More precisely 32bits gives you 2^32 or 4GB of address space from which you subtract
the amount of video RAM and anything else that needs to be mapped into the address
space. The remainder is mapped mostly to apps, up to 3GB with the /3GB boot switch,
then the rest to Windows system use.
So with a 1GB video card & 4GB RAM you end up with 2/1GB split between apps &
Windows. At least that's what I found with my setup. 3.6GB free sounds like a
512-640MB video card is in the system.
Other than PAE support under the higher-end 32bit windows there is no way to map more
than 4GB (3GB app addressable) under a 32bit windows. Seems PAE works in a similar
fashion (kludge) to what EMS did for 16bits if I understand the MS docs.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx
Brian Weeden wrote:
I'm currently running the beta on Windows 7 32-bit and using 2 sticks
of 2GB
RAM. I have a recent need to occasionally run a VM with another OS in
it.
I would like to assign that OS 2 GB of RAM, but as I only have 3.6 GB
available and need to run some rather memory intensive apps in the
native
Windows OS at the same time, I can't.
I'm looking at adding another 4 GB of RAM. I realize that a 32-bit OS
can't
address more than 4 GB, but my question is whether I can assign the VM
to
the other 4 GB? Or is that not going to work because it's running
inside
the host OS which has the limitation?
And yes, I will probably make the move to 64-bit when Windows 7
actually
comes out.
