How To? Getting 32 Bit XP to recognize 4 gigs of RAM

2011-01-28 14:58:21

#1

Magna-Mike: Member; +5|6109

Edit: I feel like I should add, I want XP to USE all four gigs also, and it has been stated that XP is actually using all four, it is just not showing all four. Anyway, original post follows below:

Hey guys, I've been reading through the tech stuff. A lot of handy things in here. I have 4 gigs of RAM but Windows only recognizes 2.5. I ran CPU-Z and it shows all 4. I checked BIOS and it shows all 4. But is my OS only utilizing the 2.5 it shows in system properties? If so I want to change that.

I read about changing the BOOT.INI file of Windows to recognize 4 gigs of RAM. Turns out, all you have to do is add a "Physical Address Extension" line to the BOOT.INI file.

Here is a quote from the Microsoft page:

PAE is an Intel-provided memory address extension that enables support of greater than 4 GB of physical memory for most 32-bit (IA-32) Intel Pentium Pro and later platforms. This article provides information to help device driver developers implement Windows drivers that support PAE.

To enable PAE: Locate the Boot.ini file, which is typically in the root folder (for example, C) and remove its Read-Only and Hidden attributes.

Open the Boot.ini file with a text editor, and then add the /PAE parameter to the ARC path, as shown in the following example:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)
\WINNT="Windows ???? Datacenter Server" /PAE /basevideo /sos

On the File menu, click Save.

Restore the Read-Only attribute to the Boot.ini file.

By the way, if you need to know how to edit the BOOT.INI file do the following: Right click My Computer > Properties > Advanced Tab > Startup and Recovery Settings > Edit Button

So I followed the above and added /PAE to the text line. I restarted and under system properties it still shows 2.5. Has anybody had success with trying this? I was very excited initially about this, but now I'm not so sure it will work

Last edited by Magna-Mike (2011-02-02 18:07:59)

2011-01-28 15:17:13

#2

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|5791|Catherine Black

I'm pretty sure you can't address more than 4GB total system memory with a 32-bit Operating System.

2011-01-28 15:18:19

#3

Camm: Feeding the Cats.; +761|4971|Dundee, Scotland.

Finray wrote:
You can't address more than 4GB total system memory with a 32-bit Operating System.

for a fatty you're a serious intellectual lightweight.

2011-01-28 15:19:00

#4

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|5791|Catherine Black

That's gonna bite you in the balls Cammy. Hence why I put the "Pretty sure" clause

2011-01-28 15:20:37

#5

Camm: Feeding the Cats.; +761|4971|Dundee, Scotland.

Finray wrote:
That's gonna bite you in the balls Cammy. Hence why I put the "Pretty sure" clause

You can't. Think about it.

Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory.

Last edited by Camm (2011-01-28 15:21:22)

for a fatty you're a serious intellectual lightweight.

2011-01-28 15:21:37

#6

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|5791|Catherine Black

I'm sure some supernerd hax0r has figured out a way. I just can't be bothered to research it

2011-01-28 15:56:41

#7

13urnzz: Banned; +5,830|6500

Magna-Mike wrote:
I was very excited initially about this, but now I'm not so sure it will work

let me guess . . . you have the page file on your boot drive, you have hibernation enabled, and you absolutely need all 4 gb ram?

if it bothers you, upgrade to 64 bit OS.

either way, even though a 32 bit OS can address 4 gb ram, doesn't mean it will - Windows usually allocates 'reserved memory' for the HAL and hiberfil.sys and pagefile.sys off the top (during boot) and any attempt to dislodge the HAL pre-boot will only bring you misery.

there's no reason to worry about it if you aren't willing to upgrade . . .

2011-01-28 16:57:15

#8

Magna-Mike: Member; +5|6109

to the first posters I dont want MORE than 4, i just want it to recognize the 4 i have. In the quote it says greater than 4 so maybe that confused you.

Burnzz, so ur sayin windows is using that extra memory discretely as a reserve for HAL and hiberfil.sys and wont let me use it?

It does bother me. I've read it can be done with the system I have. I don't want to spend $$ on a new OS when it should work. So I want to address the problem of it NOT working.

2011-01-28 17:04:16

#9

13urnzz: Banned; +5,830|6500

Magna-Mike wrote:
to the first posters I dont want MORE than 4, i just want it to recognize the 4 i have. In the quote it says greater than 4 so maybe that confused you.

meet the brothers robbin, they share a bed but talk to each other on the internet.

Magna-Mike wrote:
Burnzz, so ur sayin windows is using that extra memory discretely as a reserve for HAL and hiberfil.sys and wont let me use it?

It does bother me. I've read it can be done with the system I have. I don't want to spend $$ on a new OS when it should work. So I want to address the problem of it NOT working.

so, you are prepared to move the page file off the boot drive?
to disable hibernation?

anyways, what's so important that you need to squeeze those last kilobytes of RAM for? you said you don't want to spend money, obviously we aren't talking about a computer that is making money then, are we?

upgrade, or learn to deal with it. in today's computer age, the hoops you jump through for RAM memory that is essentially the size of an e-mail aren't worth it.

Last edited by burnzz (2011-01-28 17:05:28)

2011-01-28 17:16:43

#10

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6584|SE London

Finray wrote:
I'm sure some supernerd hax0r has figured out a way. I just can't be bothered to research it

PAE, that's how.

Magna-Mike wrote:
to the first posters I dont want MORE than 4, i just want it to recognize the 4 i have. In the quote it says greater than 4 so maybe that confused you.

You can't. The 4GB is the total address limit. Everything needs addressing, not just the RAM.

2011-01-28 17:17:57

#11

13urnzz: Banned; +5,830|6500

that's why i said "off the top" Bertster. everyone gets paid . . .

2011-01-28 18:08:11

#12

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|6775|PNW

Realistically, forget it. Be happy with whatever it does recognize.

2011-01-28 18:24:38

#13

jaymz9350: Member; +54|6580

From what I've read PAE is not easy to get working and not worth the hassle. If you bough 4 GB of RAM hoping to use it on a 32 bit OS that's your mistake. If you want more RAM upgrade your OS or buy a GPU with less VRAM.

2011-01-28 21:29:19

#14

HaiBai: Your thoughts, insights, and musings on this matter intrigue me; +304|5487|Bolingbrook, Illinois

you don't need to pay for the OS...

2011-01-29 09:55:05

#15

Magna-Mike: Member; +5|6109

burnzz wrote:
so, you are prepared to move the page file off the boot drive?
to disable hibernation?

anyways, what's so important that you need to squeeze those last kilobytes of RAM for?

So lets say I am prepared to do that, are you saying it would help XP recognize the rest of ram? Sounds like it might make Windows unstable huh?

Windows only shows 2.5 gigs, I have 4, a difference of 1.5 gigs of RAM if I'm not mistaken, thats more than just kilobytes of RAM... amirite?

Bare in mind I am like at level 0 when it comes to this concept of improving my memory usage.

2011-01-29 09:58:53

#16

13urnzz: Banned; +5,830|6500

Magna-Mike wrote:
burnzz wrote:
so, you are prepared to move the page file off the boot drive?
to disable hibernation?

anyways, what's so important that you need to squeeze those last kilobytes of RAM for?
So lets say I am prepared to do that, are you saying it would help XP recognize the rest of ram? Sounds like it might make Windows unstable huh?

Windows only shows 2.5 gigs, I have 4, a difference of 1.5 gigs of RAM if I'm not mistaken, thats more than just kilobytes of RAM... amirite?

Bare in mind I am like at level 0 when it comes to this concept of improving my memory usage.

what me and others have said,

don't worry about it.

your machine isn't going to act any different. that 1.5 gb ram is being used, just because the system properties is reporting 2.5 gb ram doesn't

mean

anything.

Good day, Sir.

2011-01-29 10:28:29

#17

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6584|SE London

Magna-Mike wrote:
burnzz wrote:
so, you are prepared to move the page file off the boot drive?
to disable hibernation?

anyways, what's so important that you need to squeeze those last kilobytes of RAM for?
So lets say I am prepared to do that, are you saying it would help XP recognize the rest of ram? Sounds like it might make Windows unstable huh?

Windows only shows 2.5 gigs, I have 4, a difference of 1.5 gigs of RAM if I'm not mistaken, thats more than just kilobytes of RAM... amirite?

Bare in mind I am like at level 0 when it comes to this concept of improving my memory usage.

There is no way of directly addressing all of the memory in a 32-bit system. You could address it all using PAE, but that would be slow and indirect and for any home usage scenarios is completely inpractical.

Don't do it.

You have to bear in mind that your CPU sees everything as memory. RAM, mouse, keyboard, speakers etc. Since you can only address 4GB directly in a 32-bit system you will never be able to directly address all your RAM and still be able to use the system.

2011-01-29 11:04:59

#18

jsnipy: ...; +3,276|6525|...

If your processor supports VT-x/PAE then a 64bit VM can address ram outside and above a 32bit os

2011-01-29 11:07:07

#19

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6652

Why not just buy a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?

2011-01-29 11:07:40

#20

jsnipy: ...; +3,276|6525|...

ghettoperson wrote:
Why not just buy a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?

this really

2011-01-29 11:21:42

#21

Shadow893: lel; +75|6695|England

jsnipy wrote:
ghettoperson wrote:
Why not just buy a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?
this really

2011-01-29 12:30:45

#22

Freezer7Pro: I don't come here a lot anymore.; +1,447|6200|Winland

Shadow893 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
ghettoperson wrote:
Why not just buy a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?
this really

The idea of any hi-fi system is to reproduce the source material as faithfully as possible, and to deliberately add distortion to everything you hear (due to amplifier deficiencies) because it sounds 'nice' is simply not high fidelity. If that is what you want to hear then there is no problem with that, but by adding so much additional material (by way of harmonics and intermodulation) you have a tailored sound system, not a hi-fi. - Rod Elliot, ESP

2011-01-29 12:40:17

#23

Beduin: Compensation of Reactive Power in the grid; +510|5753|شمال

Shadow893 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
ghettoperson wrote:
Why not just buy get a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?
this really

الشعب يريد اسقاط النظام
...show me the schematic

2011-01-29 15:49:43

#24

Cheez: Herman is a warmaphrodite; +1,027|6442|King Of The Islands

Windows XP is a DECADE old. Holy faaaark.

My state was founded by Batman. Your opinion is invalid.

2011-02-01 11:18:39

#25

signa: ~~~~~; +50|6732|Michigan, USA

Magna-Mike wrote:
Windows only shows 2.5 gigs, I have 4, a difference of 1.5 gigs of RAM if I'm not mistaken, thats more than just kilobytes of RAM... amirite?

um, ya that more than a kilobyte.

ghettoperson wrote:
Why not just buy a proper OS and then you don't have to worry about it?

chances are if his computer is old and running windows xp, it probably wont support a 64bit OS.

the best bet is to max your ram to 4gb, do a fresh install of xp with sp3, and turn off unneeded services using black vipers tweaks. Thats the best your going to get xp running other than upgrading to a SSD, or moving your pagefile to another HDD.

Last edited by signa (2011-02-01 11:19:04)

BF2S Forums How To? Getting 32 Bit XP to recognize 4 gigs of RAM

Finray wrote:

Finray wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

Finray wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

burnzz wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

burnzz wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

burnzz wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Shadow893 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Shadow893 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Magna-Mike wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

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