/3GB switch

[rusty]

I'm a bit confused. For the /3GB switch to workin XP, does
there need to be more than 2GB of physical memory, as
listed in MS knowledge base articles Q171793 & 189293, or
more than 2GB of RAM + page file?

Thanks

 

[Nicholas]

You need physical RAM greater than or equal to 3GB.

Memory Support and Windows Operating Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/server/pae/PAEmem.mspx

--
Nicholas

---------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I'm a bit confused. For the /3GB switch to workin XP, does
| there need to be more than 2GB of physical memory, as
| listed in MS knowledge base articles Q171793 & 189293, or
| more than 2GB of RAM + page file?
|
| Thanks

 

[David Jones]

Actually, that's not true. PAE is separate from /3GB.
However, there is zero point to using /3GB unless
physical + virtual memory is well over 2 GB.

Note that in certain cases, you may not be able to boot
with the /3GB switch because hardware drivers and other
system effects may need that extra virtual space (which
is taken away by /3GB).
Also, when booted with /3GB, you may not see any
performance benefit unless the application was designed
to take advantage of it. If you have less than 3 GB
physical RAM, you may not see a performance benefit
either due to the swapping that would have to take place
when you approach the limit.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm a bit confused. For the /3GB switch to workin XP, does
there need to be more than 2GB of physical memory, as
listed in MS knowledge base articles Q171793 & 189293, or
more than 2GB of RAM + page file?

*My* understanding is that it is for use of maximum physical memory.