Max RAM in Vista

I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home Premium.
I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper RAM limit
for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half
swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes great/less filling.")
Looking for the final word on this, so I don't waste money on RAM I can't
use.

TIA.

Dave

Strider
The limit for any 32 bit OS and also for Vista 32bit is 4Gig. Even when you have 4
Gig installed you will have only a maximum of 2.8-3.5 Gigs depending on the hardware
(Example: video card) because that will take up some of the 4Gigs that would be
installed
See the chart below
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...78(VS.85).aspx
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"Strider" <> wrote in message
news:f6l8n.2753$...
>I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home Premium. I'm
>thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper RAM limit for 32-bit
>Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half swears it's 4
>GB. (The computer version of "tastes great/less filling.") Looking for the final
>word on this, so I don't waste money on RAM I can't use.
>
> TIA.
>
> Dave
>

On 1/28/10, Strider posted:
> I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home Premium.
> I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper RAM limit
> for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half
> swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes great/less filling.")
> Looking for the final word on this, so I don't waste money on RAM I can't
> use.

> TIA.

> Dave

Trust the first half. It's approximately 3 GB, but it varies depending
on what the hardware, such as on-board video, needs.

There are numerous related threads in this NG, so that's all I'll say
now.

--
Gene Bloch 650.366.4267 lettersatblochg.com

Strider schrieb:

> Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half
> swears it's 4 GB.

Both are right. You can install 4GB but usually you can only use 3 to 3.5GB
of it because of the BIOS and the installed hardware are using the last 750
to 500MB of the memory address space and therefore your ram in tis are is
not accessible.

I agree with the replies... also be sure your hardware supports > 2GB.

"Strider" <> wrote in message
news:f6l8n.2753$...
>I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home
>Premium. I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper
>RAM limit for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB,
>the other half swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes
>great/less filling.") Looking for the final word on this, so I don't waste
>money on RAM I can't use.
>
> TIA.
>
> Dave
>

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:38:36 -0500, Strider wrote:

> I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home
> Premium. I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the
> upper RAM limit for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's
> 3 GB, the other half swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes
> great/less filling.") Looking for the final word on this, so I don't
> waste money on RAM I can't use.
>
> TIA.
>
> Dave

Assuming your motherboard will accept 4gb - you can indeed installd it.
All MS dekstop 32-bit systems will be able to use somewhat less -
probably around 3.2gb. To be able to actually USE all four gb, you'll
need an MS server system or Linux with a PAE kernel - assuming we're
still talking 32 bit systems. 64 bit systems have a much higher
limitation.

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:38:36 -0500, "Strider" <>
wrote:

> I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home Premium.
> I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper RAM limit
> for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half
> swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes great/less filling.")
> Looking for the final word on this, so I don't waste money on RAM I can't
> use.


Both are right (sort of).

All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just Vista/XP/7) have a 4GB
address space (64-bit versions can use much more). That's the
theoretical upper limit beyond which you can not go.

But you can't use the entire 4GB of address space. Even though you
have a 4GB address space, you can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not
available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can
range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around
3.1GB.

Note that the hardware is using the address *space*, not the actual
RAM itself. If you have a greater amount of RAM, the rest of the RAM
goes unused because there is no address space to map it to.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Strider" <> wrote:

>I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home Premium.
>I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the upper RAM limit
>for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say it's 3 GB, the other half
>swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of "tastes great/less filling.")
>Looking for the final word on this, so I don't waste money on RAM I can't
>use.

http://memberss.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

--
Tim Slattery

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:13:57 -0800, Frank wrote:

> ray wrote:
>> On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:38:36 -0500, Strider wrote:
>>
>>> I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home
>>> Premium. I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the
>>> upper RAM limit for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say
>>> it's 3 GB, the other half swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of
>>> "tastes great/less filling.") Looking for the final word on this, so I
>>> don't waste money on RAM I can't use.
>>>
>>> TIA.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>
>> Assuming your motherboard will accept 4gb - you can indeed installd it.
>> All MS dekstop 32-bit systems will be able to use somewhat less -
>> probably around 3.2gb. To be able to actually USE all four gb, you'll
>> need an MS server system or Linux with a PAE kernel - assuming we're
>> still talking 32 bit systems. 64 bit systems have a much higher
>> limitation.
>>
> ..."MS server system"? Bullshit ray-the snake! Any Windows x64 Desktop
> OS will handle more than 4 gigs of RAM. Stop lying!

Reading comprehension problems again, eh frankie?

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:24:31 -0800, Philo F. Shagnasty wrote:

> "ray" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:38:36 -0500, Strider wrote:
>>
>>> I have a PC (self-built) with 2 GB of RAM running 32-bit Vista Home
>>> Premium. I'm thinking about getting more RAM. Question: What is the
>>> upper RAM limit for 32-bit Vista? Half of the people I've asked say
>>> it's 3 GB, the other half swears it's 4 GB. (The computer version of
>>> "tastes great/less filling.") Looking for the final word on this, so I
>>> don't waste money on RAM I can't use.
>>>
>>> TIA.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>
>> Assuming your motherboard will accept 4gb - you can indeed installd it.
>> All MS dekstop 32-bit systems will be able to use somewhat less -
>> probably around 3.2gb. To be able to actually USE all four gb, you'll
>> need an MS server system or Linux with a PAE kernel - assuming we're
>> still talking 32 bit systems. 64 bit systems have a much higher
>> limitation.
>>
> One thing to remember is not to run an INFERIOR OS like Ubuntu. Then it
> won't matter how much RAM you have in your computer. It will be
> crippled.
>
> Better stick with Windows.

You should actually TRY Ubuntu instead of repeating your mantra. You'd
find that many folks (please try to comprehend that I said MANY, not
MOST) find it to be quite serviceable. Others, like yourself, are simply
scared spitless of the concept.