If all my software is 32bit will a 64bit OS and more ram help?

[mitchelt]

Hi:

I am building a new system and all the software I will load on it is 32bit, so will running a 64bit OS with 12Gb of ram help any or is everything above 4Gb wasted?

I am not talking about the 64bit OS seeing the full 12Gb as opposed to 3 or so Gb on a 32bit OS...what I don't understand is how a 32bit app will run on a 64bit OS with lots of ram.

Thanks!

 

[hclarkjr]

for all 12gb to be seen you need a 64 bit OS. 32 bit only uses little above 3gb. so if you want to make the most of the memory you bought go with 64 bit

 

[mitchelt]

Originally posted by: hclarkjr
for all 12gb to be seen you need a 64 bit OS. 32 bit only uses little above 3gb. so if you want to make the most of the memory you bought go with 64 bit

Sorry, but that does not answer the question.

I am aware of the 32bit limitation, but will 32bit apps benefit from more ram on a 64bit system?

 

[hclarkjr]

yes

 

[WobbleWobble]

32-bit applications in running 64-bit Windows can use more than 4GB of RAM but the application needs to be written to do so and can only do it in chunks to fit within the 2GB limit of user-mode virtual address space.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
32-bit applications in running 64-bit Windows can use more than 4GB of RAM but the application needs to be written to do so

I don't think that's true. 32-bit applications will still be limited to 2 GB per process. On a 64-bit OS, you'll be able to run more apps concurrently than in a 32-bit environment that can only address 4 GB RAM total.

 

[WobbleWobble]

Think of all the 32-bit Windows server apps that needed to address more than 2GB per process.

This guy can probably explain it better than me A 32-bit application can allocate more than 4GB of memory, and you don't need 64-bit Windows to do it

 

[Nothinman]

Think of all the 32-bit Windows server apps that needed to address more than 2GB per process.

SQL Server and Exchange are pretty much all I can come up with. AWE is an ugly, ugly thing and should only be used in the most extreme of circumstances.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I agree, but to answer the OP's question...

In general a single 32-bit Windows application would not gain from moving to 64-bit Windows. But if you're running multiple 32-bit Windows applications then moving to 64-bit Windows can help since you can have more addressable space for the system.

 

[mitchelt]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
I agree, but to answer the OP's question...

In general a single 32-bit Windows application would not gain from moving to 64-bit Windows. But if you're running multiple 32-bit Windows applications then moving to 64-bit Windows can help since you can have more addressable space for the system.

Excellent response...thanks!

 

[VisionxOrb]

I know when using adobe cs3/cs4 products like photoshop, after effects and premier pro when you open them on a 32 bit system ( with enough ram ) it says "using x% of 2.0gb ram" and when opening the same programs on a 64 bit system it says "using x% of 4.0gb ram" or somthing very similar to that.

 

[Cogman]

It really depends on how much ram you are using. If you are using over 3 gb of ram (With 2 applications or one memory hog) then yes, you will see a benefit. There is always a benefit in avoiding to use the HD swap.

 

[Nothinman]

I know when using adobe cs3/cs4 products like photoshop, after effects and premier pro when you open them on a 32 bit system ( with enough ram ) it says "using x% of 2.0gb ram" and when opening the same programs on a 64 bit system it says "using x% of 4.0gb ram" or somthing very similar to that.

If you use the /3GB switch it'll say "3.0gb ram" however there are other side effects of that since you reduce the kernel VM from 2G to 1G.