Most Windows 7 PCs max out memory

NetTecture · Mar 3, 2010

Quote from GTS:
the reduction down to 3.x GB usable is caused by the OS reserving space for addressable devices, primarily video card memory.

Purely a financial issue - and no proper engineering.

I still have three servers in use (fingers crossing to replace them soon) running 4gb OS on an Athlon x2, and at that time we tried 32 bit OS and it worked... with 4gb free memory.

Server hih price motherboard managed to shadow the hardware addresses

Consumer boards normally show anything from 3 to 3.8gb memory - mostly around 3.5 / 3.6. 3.2 is very low - lowest number i heard.

Scataphagos · Mar 3, 2010

Quote from NetTecture:

Purely a financial issue - and no proper engineering.

I still have three servers in use (fingers crossing to replace them soon) running 4gb OS on an Athlon x2, and at that time we tried 32 bit OS and it worked... with 4gb free memory.

Server hih price motherboard managed to shadow the hardware addresses

Consumer boards normally show anything from 3 to 3.8gb memory - mostly around 3.5 / 3.6. 3.2 is very low - lowest number i heard.

Here's one for you...

I've got 4G installed, but System says only "2.75G".... But I've got 3 video cards and a TV tuner.

NetTecture · Mar 3, 2010

Ouch. Definitely a totally "mishandled" memory mapping. Grats.

Time to switch to 64 bit then

And get some real memory - my workstation now has 8gb, and the next iteration (soon) gets 16gb

Just waiting for the nwe motherboards to be available.

Scataphagos · Mar 3, 2010

Quote from NetTecture:

Ouch. Definitely a totally "mishandled" memory mapping. Grats.

Time to switch to 64 bit then And get some real memory - my workstation now has 8gb, and the next iteration (soon) gets 16gb Just waiting for the nwe motherboards to be available.

Doesn't really hurt anything. On XP and even with page file disabled, physical RAM use gets only to about 800MB, max.

I tried XP 64-bit on a machine once, but couldn't get my printer to run on their 64-bit driver... figured having 64-bit OS wasn't worth having to replace printer...

For my use, no problems with 2.75G RAM really.... just a curiosity.

Ivanovich · Mar 3, 2010

Quote from l2tradr:

What do you mean? It looks like you just registered this month?

that's just cold/c-kid with his latest alias.

As for Windows 7, no thanks. Sticking with XP for as long as I possibly can.

NetTecture · Mar 3, 2010

XP 64 bit is - an adventure. Driver support (as you found out) seriously sucked. MS finally git it right later by REQUIRING manufacturers to deliver 32 AND 64 bit drivers i they want certification. Point, no discussion - and suddenly drivers were coming

I upgraded all to Win7 when it came out and never looked back - Win7 clients, 2008 r2 servers now. Works great.

Windows7Guy · Mar 10, 2010

Hello taodr,

Just a bit of FYI to understand the issues with 32-bit and 64-bit OS upgrades and later options that may or may not be available to you later:
When upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 you must upgrade the version currently installed within Windows Vista to the corresponding version in Windows 7. I.E. Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium; Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional; and Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate. You also cannot upgrade a 32-bit operating system to 64-bit -- to migrate from 32-bit to 64-bit will require a custom install.

The architecture between the two is too drastically different to allow such a change. To learn more about the differences between a 32-bit operating system and 64-bit please go to the following link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions

I hope that helps you out!

You can also find lots of information on Windows 7 here in our Springboard website:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/default.aspx

Thanks again,
John M.
Microsoft Windows Client Support

bronks · Mar 10, 2010

Quote from Windows7Guy:

...
John M.
Microsoft Windows Client Support

You do realize there are members at this instant foaming at the mouth and probably writing diatribes with your name on it... You hopefully know that nothing is sacred here and they will hand you your ass upside down. Just be prepared to hand it back in kind...

... oh my.

ProfLogic · Mar 11, 2010

Quote from Windows7Guy:

Hello taodr,

Just a bit of FYI to understand the issues with 32-bit and 64-bit OS upgrades and later options that may or may not be available to you later:
When upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 you must upgrade the version currently installed within Windows Vista to the corresponding version in Windows 7. I.E. Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium; Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional; and Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate. You also cannot upgrade a 32-bit operating system to 64-bit -- to migrate from 32-bit to 64-bit will require a custom install.

The architecture between the two is too drastically different to allow such a change. To learn more about the differences between a 32-bit operating system and 64-bit please go to the following link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/...and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions

I hope that helps you out!

You can also find lots of information on Windows 7 here in our Springboard website:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/default.aspx

Thanks again,
John M.
Microsoft Windows Client Support

First I want to say thank you for coming in here. I hope it is to offer help and to accept feedback for your company's products. This is a huge step seeing that Windows consumers have been basically ignored since the introduction of XP. I hope you will not run away when asked tough questions or be condensending at the experience of the users here.

Myself, I still have over 800 stitches and numerious scars from Microsoft's Outlook Express fiasco.