Would you like further info?
Contact us:
(tel) : +603 3344 6698
(fax): +603 3344 6693
(email): sales@srkk.com
 
         Extend memory in 32bit windows

How can I extend the memory usage on my 32 bit Windows machine?

Memory limitations on 32bit Windows platforms.

The basic 32 bit Windows installations limit the user applications to 2 GB of memory.
However, on some windows platform there is a possibility to extend the user address space to 3GB by adding the /3GB to the boot options in the boot.ini file.
The Huygens can take full advantage of the extra 1 GB memory space starting from version 2.7.1p6.

Please Note: Wrong modifications of the boot configuration might result with unbootable system. Please exercise caution while committing such changes!

Please Note: From the 3.1 Huygens onwards 64 bit Windows will be available for Vista. With 64 bit systems all available memory will be addressed.

See the following articles on Microsoft's support site:
Main Support article on 4GB tuning
Windows 2003 issues

Windows NT issues

According to the Microsoft support site, the following 32 bit platforms can support 3GB memory user space:

Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Windows 2003 server
Windows XP Professional
Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition on Intel architecture.

Basically, the way to insert the /3GB switch is to edit the files C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\boot.ini by adding one more boot line option which contains the /3GB flag.


For example, if the original boot.ini is:

[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="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect

You should add one more line with /3GB, i.e.

[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="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise 3GB" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect /3GB


Please refer to the Microsoft support page on the boot.ini file in:
boot.ini overview

In order to view the boot.ini file on Windows XP you should open C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ in the file browser, Choose: Tools->Folder Options. In the "Folder Options" window choose the "View" tab. Browse in the "Advanced Settings" list to "Hidden files and folders" and choose "Show hidden files and folders". Click "Apply", and you will find the boot.ini file in directory C:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Please make sure that there is enough virtual memory in your system.
This is typically configured in:
Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Performance-> Advance ->
Virtual Memory -> Change



Return to Support Tips Home
 

 

home  ::  company  ::  our business  ::  partners  ::  marketing  ::  support  ::  career  ::  contact us  ::  sitemap