Win XP RAM limit?

[cookiedude]

Hi all

Does XP have a limit to the amount of memory it can utilise? I have heard that it is limited to 3 gig, is this right?

I have 4 gig of DDR2 (533mhz) and I don't think XP is utilising it properly. 1) windows only shows my system as having 3.5gig. 2) I have been having memory issues when using Illustrator - basically anything above an 8 page A3 layout (600mb file approx) causes illustrator to crash. I have checked the memory usage in task manager and it never goes above 600mb when running illustrator.

Any ideas? Or is this typical?

Cheers

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

32-bit XP can allocate (by default) 2 GB memory per process.

You can increase it to 3 GB by using the /3GB parameter in boot.ini, but applications need to be compiled as 3GB-aware.

You might need to use the /PAE parameter in boot.ini too.

I recommend trying XP x64 if you have a 64-bit CPU, there's a trial version available for testing. It doesn't have the same memory limitations as 32-bit version.

 

[cookiedude]

Thank you for your help

I had considered x64 version when putting the PC together but didn't see the benefit as none of the software i use can be run in 64bit yet.

So does that mean if i had 16gig of RAM that XP could run 8 processes requiring 2gig of RAM each? So its not limited to an accumulative total of 2gig?

Is the trial version of x64 a stand alone version or does it use the exhisting XP install? Would it cause any problems to my normal XP if I were to install x64 on a spare partition? Would i then be able to choose which OS to run when i boot-up?

 

[johnhenry]

I recommend trying XP x64 if you have a 64-bit CPU,

Would you recommended it for a Pent. D machine? just curious if I should try it on mine.

 

[SNGX1275]

I had considered x64 version when putting the PC together but didn't see the benefit as none of the software i use can be run in 64bit yet.

.....

Is the trial version of x64 a stand alone version or does it use the exhisting XP install? Would it cause any problems to my normal XP if I were to install x64 on a spare partition? Would i then be able to choose which OS to run when i boot-up?

64bit XP has no problems running 32 bit programs.

It is its own thing, doesn't need 32bit XP. Yes you can dual boot with it if you put it on its own partition.

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Would you recommended it for a Pent. D machine? just curious if I should try it on mine.

If it's a 64-bit Pentium D, it'll work just the same as an AMD64 would.

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

So does that mean if i had 16gig of RAM that XP could run 8 processes requiring 2gig of RAM each?

Yes.

So its not limited to an accumulative total of 2gig?

No.

Is the trial version of x64 a stand alone version or does it use the exhisting XP install?

Yes, no.

Would it cause any problems to my normal XP if I were to install x64 on a spare partition?

No.

Would i then be able to choose which OS to run when i boot-up?

Yes.