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With the Windows 7 Memory Limits seeming small to some people, what are the memory limits Microsoft have for Windows 8?

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  • Is this just to win the prize? Pretty sure most users are limited by the bit version, the memory slots on their mb or the actual address bus width from the CPU as opposed to the limit in the OS...
    – billc.cn
    Oct 20, 2012 at 20:22
  • @billc.cn It's not to win the prize... There wasn't a question about it, and I hadn't heard anything concrete about the limits. I have sold Windows 7 machines from my shop with 128GB of memory, so I know it's possible Oct 20, 2012 at 20:30
  • 1
    Hard to believe anyone would need more than 64K though...
    – billc.cn
    Oct 20, 2012 at 20:33
  • @Luke I am a bit confused: Are people allowed to post questions to which they know the answers?
    – Simon
    Dec 14, 2012 at 16:32
  • 2
    @simon Yes, it's permitted and even encouraged. See blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/01/accept-your-own-answers. Dec 14, 2012 at 16:40

3 Answers 3

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According to this page, the limits for the x64 versions are 128GB for Core, and 512GB for Pro/Enterprise. It looks as though the tablet and the x86 versions are limited to 4GB of memory

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  • 6
    I want to comment that 4GB is a licensing issue. x86 is capable of using memory greater than 4GB using PAE. In the past, certain Windows Server editions could use PAE to address more than 4GB. I believe Microsoft has done this on the desktop to push the use of x64. Oct 22, 2012 at 18:08
  • That is true. +1 Oct 22, 2012 at 19:01
  • How can it use more than 4GB? Can someone enlighten me?
    – pratnala
    Dec 14, 2012 at 17:13
  • 3
    @PratyushNalam Google or Wiki "Physical Address Extension" or "PAE" Dec 14, 2012 at 17:25
  • @PratyushNalam If you still got questions, feel free to start a NEW question to talk about it, I'd love to help there Dec 14, 2012 at 17:26
6

The Windows 7 Limits also apply to Windows 8:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778%28VS.85%29.aspx

Also, i found the limits as:

Windows 8 Core: 128GB RAM

Windows 8 Professional, Enterprise: 512GB RAM

Windows Server 2012: Server Standard, Datacenter, Server Storage Standard, MultiPoint Premium, Server HyperCore: 4TB RAM

Server Storage Workgroup, Server MultiPoint Standard, Server Win Foundation: 32GB RAM

Windows 8 Essentials Server Soultion: 64GB RAM

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  • I saw that exact text on another site while Googling, but the MSDN link does not show anything about Windows 8; as well, the Windows 7 memory limits are different from Windows 8 Oct 20, 2012 at 22:58
  • @Luke yes you are right about MSDN links, probably the other limits shared by me are true as covered by Paul Thurott.
    – CodeMonkey
    Oct 21, 2012 at 1:29
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The full list as pointed out in other answers is at Physical Memory Limits: Windows 8 which is reproduced as a graphic below for reference.

enter image description here

The limits most often run into with Windows 7 were Starter's 2GB limit and Home Premium's 16GB limit in the 64 bit version. With the base version of Windows 8 64bit having a 128GB limit few will ever need to upgrade to another version to make use of additional memory.

enter image description here

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  • Nice find! I see they didn't add the official data for Windows 8 till Oct 26, but at least they kept it Dec 28, 2012 at 17:25

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