When is too much menory too much ????

[eaglepi]

I have a desktop with the memory listed in my signature, I was thinking of getting another 2 GB, Do you reach a point in a system when the amount of memory is not worth the money spent ????

[theELVISCERATOR]

3.2 for XP and 8gb is gods plenty for vista 64...

I am going to run the standard 4gb ram for vista..

[Adragontattoo]

We have Xw4600 WS with 8gb at my office that we use in classes, Even with 3+ VM's running the host OS (xp64) still has NO issues with anything we have thrown at it.

[deathman20]

XP 2 gig did most of everything
64-bit Vista 4 gig will do most of everything
64-bit Vista 6 gig in tri-channel will rule all ;)

[J0K3R]

It's my understanding that a 32bit version of an OS (XP, Vista) will only "see" 3.25Gb max, due to Microsoft's memory allotment. Because of this, only 64bit OS's would benefit from anything more than that.

[J0K3R]

Remember back in the day with WIN98 and trying to use over 512mb of RAM?
You'd get the notorius "insufficient memory" error trying to run a DOS prog, even with more than enough. It's Microsoft's poor memory allotment in code writing.

[deathman20]

Remember back in the day with WIN98 and trying to use over 512mb of RAM?
You'd get the notorius "insufficient memory" error trying to run a DOS prog, even with more than enough. It's Microsoft's poor memory allotment in code writing.

I've ran 256, 512, 786 and 1024Meg in Win98 and don't recall any issues. At least not that I know of but I surely ran ALOT of dos programs back then. Don't think I run a single one currently... ah the old days.

[JamesXP]

No it's just that 32bit cannot adress more than 4GB ram, without PAE.


This is the same with linux, unix, solaris, and all the other 32bit operating systems.

[J0K3R]

Windows 95 and Windows 98/Me are mostly 32 bit OS's, but with some 16 bit remnants. 16 bit single task in real mode, while NT, 2000, XP are 32 bit multitask in protected mode.
WinNT is the first MS pure 32bit OS.

From Annoyances.org:
"It really is very pointless putting that much RAM in a Windows 9x machine as it finds
it difficult to address it. Unless the machine is a busy file server, it's not really
going to ever be able to use it either."

Anyways, my point is trying to use more than 3.5 gb or RAM in 32bit XP isn't feasible.
The OS just didn't see it's there, even if some third-party software/utilities does.

[Dodgexander]

I would reccomend 6GB for Vista 64, often i go over 5GB when using my machine, but it depends what you do. Since you are using a 32 bit os, just get another 1GB of ram, thats the best option :)

[Mr.Guvernment]

XP 2 gig did most of everything
64-bit Vista 4 gig will do most of everything
64-bit Vista 6 gig in tri-channel will rule all ;)

not really, early test show little improvemen with tri channel over dual with DDR3 :(


too much memory is when you got it, and aren't using it..


^G for vista 64? what DO you do.. i had 2G in a vista 64g for ages with no issues, plenty of gaming and graphics works.... 3-4G is def the nicer spot.

[VinnyTAMU]

not really, early test show little improvemen with tri channel over dual with DDR3 :(


too much memory is when you got it, and aren't using it..


^G for vista 64? what DO you do.. i had 2G in a vista 64g for ages with no issues, plenty of gaming and graphics works.... 3-4G is def the nicer spot.

I have to agree, 4GB (~3.25 GB 32-bit) in my VISTA box is just about perfect for my needs.

[Neuromancer]

4GB here, although I had to reenable my pagefile as I ran into problems gaming while multitasking :) (Well one game anyway most games are fine)

V64 is good

i use 4GB in a 32bit OS as well. It "sees" all of it (unless you have older hardware) it just that it must also address other mmeory in your system too so it comes out of the 4GB limit

The people you see saying only 3.25GBs are obviously running GTXs' ;) With a 256MB video card and 2 16MB cache hdds, you should be over 3.5GBs (I am on my HTPC)

[J0K3R]

i use 4GB in a 32bit OS as well. It "sees" all of it (unless you have older hardware) it just that it must also address other mmeory in your system too so it comes out of the 4GB limit

The people you see saying only 3.25GBs are obviously running GTXs' ;) With a 256MB video card and 2 16MB cache hdds, you should be over 3.5GBs (I am on my HTPC)


Not sure what you mean by "older". My rig is still pretty new, but I only "see" 3.25gb RAM from inside XP system properties.
Also, my VC is a 512mb GTX+, but yes, my slave drives are 16mb cache.

Are you saying there's a way to have this 32bit OS see/use the full 4Gb I have installed?

Also, on a different point, is it true that a 32bit OS cannot utilize a multi-core CPU poperly? Seems I read somewhere that a 64bit CPU will only be used to it's proper potential with a 64bit OS, and that it will work with a 32bit OS, but not to it's best ability.

Sorry for straying from the topic. :)

[Audioaficionado]

I have 8GB on my main rig and it's come very close but never exceeded 4GB of actual physical usage running Vista Ultimate x64 with several days of up time and a boat load of apps running 24/7.

[thideras]

I have 8GB on my main rig and it's come very close but never exceeded 4GB of actual physical usage running Vista Ultimate x64 with several days of up time and a boat load of apps running 24/7.Look at how much it has cached though, I bet it is the rest of the available RAM. This is the only reason I run Vista, it actually uses all 8 :)

OP: When is too much? Never....I'd do 128gb if it was feasible.

[e6600]

3gb is basically required for vista if you want to game
4gb 2x2gb modules are the ticket nowadays

[Neuromancer]

Not sure what you mean by "older". My rig is still pretty new, but I only "see" 3.25gb RAM from inside XP system properties.
Also, my VC is a 512mb GTX+, but yes, my slave drives are 16mb cache.

Are you saying there's a way to have this 32bit OS see/use the full 4Gb I have installed?

Also, on a different point, is it true that a 32bit OS cannot utilize a multi-core CPU poperly? Seems I read somewhere that a 64bit CPU will only be used to it's proper potential with a 64bit OS, and that it will work with a 32bit OS, but not to it's best ability.

Sorry for straying from the topic. :)

"older hardware" I mean one that either does not have or makes you enable memory mapping in the bios.


I cant screenshot because the only machines i have running 4GB are both vista so even 2bit vista "shows" 4GB of RAM. But when i ran XP with 4gb of ram i was showing about 3.6 GB of ram but i was running a 256MB vid card and about 5 hdds. (and a q6600 cpu which its memory needs mapping too)

[Mr.Guvernment]

Vista SP1 32bit allowed the proper amount of ram to show that is physically installed - however i dont think XP Sp3 did this.

[Ashura]

I'm still waiting to see someone here put together a rig with 4x4gb sticks. :D

[deathman20]

I'm still waiting to see someone here put together a rig with 4x4gb sticks. :D

LOL... Only thing most at least normal desktop boards that I know of is 8Gig max for the memory.

[Ashura]

I think all of the new P45 boards support 16gb /hinthint.

[biosboy4]

I'm running 6GB on my vista machine. Runs great.

[Firey_chasm]

when I was deciding how much memory to get, for normal use+gaming nothing seems to really utalise more than 4gb, of course running virtual machines or doing design work etc can always use more.

Personally I will go for the 8gb mark though so even in a year or 2 I have more than enough :)

[deathman20]

when I was deciding how much memory to get, for normal use+gaming nothing seems to really utalise more than 4gb, of course running virtual machines or doing design work etc can always use more.

Personally I will go for the 8gb mark though so even in a year or 2 I have more than enough :)

I got a nice 16Gig system here at work on XP 64-bit. Heavy memory usage programs and I had a hell of a time filling even 8Gigs of memory up. Bearly squeezed 10Gigs out of her and that was opening huge assemblies in CAD programs, and opening and doing renderings in 3D Studio Max.

Typically higher end gaming rigs in Vista 64-bit, I'd say 4Gigs is more than enough. Even 3D Rendering applications I'd have a hard time filling even 3.5Gigs on my home PC. Yet when I upgrade to a nice 3 Channel ram system, well 3Gig won't be enough, so 6Gig will be a must hehe.

[Firey_chasm]

I got a nice 16Gig system here at work on XP 64-bit. Heavy memory usage programs and I had a hell of a time filling even 8Gigs of memory up. Bearly squeezed 10Gigs out of her and that was opening huge assemblies in CAD programs, and opening and doing renderings in 3D Studio Max.

Typically higher end gaming rigs in Vista 64-bit, I'd say 4Gigs is more than enough. Even 3D Rendering applications I'd have a hard time filling even 3.5Gigs on my home PC. Yet when I upgrade to a nice 3 Channel ram system, well 3Gig won't be enough, so 6Gig will be a must hehe.

I agree totally, its just DDR2 is so cheap atm and since it is going out of date it will be tricky to find a 2nd 4gb in 2 years when 8gb will be the equivalent of 4gb now so thats why 8gb, it wont be used now, but iv no doubt it will in a few years

[Satsumomo]

Until tri-channel is released, I think going 6GB isn't such a good idea. Unless we have 3GB sticks %)

[petteyg359]

I got a nice 16Gig system here at work on XP 64-bit. Heavy memory usage programs and I had a hell of a time filling even 8Gigs of memory up. Bearly squeezed 10Gigs out of her and that was opening huge assemblies in CAD programs, and opening and doing renderings in 3D Studio Max.

Typically higher end gaming rigs in Vista 64-bit, I'd say 4Gigs is more than enough. Even 3D Rendering applications I'd have a hard time filling even 3.5Gigs on my home PC. Yet when I upgrade to a nice 3 Channel ram system, well 3Gig won't be enough, so 6Gig will be a must hehe.

The thing to remember here is that Vista will actually make use of that RAM for caching, where XP doesn't. Vista will keep your RAM pretty fully used all the time by caching stuff, and will free up memory only as apps request it. Adding additional memory in Vista will get you much more noticeable performance gains than adding extra memory in XP, simply due to a vastly better caching system.

[Maverick0984]

We have Xw4600 WS with 8gb at my office that we use in classes, Even with 3+ VM's running the host OS (xp64) still has NO issues with anything we have thrown at it.

That's cause you aren't throwing much at it :P

Put Exchange 2007 or something on one of those and poof.