xp 32bit (8gig ram) - 4gig in system & 4gig in RAMDISK??

[vien]

Hi all,

On a 32bit os, is it possible to have 4gig (or 3.5gig under pae) and a 4gig ramdisk under a 8gig ram box?

i had a look at superspeed's ramdisk, and they state this software can access the memory above the 4gig limit. How is that possible? Does it work? Has anyone got it working?

[$3@N]

Just get XP X64 or Vista SP1 64bit

No use mucking around with 3rd party programs, you really need 64bit to take advantage of all that ram mate.

[FuRyZ]

No it shouldn't be possible on a 32bit OS. It just physically cant address to any of those memory locations, I severely doubt it can address over the 4gig limit without a 64 bit OS.

[hdkhang]

I think only windows server is supported?

[SLATYE]

I suppose it might be possible. It'd probably mean forcing PAE on (which would require XP SP0/SP1; SP2 disabled PAE completely) but then making sure that all accessible memory/devices lived in the 0 - 4GB region (to avoid confusing the 32-bit drivers). The RAMdisk progam would then have to access the remaining memory.

Unfortunately this would require substantial modifications to the whole OS, as the default settings are that device addresses start at the top of the accessible memory values. I doubt that any current software would do it; too much chance of a mistake causing utter chaos.

The only reasonable easy way I could see to do it would be for the software to load before the OS does and report to the OS that there's 4GB of RAM and a 4GB HDD connected. Again, that'd be a pretty substantial modification.

As was mentioned above, SuperSpeed's software doesn't support Windows XP. What it does support are some 32-bit operating systems that don't officially support PAE, but are heavily based on versions that do support PAE (for example, Windows 2000 Server doesn't support PAE - but Advanced Server does). Because they're so closely related, the drivers will all support PAE (as they work with both versions), and the OS itself may well actually support PAE (I wouldn't be surprised if there is PAE support but with a RAM limit of 4GB, which makes PAE somewhat useless normally). SuperSpeed's software can just borrow the RAM that is accessible by Windows but not actually usable (due to the restriction on maximum usable RAM).

[congoh]

SLATYE, Superspeeds ramdisk is supported under xp. I agree with rest of your post.

I've used this software to create ramdisk (128mb) on 2Gb ram A64 3200+ system and it creates ramdisk within what Win is able to address.

Best answer is for OP to contact the company to find out.

[gaspah]

RamDisk Plus 9 has a most unique feature. Our patent pending technology can access memory beyond the limitation imposed by a Windows 32-bit operating system! In other words, RamDisk Plus 9 can use "unmanaged" Windows' memory e.g. above 4GB. It can also use the stubbornly inaccessable memory between 3.2GB and 4GB.

See the product's help file for detailed explanation of what "unmanaged" memory is and how to access and use it with RamDisk Plus 9.

Click here to request a server evaluation copy.

i find that very hard to believe... but it does say that the 32-bit version supports ramdisks up to 120GB and the 64-bit version supports ramdisks up to 512GB

HERES THE IMPORTANT STUFFS!!!


that tells me that desktop OS are under normal 32-bit restrictions.

[terrastrife]

Originally Posted by gaspah

RamDisk Plus 9 has a most unique feature. Our patent pending technology can access memory beyond the limitation imposed by a Windows 32-bit operating system! In other words, RamDisk Plus 9 can use "unmanaged" Windows' memory e.g. above 4GB. It can also use the stubbornly inaccessable memory between 3.2GB and 4GB.

See the product's help file for detailed explanation of what "unmanaged" memory is and how to access and use it with RamDisk Plus 9.

Click here to request a server evaluation copy.

i find that very hard to believe... but it does say that the 32-bit version supports ramdisks up to 120GB and the 64-bit version supports ramdisks up to 512GB

HERES THE IMPORTANT STUFFS!!!


that tells me that desktop OS are under normal 32-bit restrictions.

this tells you nothing.

32bit server has always had more memory support than desktop for windows. all superspeed are doing is making multiple drivers and linking each 2gb section together to make a single virtual drive if they put XP on that list it would say 4GB/3GB /2CPU

to the op, NO YOU CANNOT. ramdisk programs are driver level, they only work with what you have, not what you dont have.

now if someone could make a bios level ramdisk program so it appears as a real drive before OS, thats a winner.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by gaspah

HERES THE IMPORTANT STUFFS!!!

Now pick the OS the OP is talking about that's NOT listed..

[gaspah]

Originally Posted by terrastrife

this tells you nothing.

32bit server has always had more memory support than desktop for windows. all superspeed are doing is making multiple drivers and linking each 2gb section together to make a single virtual drive if they put XP on that list it would say 4GB/3GB /2CPU

to the op, NO YOU CANNOT. ramdisk programs are driver level, they only work with what you have, not what you dont have.

now if someone could make a bios level ramdisk program so it appears as a real drive before OS, thats a winner.

thats exactly what i just said.... that a DESKTOP OS aka Windows XP is under NORMAL 32-BIT RESTRICTIONS. did you read what i wrote even? Normal 32-bit restrictions aka 4GB/3.25GB whatever it is..

Originally Posted by Iceman

Now pick the OS the OP is talking about that's NOT listed..

yeah it was kinda my whole point.. people seem to miss that....

to spell it out.. i'd put windows xp as the same category as "Windows Server 2003 Standard"

[SenorGrande]

Originally Posted by SLATYE

I suppose it might be possible. It'd probably mean forcing PAE on (which would require XP SP0/SP1; SP2 disabled PAE completely) but then making sure that all accessible memory/devices lived in the 0 - 4GB region (to avoid confusing the 32-bit drivers). The RAMdisk progam would then have to access the remaining memory.

When you say SP2 'disabled' PAE, what do you mean? Do you mean you cannot even access the function or do you mean that you can enable it but it won't have any effect?

I ask this because I recently built a new rig with a Intel C2D, P45 board and 4 GB of physical RAM. Windows reports PAE is enabled HOWEVER I am running SP3... so does this mean PAE is working and if so does that mean it has been reenabled in SP3?

Additional to the topic, I was under the impression that applications in Win32 could only ever use 2GB of physical memory anyway?

EDIT: I found this which lists at the very bottom the Windows versions and their level of PAE support.

[FLB]

Originally Posted by SenorGrande

Additional to the topic, I was under the impression that applications in Win32 could only ever use 2GB of physical memory anyway?

Usually thats the case with the 2GB limit for 32bit apps under a 32bit OS or a 64bit Version. If needed they can be compiled (or hex edited in some cases) to support 3GB under 32bit or 4GB under 64bit.

User-mode virtual address space for each 32-bit process

Under 32bit OS
Normally 2GB
Up to 3 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE and 4GT

Under 64bit OS
Normally 2GB
4 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE

PAE is not totally disabled on XP SP2 and higher as it is active if using DEP. However MS have restricted the OS to use no more than 4GB of RAM to avoid driver related issues.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778.aspx

[luke o]

As above. No it won't work on XP.

No real reason for it not to except MS have taken the 4GB barrier and used it as an excuse to force people into Vista/Server 2008. (Support for XP64bit is average).