I have been told that windows 32 bit operating systems
can only utilize 3 or 3.5GB of memory.

Is this true since I was thinking of maxing my 32bit computers memory out with 4GB. And if this is true I will have to consider only 3 or 3.5 instead.
Because that would just be a waste of money to get the 4GB and not beable to use it completely.

Question 2
If I did get the 4GB of memory for this machine would all the linux distro support all 4GB. That is if I installed a 32bit linux distro on this machine instead of a microsoft os would it beable to use 4GB max?

Thanks for any help in clearing this issue up.

 

For Windows, read here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx

for Linux distros - you'll need to consult the documentation/FAQ for the particular distro.

 

I have 4gb in my machine but the pc onlys uses about 3.5gb.

 

OK, I also am trying to decide what to do on this issue.
I have the choice of getting PC3200 or PC2700 DDR memory.
The problem is my computer has 512MB of PC3200 DDR and 2 empty memory expansion slots.
It is significantly cheaper to take the 512MB out and replace it with 3X 1GB PC2700 then put one of the 256 sticks on the last slot making 3.25GB
with some left over

Or I could leave the 512 MB in and replace the 2 slots with 2X 1GB PC3200
And get just 2.5GB and have to pay about $40 more for less max memory.

The first way gives me almost a GB extra but at the price of 333MHZ and mixing PC3200 with PC2700.
The second way gives me less memory but all the memory modules use the 400MHZ and all the memory is of the same type.

Wondering if their will be a significant difference.
Will it be less speed access time or will it be less max memory for this type of MOBO/CPU

Here is the processor spec's I have an old dell dimension 4600

product: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
bus info: cpu@0
version: 15.2.9
size: 2400MHz
width: 32 bits
capabilities:
    mathematical co-processor,
    FPU exceptions reporting,
    wp,
    virtual mode extensions,
    debugging extensions,
    page size extensions,
    time stamp counter,
    model-specific registers,
    4GB+ memory addressing (Physical Address Extension),
    machine check exceptions,
    compare and exchange 8-byte,
    on-chip advanced programmable interrupt controller (APIC),
    memory type range registers,
    page global enable,
    machine check architecture,
    conditional move instruction,
    page attribute table,
    36-bit page size extensions,
    clflush,
    debug trace and EMON store MSRs,
    thermal control (ACPI),
    multimedia extensions (MMX),
    fast floating point save/restore,
    streaming SIMD extensions (SSE),
    streaming SIMD extensions (SSE2),
    self-snoop,
    HyperThreading,
    thermal interrupt and status,
    pending break event,
    up,
    pebs,
    bts,
    cid,
    xtpr
configuration:
    id: 0

Just wondering if you had to choose which choice would you go with?

 

The second way gives me less memory but all the memory modules use the 400MHZ and all the memory is of the same type.

I don't remember the address but I saw a video(from ASROCK may be),where it says that we should not mix different memory types.I use two 1GB memory of same data rate, that gives me total 2GB of memory.

Good Luck

 

I also read that if you mix the 2 memory modules the faster memory would just slow down to the slower memory so if I had 333MHz and 400Mhz sticks the 400Mhz would drop down to 333Mhz.

But of course the source I read it from could be bs or it may not work so well with this type of mobo to mix them. ( really not sure )

Figured I would ask to see if anybody else new for sure.
I do think the best bet is to do what you said stay consistent use PC3200 if I already have it why down grade just to save $40 why take the chance and hassel.

Also will it matter how I place the memory modules in the memory expansion slots?

Like I say I have bought 2X 1GB DDR PC3200 and already have two 256MB memory modules in their does it matter how I a range the memory in any way? Will their be any speed issues in one configuration as oppose to the other?
Maybe it is as simple as just put the large size memory modules in the closest slots i.e the slot 1 and slot 2 lowest memory closest to the cpu... I guess if thats how that works.

 

I think its stupid to spend a single penny on fixing a 32 bit machine.. Upgrade to Win7 64. OR go with a 64 bit distro of linus...And ram is cheap.

But all ram sticks "should" be the same speed and size..
Frankly I would get 2 x 2G sticks of PC3200 then do the 3G switch with a userva of like 2800 if you must stay with a 32 bit OS.

 

Also will it matter how I place the memory modules in the memory expansion slots?

Like I say I have bought 2X 1GB DDR PC3200 and already have two 256MB memory modules in their does it matter how I a range the memory in any way? Will their be any speed issues in one configuration as oppose to the other?
Maybe it is as simple as just put the large size memory modules in the closest slots i.e the slot 1 and slot 2 lowest memory closest to the cpu?

 

Put the gig sticks in the lowest slots.

If you can afford it, I'll suggest that you go with 4 gigs, even if it can only use 3.5 gigs. Your computer will be faster. It will help a great deal if you're doing a lot of complex math with very large arrays, or doing a lot of video processing.

 

Also will it matter how I place the memory modules in the memory expansion slots?

You should really read the manual for the motherboard.. Many have specific slots that must be filled with identical RAM. Typically this is either in the motherboard manual or on a sticker in the computer.

And boy how I would hate 2.5G of RAM only (Windows eats up the first 1G practically then you loose some to your graphics card and you barely have any left.... I'm running 12G now plus 2G onboard video RAM.. Of course I run 3d CAD programs,etc.. all day long. I'm constantly in the 6-8G usage when working hard.. Right now I'm using 4.5G with only one cad model open and 3 other programs that I always run.. I love 64 bit...