Windows 7 x86 and maximum memory.

[ender11122]

I know there have been several topics discussing Windows 7 x86 and how much maximum memory it can have, but its very confusing to me. Here is what I think I know so far:

-Windows 7 x86 supports well over 3 gigs of ram installed at one time.
-Windows 7 x86 can only allocate 3 gigs max at one time to one process.
-Windows 7 x86 can allocate a total memory usage of over 3 gigs at one time, they just must be on different processes.

Are all these correct?

Also, my girlfriend wants to use win7 but the only copy she can get is x86. She has 8 gigs of ram and does mostly CS4 work with this machine. Will it be detrimental for her to use Windows 7 x86 over what she currently is using (vista x64)?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[amddude]

Short answer: yes

 

[tomt4535]

If you can get a hold of 64 bit media, the 32 bit key should work for that too. The keys aren't 32 bit or 64 bit specific like vista, IIRC.

 

[Ben90]

Long answer: noish/yes/no/yes

 

[Nothinman]

-Windows 7 x86 supports well over 3 gigs of ram installed at one time.

Depends on your definition of "well over". 4G is the hard limit and hardware will take away from that so you will end up with <4G.

-Windows 7 x86 can only allocate 3 gigs max at one time to one process.

Unless MS made a drastic change of defaults it's 2G of VM per-process, to make it 3G you need to a kernel switch which has it's own side effects.

-Windows 7 x86 can allocate a total memory usage of over 3 gigs at one time, they just must be on different processes.

As a total it can allocate however much it can use, which will always be <4G.

Will it be detrimental for her to use Windows 7 x86 over what she currently is using (vista x64)?

If her version of CS4 is 32-bit (I dunno if they have a 64-bit release) it's already stuck at 2G of VM so there probably won't be a big change unless she's used to having tons of other things open while in CS4.

 

[ender11122]

OK. Thanks for all the info. I didnt realize that the keys were nonspecific. Guess I will just find the media. Thanks for the help.

 

[sonoma1993]

Originally posted by: tomt4535
If you can get a hold of 64 bit media, the 32 bit key should work for that too. The keys aren't 32 bit or 64 bit specific like vista, IIRC.

vista keys can work for both 32 and 64bit..

 

[Bill Kunert]

I believe Win 7 dvd's come with both 32 and 64 bit versions.

 

[amddude]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

-Windows 7 x86 supports well over 3 gigs of ram installed at one time.

Depends on your definition of "well over". 4G is the hard limit and hardware will take away from that so you will end up with <4G.

-Windows 7 x86 can only allocate 3 gigs max at one time to one process.

Unless MS made a drastic change of defaults it's 2G of VM per-process, to make it 3G you need to a kernel switch which has it's own side effects.

-Windows 7 x86 can allocate a total memory usage of over 3 gigs at one time, they just must be on different processes.

As a total it can allocate however much it can use, which will always be <4G.

Will it be detrimental for her to use Windows 7 x86 over what she currently is using (vista x64)?

If her version of CS4 is 32-bit (I dunno if they have a 64-bit release) it's already stuck at 2G of VM so there probably won't be a big change unless she's used to having tons of other things open while in CS4.

There is a x64 version of photoshop.

 

[Nothinman]

Originally posted by: amddude

Originally posted by: Nothinman

-Windows 7 x86 supports well over 3 gigs of ram installed at one time.

Depends on your definition of "well over". 4G is the hard limit and hardware will take away from that so you will end up with <4G.

-Windows 7 x86 can only allocate 3 gigs max at one time to one process.

Unless MS made a drastic change of defaults it's 2G of VM per-process, to make it 3G you need to a kernel switch which has it's own side effects.

-Windows 7 x86 can allocate a total memory usage of over 3 gigs at one time, they just must be on different processes.

As a total it can allocate however much it can use, which will always be <4G.

Will it be detrimental for her to use Windows 7 x86 over what she currently is using (vista x64)?

If her version of CS4 is 32-bit (I dunno if they have a 64-bit release) it's already stuck at 2G of VM so there probably won't be a big change unless she's used to having tons of other things open while in CS4.

There is a x64 version of photoshop.

Then that would be a show-stopper if that's what she has since 32-bit Windows can't run 64-bit binaries.