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    Any harm to put 4GB ram for Windows XP?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by vaw, Aug 21, 2009.

  1. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    I remember seeing a post somewhere but can't locate it...

    Since XP recognizes only up to 3GB memory, 4GB would be a waste it seems. But is there any harm if you just use 2x2GB?
     
    vaw, Aug 21, 2009
    #1
  2. Soviet Sunrise

    Soviet Sunrise Notebook Prophet

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    No. 10char
     
    Soviet Sunrise, Aug 21, 2009
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  3. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    Thanks, good to know.
     
    vaw, Aug 21, 2009
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  4. X2P

    X2P COOLING | NBR Super Mod

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    First off XP can read usually somewhere between 3 and 3.5gb depending on the motherboard. As said before

     
    X2P, Aug 21, 2009
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  5. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

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    No harm at all.
     
    flipfire, Aug 21, 2009
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  6. RaZZNuts

    RaZZNuts Notebook Guru

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    No Harm. Enabling PAE will make your XP recognize 4GB of RAM (that's the maximum btw)
     
    RaZZNuts, Aug 21, 2009
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  7. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Not really, you may be able to see it, but windows XP can't utilize it, even with PAE.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Aug 21, 2009
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  8. RaZZNuts

    RaZZNuts Notebook Guru

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    Correct. :p I didn't say XP will use it, I said XP will recognise it. :D


    Btw, @ vaw if you insisted on plugging 4GB RAM on 32-bit system AND unwilling to waste your RAM, just use the unallocated space as RAMdisk.
     
    RaZZNuts, Aug 21, 2009
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  9. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Meh, the world is going x64. Why bother with old technology? :p
     
    Han Bao Quan, Aug 21, 2009
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  10. RaZZNuts

    RaZZNuts Notebook Guru

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    Yup, I agree with you, but there's just some people that prefer 32-bit.
    I'm going to 64-bit in 7 :)
     
    RaZZNuts, Aug 21, 2009
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  11. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    But the OP is using XP, and 64-bit XP is the worst OS in the world.

    You will have vertually no driver or software support.
     
    moral hazard, Aug 21, 2009
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  12. ThisOneIsForPosting

    ThisOneIsForPosting Notebook Consultant

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    i have 4gb in my notebook. WindowsXP 32bit only showed (and i presumed used) 3.2gb of it. However, I knew that would be the case and for future upgrades the 4gb would be fully used (ie. windows 7 64bit and Core2Duo cpu)

    it's your call. if you think you're gonna buy a new laptop instead of upgrading the software/hardware then try to buy 3gb. But if your system can eventually recognize 4gb of ram and you see yourself upgrading to a new OS then get it and use it later. just my opinion.
     
    ThisOneIsForPosting, Aug 21, 2009
    #12
  13. TevashSzat

    TevashSzat Notebook Deity

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    I will reiterate the warning against Windoiws XP x64.

    No programs support it and driver support is iffy at best.
     
    TevashSzat, Aug 21, 2009
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  14. vaw

    vaw Notebook Deity

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    Thanks all for the comments.
     
    vaw, Aug 21, 2009
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  15. TehSuigi

    TehSuigi Notebook Virtuoso

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    And remember, if worst comes to worst, Windows 7 Pro comes with a Windows XP Virtual PC free of charge.
     
    TehSuigi, Aug 21, 2009
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  16. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    I would save the "worst" for windows ME.
    Anyway, XP x64 is not virtually no driver supports. HP business models are available with drivers, but still, very limited.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Aug 21, 2009
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  17. saebasan

    saebasan Notebook Guru

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    Is it the problem that some poeple still prefer 32-bit systems, or programmers who continue to 'don't use 64bit hardware'??? :rolleyes:
    Till now, so many software are still developped in 32 bit :mad:
    Sure we should shift. :p
     
    saebasan, Aug 22, 2009
    #17
  18. miro_gt

    miro_gt Notebook Deity

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    I've got 4GB and my task manager says 2,908MB available.

    when I got 3GB the task managers said 2,892MB available .. so that's 16MB less.
     
    miro_gt, Aug 23, 2009
    #18