2GB RAM Limit in Win XP?

[Jack B. Pollack]

Just installed 4GB of RAM into my Dell computer. The computer detects all
the RAM, but Windows XP Pro only reports 2GB. Is there a 2GB limit on RAM in
XP? Any way to fix this?

Thanks in advance

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Just installed 4GB of RAM into my Dell computer. The computer
detects all the RAM, but Windows XP Pro only reports 2GB. Is there
a 2GB limit on RAM in XP? Any way to fix this?

Thanks in advance

32 bit? Youcan push a little over 3GB to applications, but that last GB
will be the systems.
You want more RAM usage? Go x64.

 

[Rock]

Just installed 4GB of RAM into my Dell computer. The computer detects all
the RAM, but Windows XP Pro only reports 2GB. Is there a 2GB limit on RAM
in
XP? Any way to fix this?

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

 

[Jack B. Pollack]

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

Good article. So if Windows is only seeing 2GB am I stuck, or can I get it
to see 3GB-3.5GB as discussed?

Thanks

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Jack B. Pollack wrote

Just installed 4GB of RAM into my Dell computer. The computer
detects all the RAM, but Windows XP Pro only reports 2GB. Is
there a 2GB limit on RAM in
XP? Any way to fix this?

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

Good article. So if Windows is only seeing 2GB am I stuck, or can I
get it to see 3GB-3.5GB as discussed?

If you read it - you should read it again and then research a bit.

As I stated earlier in this thread - you can likely get 3GB out of Windows
XP 32 bit.
That article definitely points you in the right direction and without a
doubt gives you at least the terminology needed to search for the rest.

Don't be afraid of a little effort and google searching.

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Good article. So if Windows is only seeing 2GB am I stuck, or can I get it
to see 3GB-3.5GB as discussed?

You could make a RAM disk and put part of your swap file on it.

 

[Jerry]

You can 'see' 3.25Gb - just add the /3GB switch to boot.ini (and, maybe
/PAE) - do a Google search on boot.ini for articles on the switches.

 

[dobey]

I wouldn't do that. The 3GB switch gives more memory to apps, it won't
magically make your PC see more RAM. XP Pro and Home already have PAE
enabled, but without the option to address more than 4GB.

There are also some downside to having too much RAM, which seems to be the
reason it has been knobbled in most versions of XP. Some of the memory will
also be taken up by system processes, so you will never see it all.

Here is a table of memory constraints for Windows releases.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx

Sounds more like a chipset limitation to me.

 

[Rock]

"Jack B. Pollack"wrote

"Rock" wrote

Good article. So if Windows is only seeing 2GB am I stuck, or can I get it
to see 3GB-3.5GB as discussed?

Glad it was informative. Sorry I don't have any more specific tips for you.
Good luck.

 

[Tim Slattery]

You could make a RAM disk and put part of your swap file on it.

Which would eat RAM for no good purpose and result in OP seeing even
less than the 2GB he started with. In fact, if OP is using a RAM disk,
that may be eating the missing 1GB, and he should get rid of it
immediately.

Other than that, I don't know why OP sees only 2GB. It usually seems
to be 3GB or a bit more. Address space is used for video RAM, BIOS
ROM, other PCIe items, as my web page describes.

 

[Tim Slattery]

You can 'see' 3.25Gb - just add the /3GB switch to boot.ini (and, maybe
/PAE) - do a Google search on boot.ini for articles on the switches.

The /3GB switch has to do with how virtual memory is allocated within
a process. It has NOTHING to do with physical memory. Using it in this
case will do no good. If your hardware supports PAE (Physical Address
Extensions), maybe that switch would do some good, I'm not sure about
that. I know some MS server operating systems support PAE, but I'm not
sure that XP does.

 

[Tim Slattery]

There are also some downside to having too much RAM, which seems to be the
reason it has been knobbled in most versions of XP.

Not that I'm aware of, and I'm certainly not aware of RAM being
"knobbled" in XP. A 32-bit machine can't see an entire 4GB of system
RAM because of the way the 4GB address space must be used to access
other resources, that's all. It's a hardware restriction.

 

[Bob I]

Good article. So if Windows is only seeing 2GB am I stuck, or can I get it
to see 3GB-3.5GB as discussed?

Thanks

Start MSCONFIG and look on the Boot.ini tab, Advanced Options button,
and "uncheck" MAXMEM box.

 

[Jack B. Pollack]

Which would eat RAM for no good purpose and result in OP seeing even
less than the 2GB he started with. In fact, if OP is using a RAM disk,
that may be eating the missing 1GB, and he should get rid of it
immediately.

Other than that, I don't know why OP sees only 2GB. It usually seems
to be 3GB or a bit more. Address space is used for video RAM, BIOS
ROM, other PCIe items, as my web page describes.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(DTS)
(e-mail address removed)
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

No RAM disk used

 

[Zilbandy]

Just installed 4GB of RAM into my Dell computer. The computer detects all
the RAM, but Windows XP Pro only reports 2GB. Is there a 2GB limit on RAM in
XP? Any way to fix this?

My solution would be to remove 2gb of that ram and send to me. My Dell
could stand to move to more ram.