Windows XP64 and lots of RAM.... does windows use it efficiently?

[rudder]

So I am going to install Windows XP64 and dual boot for a while while I play around with the OS. I want to upgrade to a 2 X2 kit and will buy another 4 gigs of RAM shortly there after.

Will Windows really make good use of this ram with apps like photoshop?

Photoshop has run out of memory occasionally on me and with three gigs now I am not sure how overall performance would be affected if I allocated more to PS.

 

[dguy6789]

Yes, XP Pro x64 will make effective use of your extra memory, as long as what you are doing will make use of it.

 

[rudder]

At least with photoshop you can allocate more memory. I Just wanted to make sure it was more than just bragging rights to be running XP with more than 4 gigs. RAM is still so cheap and I have a copy of XP64 from work.

 

[pallejr]

If I remember correctly, each process has a user space of 8 terabyte. So an application should easily be able to use whatever ram you put in it

 

[lumbus]

Um... Actually, Photoshop is a 32-bit application and can only address 4 GB of memory, regardless of how much memory you have in your box. However, it can still help to have more, since you'll have memory left for disk cache and other things running on your computer.

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservic...t.do?externalId=320005

 

[pallejr]

of course that limits its capabilities a little bit

 

[stash]

Photoshop also won't have to deal with a 2GB/2GB split between kernel mode and user mode like on x86. It will get a full 4GB VM space as opposed to 2 or 3.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: lumbus
Um... Actually, Photoshop is a 32-bit application and can only address 4 GB of memory, regardless of how much memory you have in your box. However, it can still help to have more, since you'll have memory left for disk cache and other things running on your computer.

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservic...t.do?externalId=320005

Thats what I wanted to hear. Good link since I see it is the same with Mac OS... time to spank those Mac dorks on Fredmiranda (no offense to any mac users... they are just real annoying on that forum).

So if I throw enough ram at photoshop it may be to get by without using the scratch disk.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Yes, XP Pro x64 will make effective use of your extra memory, as long as what you are doing will make use of it.

Your statement makes no sense. First you say the OS will make use of it and then you say that it depends on the program that would be using it.

The real answer is that it won't unless you are running a 64-bit application as well. 32-bit applications do not re-encode themselves to benefit from the 64-bit OS.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: jonmcc33

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Yes, XP Pro x64 will make effective use of your extra memory, as long as what you are doing will make use of it.

Your statement makes no sense. First you say the OS will make use of it and then you say that it depends on the program that would be using it.

The real answer is that it won't unless you are running a 64-bit application as well. 32-bit applications do not re-encode themselves to benefit from the 64-bit OS.

not what I wanted to here. But after reading the link from lumbus I do see where photoshop can benefit from 8 gigs versus 3.5. Still it has its 32 bit limits, but can use the extra ram instead of the hard drive for the scratch disk. To me that is a benefit since one of my main reasons to upgrade to XP64 is better photoshop performance. The cost to go from 4 gigs to 8 gigs is not that unreasonable.