[SOLVED] 32-bit with 4GB of ram ????

Moudi · 11-19-2008, 10:11 AM

hi,

when i was in duabi i went to a computer shop and i found a toshiba laptop

with 4GB ram and Vista Home Premium 32-bit

how could that be ?? i have 4GB of ram and windows vista ultimate 64-bit

how can i install the 32-bit version with 4GB of ram ?

Danny_Ocean · 11-19-2008, 10:39 AM

I'm not sure you can.
I think it's just marketing on the part of Toshiba, as most people won't know they can't use the full 4Gb, but will see it as a benefit and worth paying for anyway.

~~Transsive~~ · 11-19-2008, 10:52 AM

Well, once you would install a 64bit OS, all 4GB would work.

Yes, you can install 32bit vista is you have 4GB of ram. You'll only have something over 3GB of usable memory though.

brewer234 · 11-19-2008, 01:48 PM

I think there was a recent windows update that makes windows report that it is running 4Gb when really somewhere between 2-3 is availble. I believe that this was done to avoid people feeling hard done by after installing 4Gb but only seeing 2-3.

So whilst it says 4Gb that is not what is availble have a look in the performance tab of task manager to see how much is really available.

**jenae** · 11-19-2008, 02:46 PM

Hi, yes SP1 introduces PAE (physical address extension). If the Toshiba is a good price I would go for it 32 bit installs perfectly with 4gb This article was written by an associate explains it well:-

Quote:

In order for your computer to communicate with each byte of RAM (computer memory), each byte of RAM must be assigned a unique memory address.

32-bit computers and operating systems have a maximum capacity of 4,294,967,296 memory addresses (2^32).

Many computer components other than RAM also require memory address space, such as System ROM, APIC(s), Integrated PCI devices, (network connectors, SCSI controllers, etc.), any/all PCI card(s), all of the RAM on Graphics card(s), etc., etc.

At start-up, your computer calculates the number of addresses needed for all components except RAM. It then subtracts that number from 4,294,967,296 to determine the number of memory addresses left for RAM.

If the total installed RAM is equal to or greater than the number of memory addresses left, some of your installed RAM will be unavailable for use by the operating system.

For example, if the number of memory addresses needed for everything except RAM was 676,457,349:
4,294,967,296 - 676,457,349 = 3,618,509,947
3,618,509,947 / 1,073,741,824 (1GB) = 3.37 GB
In other words, 3.37 would be the amount of RAM available as reported by Windows (32-bit).

Moudi · 11-20-2008, 03:37 AM

thanks guys for your reply

i understand now

11-19-2008, 10:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
Moudi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 13 OS: Win Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Win XP 64-Bit	[SOLVED] 32-bit with 4GB of ram ???? hi, when i was in duabi i went to a computer shop and i found a toshiba laptop with 4GB ram and Vista Home Premium 32-bit how could that be ?? i have 4GB of ram and windows vista ultimate 64-bit how can i install the 32-bit version with 4GB of ram ?

11-19-2008, 10:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
Danny_Ocean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista Home Premium SP1	Re: 32-bit with 4GB of ram ???? I'm not sure you can. I think it's just marketing on the part of Toshiba, as most people won't know they can't use the full 4Gb, but will see it as a benefit and worth paying for anyway.

11-19-2008, 10:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
~~Transsive~~ Troubled Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8 OS: Vista Ultimate SP1 64bit	Re: 32-bit with 4GB of ram ???? Well, once you would install a 64bit OS, all 4GB would work. Yes, you can install 32bit vista is you have 4GB of ram. You'll only have something over 3GB of usable memory though.

11-19-2008, 01:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
brewer234 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3 OS: Vista Ultimate 32 sp1	Re: 32-bit with 4GB of ram ???? I think there was a recent windows update that makes windows report that it is running 4Gb when really somewhere between 2-3 is availble. I believe that this was done to avoid people feeling hard done by after installing 4Gb but only seeing 2-3. So whilst it says 4Gb that is not what is availble have a look in the performance tab of task manager to see how much is really available.

11-20-2008, 03:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
Moudi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 13 OS: Win Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Win XP 64-Bit	Re: 32-bit with 4GB of ram ???? thanks guys for your reply i understand now