A way to make more then 3GB RAM available in WinXP Pro SP2-3 32bit?

Hi, today I replaced 2x1 GB ram sticks with 2x2gb PQI DDR800.
I was already repaired for that it would not be possible to use all of 4 GB in OS, but 3070MB was a shock. Shortly after searching the internet I found that the way to increase available memory size is "Device Remapping" option that some motherboard have in BIOS. Unfortunately there is no in Compals.

Память 000A0000-000BFFFF Общий PCI bus
Память 000A0000-000BFFFF Общий NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Память 000A0000-000BFFFF Не определено Mobile Intel(R) PM965/GM965/GL960 Express PCI Express Root Port - 2A01
Память 000D0000-000D3FFF Общий PCI bus
Память 000D4000-000D7FFF Общий PCI bus
Память 000D8000-000DBFFF Общий PCI bus
Память C0000000-DFFFFFFF Общий PCI bus
Память C4000000-C5FFFFFF Исключительный NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Память C4000000-C6FFFFFF Исключительный Mobile Intel(R) PM965/GM965/GL960 Express PCI Express Root Port - 2A01
Память C6000000-C6FFFFFF Исключительный NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Память C8000000-C9FFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 4 - 2845
Память C8000000-CBFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 4 - 2845
Память CC000000-CDFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 1 - 283F
Память CC000000-CFFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 1 - 283F
Память D0000000-DFFFFFFF Исключительный Mobile Intel(R) PM965/GM965/GL960 Express PCI Express Root Port - 2A01
Память D0000000-DFFFFFFF Исключительный NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Память E0000000-EFFFFFFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память F0000000-F000FFFF Исключительный Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Память F0000000-F3FFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 2 - 2841
Память F0000000-FEBFFFFF Общий PCI bus
Память F4000000-F7FFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 3 - 2843
Память F8000000-F8001FFF Исключительный Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
Память F8000000-F80FFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 6 - 2849
Память F8100000-F81007FF Исключительный OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
Память F8100800-F81008FF Исключительный SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
Память F8100C00-F8100CFF Исключительный Ricoh SD/MMC Host Controller
Память F8101000-F81010FF Исключительный Ricoh Memory Stick Controller
Память F8400000-F8403FFF Исключительный Microsoft UAA Bus Driver for High Definition Audio
Память F8404000-F84047FF Исключительный Intel(R) 82801HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller
Память F8404800-F8404BFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 283A
Память F8404C00-F8404FFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 2836
Память FA000000-FBFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 2 - 2841
Память FC000000-FDFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) ICH8 Family PCI Express Root Port 3 - 2843
Память FED00000-FED003FF Исключительный High precision event timer
Память FED14000-FED17FFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED18000-FED18FFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED19000-FED19FFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED1C000-FED1FFFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED20000-FED3FFFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED40000-FED44FFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FED45000-FED8FFFF Исключительный Motherboard resources
Память FF000000-FFFFFFFF Исключительный Intel(R) 82802 Firmware Hub Device

Why the hell does PCI bus needs 0.5GB of addresses C0000000-DFFFFFFF plus some in the beginning?
Is there some way to change device map? Or any other to make more RAM available (without changing OS)?

P.S. I tried to write to Compal service support with request to add this option in BIOS. I hope to be heard, since Vista is definite no for me.

 

You can't use all 4gb because of the limitations of 32-bit. It's not a configuration issue of any kind, you simply can't do it in 32-bit. If you don't want to go vista, your only other option is to install a 64-bit version of XP which is available.

 

This article may help illistrate. http://www.ibuypower.com/images/4GBInfo.pdf

 

Go into the control panel, system, advanced, startup and recovery and click on edit; you should have something like this:

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Add, / pae to make it look like this:

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /pae /fastdetect

Tell me if it works.

 

Did it work for you Ayle?

 

PAE doesn't work. We say an image worth a 1,000 words, see below the RAM addressing map explaining why the OS will not see the full 4GB. The 8GB on top is a mistake, it should read 4GB.

 

The pae is supposed to move the reserved space more toward the upper part of your diagram... Too bad I only have 2gb so I can't test it...

 

It doesn't work, it was supposed to, but MS changed the PAE purpose. I have tried it and it doesn't work.

 

After an year of reserch, try and error, questions and answers. I come to conclusion.

!!! There is NO WAY !!!

to make Win XP 32bit to see all 4GB of RAM.

 

Just so you know...the PCI bus needs 0.5GB because your GPU has 512MB of onboard memory.

 

Ayle
Thanks, but unfortunately it doesn't help, the limit is stuck to 4gb in WinXP 32 bit no matter you use PAE or not. Furthermore then I activate it PC starts to lag horribly.

Greg
How didn't I fink of that in the first place? Thanks. Well I see now there is no other choice except moving to WinXP 64bit. By the why does it support all 4 GB out of the box? And do license from XP 32bit is also valid for it?

 

You need a separate license for XP 64bit, which is actually based off Windows Server 2003. PAE is worthless, and I have no idea why MS continues to make it available for its non-purpose.

 

Marketing maybe?

 

Nope, they just screwd up

 

wow talk about dragging something out. Spent all that time just to come to the conclusion I already made on my posts.

 

It was a post crosstalk

 

Keep in mind that there is no driver support for XP 64 bit, so getting full access to all 4 GB of RAM may take away hardware functionality if 32 bit drivers do not work.

 

Excellent point!

I don't know why they still support XP???? We have vista now and there is another windows OS coming soon.

 

They still support XP because notebook manufacturers are smart enough to realize that there is going to be a massive stink raised when XP is finally pulled, and they'd rather all the stink be blamed on Microsoft's June 30 date than on their own opinion that Vista is ready for everyone .

The simple fact is, the consensus on Vista is very divided, with about 50% of Vista users totally in love with it, and the other 50% violently in hate with it, and us resellers know this all too well. Most of us don't want to force customers into Vista until we have to.

 

Well is like digital TV, whether you like or not, soon there will be no analog TV, so we better follow progress, that's all.

 

:laugh: Careful...I speak to plenty of customers who would call Vista anything BUT progress. Vista's reputation as Windows XP ME is not entirely fair (and, as some recent articles have pointed out, half of that reputation could have come from shoddy nVIDIA drivers), but the fact remains that it has that reputation with a lot of customers. There are a lot of people who are waiting for the next OS in the hopes that skipping Vista entirely will motivate Microsoft to "do better" the next time around.

 

I think we will never be happy with Bill Gate, you may say that people liked XP, but I have heard always negative comments about all the MS OS's, the first windows that I don't remember their names anymore, win 95, 2000, Milenium, 2003,.....etc.

What is more ineteresting is that those who hate MS OS's, they like Linux's based (it's like evolution vs creation), but when I hear about the issues with those Linuxes OS's. I wonder how can you work with them? Not only you need to install the drivers manually (mount them) but the average user doesn't even know how to do it and why should they?

But those Linuxes OS's supporters don't complaint about it. I think the reason is simply, is just because one OS is free and the other one you have to pay it. So, I anticipate that people will also complaint about the coming OS, and some will say; Vista was better.

 

Of course they will :laugh:. Honestly, people complained a lot more about XP at its release than they do now, but there are certainly still issues with it, just like there are issues with Mac OS, Vista, and the various Linux distros.

Keep in mind, though, that most of the "consumer-targeted" Linux distros do have ways to automatically load driver support (Ubuntu even has an easy way to get nVIDIA or ATI drivers loaded, which almost NO distro has ever offered), but an Ubuntu system given to an "average user" is much better for someone who needs a computer for a specific purpose, since they can't exactly install off-the-shelf software, and it can take some doing to install new software until you learn how.

If you have a user who is used to Windows XP (or Windows in general), though, it's best to leave them with Windows XP until they're ready to really try to learn a new system.

And that's the biggest problem with Vista (and all future OS releases): most computer users don't want to learn a new system. They're much happier and more comfortable using what they know. You give a Vista system to someone like my mother (a Luddite if ever there was one) and you scar them for life as they try desperately to make the tricks they learned in XP work with Vista.

 

Ok, I just didn't use some boot hack to activate Win Vista 64bit and turn of MS driver signature check and now it's not supporting 4gb and I'm not happy.
At least it turns off quicker and brightness settings are saved permanently.