How Much RAM can Windows XP Home Handle?

[Guest]

hi

I am buying a new PC and fancied having 4Gb RAM.

The supplier tells me that XP home cannot recognise more than 3Gb so the
extra would be wasted.

Is this true? Is XP Pro any different? Can anyone help, or point me to a MS
article that gives details?

Many thanks!!

Jerry
UK

 

[WTC]

hi

I am buying a new PC and fancied having 4Gb RAM.

The supplier tells me that XP home cannot recognise more than 3Gb so the
extra would be wasted.

Is this true? Is XP Pro any different? Can anyone help, or point me to a
MS
article that gives details?

Many thanks!!

Jerry
UK

4GB.

 

[David Candy]

That answer is not correct. The answer is hardware dependent. Whatever, 4 GB is over kill and a waste of money.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Jerry

As I understand, XP Home and Pro both support 4gb.. if the hardware claims
also to support 4gb, but XP shows less than 4 (in most cases, 3gb), then one
could assume, rightly or wrongly, that the system is absorbing 1gb for its
own exclusive use..

That you 'fancy' 4gb RAM suggests that you do not particularly have or know
of a use for that much RAM..

If you really have a strong desire to join the 'Ultimate Bragging Rights'
club, instead of building a computer that is eminently overspecified (nobody
would notice any real improvement over say 2gb), why don't you build a car
around one of these..

http://www.bcam.net/engines/merlin.htm

This website also has a short recording, so you can sample the 'song'..

 

[Guest]

Jerry

If you really have a strong desire to join the 'Ultimate Bragging Rights' club, <snip>

Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user

Mike

The only desire I have is to avoid upgrading the ram on this pc, which would
be a first, as much because of Microsoft products as anything.

I don't think you should jump to unwarranted conclusions on the evidence of
a single word. Unprofessional.

Jerry

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Jerry

'Fancying' the thought of 4gb RAM is a little different to the concept of
installing 4gb to save having to upgrade at a later date.. your choice of
the word 'fancy' was probably not the best, and did suggest a person
interested more in specification 'numbers' than practical use .. as you have
clarified your position, please read the rest of this contribution..

It is more prudent and cheaper maybe to work out what you intend to do with
the system, and then base installed memory on the requirement 'plus a bit'..
this makes much more sense than just going for 4gb.. it would also enable
your 'budget' to extend to getting more software, none of which would
probably require anything like 4gb..

You also have to bear in mind that progress in technology may well lead to
4gb of whatever memory you buy now being obsolete some time next year, and
that in the interim, you may not have found a use for that amount of
installed RAM.. even users who do a fair amount of video editing etc do not
rush out and buy 4gb.. 4gb (and more) is the amount of memory more common to
servers than stand alone machines (not including the likes of IBM RS6000
workstations that work with CAD)..

Did you like the sound of the Merlin engine?.. isn't that just the best?

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/user