Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ? - Super User

Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T10:14:33Z

Hi,

I upgraded my PC to 4GB RAM and i get only 3GB. Windows7 32-Bit consider that i've 4GB RAM but didn't use more than 3GB.

Someone told me that MS Windows 32-bit doesn't support RAM larger than 3GB.

So please is there any way to make my OS "Windows 7 32-Bit" support more than 3GB RAM ??.

Note: I can't move to 64-Bit because I've many program doesn't work with 64-Bit OS.

Thank you :) .

Edit::

I tried what Mr.Wonsungi advised me but whenever i check this option:

Enable support for 4GB of RAM

I get the following error:

'Cannot access to the registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E88DCCE0-11d1-A9F0-00AA0060FA31}.'

There is no "CLSID" at my registry i don't know why!.

So please help me :(

Answer by Gerd Klima for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T10:18:45Z

Read this:

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000811.html

For general info, there is also this overview on memory limits per Windows edition:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(VS.85).aspx

Answer by dentrasi for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T10:18:55Z

You can use PAE, but it's not nearly as good as just going 64 bit. Check this MSDN Page.

Answer by Molly7244 for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T13:10:40Z

someone told me that MS Windows 7 32 bit doesn't support RAM larger than 3GB.

someone is wrong. 32-bit Windows desktop operating systems support up to 4 GB of physical memory, however, due to the hardware limitations of the x86 architecture, only 3.5~ GB are available for the OS if 4 GB are installed.

Answer by churnd for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T15:57:02Z

Just curious, can you give some examples of programs that don't work on 64-bit windows? 64-bit Windows since Windows XP has excellent backwards compatibility with 32-bit programs. Check the 5th question on this page: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions. Take Microsoft Office for example, it's all 32-bit, but runs great on 64-bit Windows.

The only time you wouldn't want to move to 64-bit is if you have hardware that doesn't have 64-bit drivers. Hardware drivers must match the OS platform.

Answer by Nathan Adams for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-08T19:43:20Z

The answer to this question is really "depends on who you ask".

Some say to use PAE, which will allow you to address higher than 4GB BUT Microsoft will NOT let you on many of 32bit versions of Windows.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/aa366778%28VS.85%29.aspx
The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows 7.

Physical 4GB limit, period. It's a licensing issue. There might even be a "hack" floating around to let you use more than 4GB, but I don't remember.

Please do note: Vista and Windows 7 on 32bit will report the TOTAL PHYSICAL RAM you have in System, but it will ONLY use 4GB of it. So, shoving 16GB in a computer running 32bit Windows will only use 4GB ACCORDING TO MICROSOFT even though "System" control panel will show 16GB. Windows 7, Vista, and XP 32bit will only use 4GB of RAM, its a fact. However, certain versions of Windows Server WILL use more than 4GB with PAE enabled.

For those going "your wrong PAE will allow you to to use more than 4GB", yes I agree, however, Microsoft says that you can only use 4GB on most of the 32bit desktop OS so if you feel that page is in error send them an email or call them to complain.

Answer by harrymc for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-09T12:21:18Z

As far as I know, 32-bits Window can use memory up to 64 GB, and can be "hacked" to do so.
This hack is fully described here: Licensed Memory in Windows Vista.
(Note: I do not advice anyone to actually try it.)
It also makes interesting reading, since it explains very well all the concepts involved.
I reproduce below his proof-of-concept image.

That 32-bit editions of Windows Vista are limited to 4GB is not because of any physical or technical constraint on 32-bit operating systems. The 32-bit editions of Windows Vista all contain code for using physical memory above 4GB. Microsoft just doesn’t license you to use that code.

Answer by wonsungi for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2009-11-18T17:57:39Z

The Ultimate Windows Tweaker has an option to enable 4GB of RAM on 32-bit Windows OS. Find it under "System Performance."

Answer by Breakthrough for Is there way to enable 4GB RAM in 32 bit Windows OS ?

2010-01-13T12:34:47Z

Recently, a group of programmers have released a kernel patch for Windows 7 to allow the usage of more than 4gb of RAM under Windows 7. Click here to download the patch, or view more information about it. The patch basically modifies the Windows 7 Kernel to be more like the Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition, which is compatible with up to 8gb of RAM under 32-bit mode.

The patch allows you to extend the PAE well into 8gb of RAM under Windows 7 32-bit. For more information about why Microsoft implemented this technical limitation, see this article.

Note that individual processes will still be limited to 4gb even if the system can access more... Although if you had 8gb of RAM, then at least you'd still have another 4gb for other processes ;)