will either os be happier with a total of 3 gig as opposed to 4 gig clipped back in some way by windows? i would prefer to buy the 4 as a look to the future but wondered if there was a performance hit as opposed to just topping the board out at 3. see wat i mean? thanks again zz03

 

[Canterwood]

I used 32bit XP for a short while after I got 4gb and never noticed any performance hit or instability with the system.
The system only reported 3gb, but ran fine.

If you're thinking of going to a 64bit OS in the future, then get the extra 2gb.

Ram is dirt cheap atm anyway so its best to get it now.

 

[Nothinman]

i get the 3 gig limit on either 32bit os, but my question is;

It's not a 3G limit, it's a combination of hardware limitations and MS artificially limiting their 32-bit client OSes to 4G.

but my question is; will either os be happier with a total of 3 gig as opposed to 4 gig clipped back in some way by windows? i would prefer to buy the 4 as a look to the future but wondered if there was a performance hit as opposed to just topping the board out at 3. see wat i mean?

Depending on your hardware you might get more than 3G out of it but otherwise there should be no difference.

 

[zigzag03]

thank you all!

 

[Chaotic42]

I have 4x1GB with Vista32. My system reports 3326MB of memory. I noticed a nice improvement in Supreme Commander on really large maps with really big battles. Memory is so cheap, I'd go for it.

 

[nonameo]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i get the 3 gig limit on either 32bit os, but my question is;

It's not a 3G limit, it's a combination of hardware limitations and MS artificially limiting their 32-bit client OSes to 4G.

but my question is; will either os be happier with a total of 3 gig as opposed to 4 gig clipped back in some way by windows? i would prefer to buy the 4 as a look to the future but wondered if there was a performance hit as opposed to just topping the board out at 3. see wat i mean?

Depending on your hardware you might get more than 3G out of it but otherwise there should be no difference.

How about windows server 2003?

 

[Nothinman]

How about windows server 2003?

Standard is also 4G but Enterprise is 64G according to MS' site.