Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

[Hameister]

I hope I'm posting this in the correct forum. It doesn't seem to really fit anywhere. I don't know what to make of this, but so far it looks legit! I'm not even certain I understand it. I'm hoping someone will shed some light on this issue. Let me explain.

I noticed a file on-line, named, 4GB-7600.RTM.x86.04.08.2009.exe --- It alleges to make registry changes that will allow Win7 RTM Build 7600 32Bit, recognize, enable, and use up to 128GB of RAM. What???


I decided to experiment. With a fresh install of 32Bit Win7 and 3x1GB sticks of DDR3 in the mobo, I booted into Windows. Went into the "System" window and saw "Installed memory, (RAM) 3GB", all was normal. Next, I waited 5 minutes for the system to "idle". Then, I made a note of the RAM usage which was 34%. Next I sent the system into "sleep" mode. Waited a few minutes, hit a key on the keyboard and woke it up. Waited 3 minutes after wake up, and recorded the RAM usage as 38%.

Next, I downloaded and executed this file. The instructions are in Russian but that's not an issue. You have an option for Da(Y) or Nyt(N) in a DOS window. I hit "Y" then "enter" and allowed the system to warm boot. Boot up and time appeared normal until I came to my usual Boot Manager Menu which normally gives me the options for;

Win 7
Vista
Linux

Now, the menu offers;
Win 7 RTM 7600 128MB
Win 7
Vista
Linux

What the....???? So at first I chose Win 7, booted into it and all was normal. Went into the "System" window and saw "Installed memory, (RAM) 3GB", again all normal. Then, I warm booted again and when I hit the menu I chose "Win7 RTM 7600 128GB". The system continued to boot normally. After booting in, I went to the "System" window and saw the usual 3GB RAM installed, etc. I waited 5 minutes for idle and again saw 34% RAM use as before. Put the system to sleep as before, and after waking, waited 3 minutes again. Again, the RAM use showed me 38%. Seemingly no change.

Next, I shut down the system and added another 1GB stick of memory. This time booting into Win7, (the unmodified version of Win7), the System window showed me 4GB of RAM installed, and next to that it said (2.99GB usable). I ran the memory usage measurements again, and as before I came up with 34% and 38% +/- 1%, indicating that the system was in fact still using only 3GB of RAM, even though 4GB was now installed.

Now I re-booted and this time went into "Win7 RTM 7600 128GB" version. When I went into the "System" window it showed 4GB of RAM, but no restriction comment saying only "2.99GB usable". After waiting the same time periods as before, I made a note of the RAM usage. After 5 minutes idle, usage was 27% instead of 34%. After awaking from sleep, the RAM use showed me 29%, instead of the 38% I got before. Hmmm, does appear to be using the full 4GB now!

Next, I shut down the machine and installed 2 more 1GB sticks of DDR3, now filling all 6 slots on the P6T. Again I booted first into the unmodified version of Win7 and checked the System window. Now, it showed me 6GB RAM Installed and again it said 2.99GB usable. Again, I ran the usage tests and again got 34% and 38%, +/- 1%, indicating that that only 3GB of DDR3 was being used.

Ready for this....I re-boot into the modified version of Win7 and the System window shows me 6GB RAM Installed, and again there is no 2.99GB limitation shown. Again I ran the usage tests after the appropriate amount of time and this time with 6GB of DDR3 the system shows me 19% usage after 5 minutes idle, and 20% usage after awakening from sleep. Again indicating a linear percentage of decreased RAM usage proportionate to the 6GB now installed!

If you look at the percent of RAM usage both before and after the mod., you'll realize that the amount of RAM IN USE is directly proportional to the the amount of physical RAM installed! All this leads me to believe that this 32 Bit version of Win7 is actually using the 6GB of installed DDR3!!!

Next, I decided to run a few benchmarks with an OC of 3.8GHz, and compare the stock Win7 version, (limited to 3GB), with the modified version which appears to be using all 6GB. I found little difference with most benchmarks such as FurMark, Vantage, 3DMark_06, etc. Where I did notice differences was in the loading of Windows and the opening times of various apps. With some apps the 6GB Win7 was just a second or two faster. With others, such as the loading of Windows itself, and the race to the finished Desktop, as much as 11 seconds was shaved off. All of this is to be expected when upgrading from 3GB to 6GB of RAM. In conclusion, I'd have to say that so far, every indicator points to this mod as being legitimate and viable. What I cannot understand, is the lack of documentation when I try to Google this whole scenario. After all, it would seem that actually making Win7 & Vista 32Bit recognize, accept, and utilize up to 128GB of RAM would be of major interest to enthusiasts everywhere. Yet, little documentation exists???

I've attached a screenshot I took while in Vantage, reporting the amount of Physical RAM installed, and the amount of "Free" Physical RAM left. As you can see it shows "Total Physical Memory 5.98GB", and "Free Physical Memory 4.67GB" I have other apps that also report around 5.8 or 5.9GB of Physical RAM installed and anywhere from 3.9 to 5.3GB of physical ram free. It's hard to believe that all of these apps, as well as Windows itself, are reporting erroneous information.

If anyone out there knows anything about this, I sure wish you'd share what you know.

Below is a copy/paste from a website




File --- 4GB-7600.RTM.x86.04.08.2009.exe

[heliosys]

Re: Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

What they are using is physical address extension, or PAE in short, it allow 32 bit os to support more than 4gb of ram, macrosoft did not ship this function with deskop os, but it is found in server os, eg windows 2003/2008. That mod should be replacing some files from Windows 2008 to windows 7, don't think it's just a registry hack.

[Hameister]

Re: Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

What they are using is physical address extension, or PAE in short, it allow 32 bit os to support more than 4gb of ram, macrosoft did not ship this function with deskop os, but it is found in server os, eg windows 2003/2008. That mod should be replacing some files from Windows 2008 to windows 7, don't think it's just a registry hack.

You are correct, this isn't a registry hack! 32bit Windows Vista & 7 can address up to 128GB of RAM. For those who refuse to accept this as fact, go to ExtremeOverclocking.com --- go to the forum "General Windows Troubleshooting" then read Thread entitled Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory? [bench results say it can!] ( 1 2) Read the links suggested by several people, including the Microsoft developer and public information links. Read the testing and benchmark results....keep an open mind. Pay particular attention to the discussions posted 11/9, 11-10, 11/11 ---Followup by reviewing the final benchmarks when they are posted.

[SCSIraidGURU]

Re: Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

32-bit can't address more than 4GB. You have to subtract the hardware addressing for video cards. The most you get is 3.2 GB.

Only applications that support PAE can get around it. Very few are PAE capable. It is like the /3GB switch. Most 32-bit programs don't use more than 200 MB. A few CAD application and Photoshop CS2 and above can use 3GB. I have only a few games that approach 1GB of RAM. Stronghold could hit 1.2 GB.

Photoshop CS4 is 64-bit and can use up to 16GB.

2^32 bits = 4GB of addressable space.

[heliosys]

Re: Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

A 64bit OS user here, never mess with PAE, don't understand its limitation, didn't get it's usefulness. A 32bit program has 3GB Ram limit, with PAE or 64bit OS, nothing gona change, why mess with the system and use server components, where 64bit OS is readily available?

I can understand running 32bit OS because of compatibility. I have customers using windows 98, because his accounting software don't work on anything else, for mission critical programs, for day to day work, my advise, run them form a separate computer, your random porn surfing won't affect it, thus what's point of PAE.

PAE, is doable, not feasible.

[yutao]

Re: Are You Sure Win7 32Bit Cannot Handle Over 3GB of Memory?

yes, i just upgrade my windows 7 to 64 bit, so i can use 4GB ram