Ubuntu x32 can handle up to 64 GB of RAM. No application will be able to use more than 3.125 GB though. Windows x32 can be told to use PAE( which is there mechanism by which a 32-bit OS can use more than 32 bits of address space) though few drivers handle it properly.
The other option, which I use a lot, is Windows on a vm under linux. With the vm running as a service, it's fine. On Aug 31, 2010 1:01 PM, "John Toliver" <[email protected]> wrote: > On Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 1:26 PM, Stuart F. Biggar < > [email protected]> wrote: > OK so I had an epiphany to use google and found this which states I can > happily use my 32bit home premium as it will see up to 4GB in 32bit rather > than cough up $100+ for 64 bit (woohoo!) > > http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(VS.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7 > > > > If the CPU and chipset correctly work with > > PAE, Windows Server 32-bit and other real OSs can use most all RAM >> installed. >> Microsoft doesn't support PAE on client Windows so they can sell you Server >> :-( >> > JT - Well I believe windows 7 64bit has the PAE or else what would be the > point in buying it for a PC? (am I correct here?) > >> Solaris (and, I assume, other >> UNIX like variants) can use PAE so 32-bit machines can use more that 4 GB >> with >> it. However, the individual program can typically use only 2 GB with >> 32-bit >> systems. > > JT - So is the caveat to the above link that while 32bit WINDOWS can see and > play with up to 4GB most applications, unless written 64bit aware, won't be > able to address and use memory above the 2GB limit? Meaning I'm stuck if I > wanted to run Ubuntu in a VM rather than dual booting it because programs > like VMware and Virtualbox fall into the "can't see above 2GB" category? Or > am I looking at this wrong in the sense that applications talk to memory > through windows which manages this and therefore if windows can see it then > so can anything else running on the system? > > Typically things like the video and other hardware are mapped >> into the 4 GB address space that 32-bit can address so that is where some >> of the 4 GB is used. Fancy video cards with lots of RAM can use a fair >> bit of the 4 GB space :-) >> >> The real problem with 64-bit in general is the availability of good 64-bit >> drivers for everything in the computer. Solaris is a good commercial level >> Unix but it does not have drivers for lots of "fancy" devices in a >> notebook. >> It works wonderfully well on servers where the chipset, SAS (rather than >> SATA), ethernet, FC, and other interfaces are correctly supported. It >> isn't >> so useful with notebooks with flakey devices without published interfaces >> that require proprietary drivers. I assume the same goes for Ubuntu but >> I have not used that (I use Solaris and Windows Server on servers, OSX >> and Windows Server on my MacBook, and Solaris and Windows client >> versions on various Thinkpads (many now older). We have had "interesting" >> problems with 64-bit Windows 7 on a T400 - some updated driver (Bluetooth?) >> has caused an unbootable system on occasions :-( > > > JT - Based on what you're telling me, I think I might consider placing 7 x32 > on it and seeing if virtual box or VMware can work with 4GB rather than 2 in > which case it will be worth it as VM's no matter which software you use eat > a lot of ram. Otherwise either the virtual or the actual OS will become > sluggish if I do both (they still might). Thanks of the information. This > will help my decision making for how I build this system. > > JT > >> > > Stuart >> >> >> >> On Aug 31, 2010, at 9:47 AM, [email protected] wrote: >> >> > I just bought a T61 and am planning on dual booting ubuntu and window 7. >> The OS is coming with 64 bit windows 7 and I wanted to know if I should >> install 64 bit ubuntu. Normally I'd say this was obvious but when I go to >> the ubuntu.com site it says 64 bit not recommended for daily desktop use. >> So I'm not sure what to get. Does 32 bit see and handle more than 2GB of >> memory (I have 3 on the unit I'm getting) Or am I mistaken in that 64 bit >> support begins at 4GB? >> > >> > Any other considerations for a first upgrade to 64 bit? Any glitches >> noticed? >> > >> > TIA, >> > >> > JT >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Thinkpad mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad >> >> > > > -- > I've discovered the key to success is to never give up. You either learn > the right way, or you run out of ways to do it wrong. A win/win situation! > _______________________________________________ > Thinkpad mailing list > [email protected] > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad _______________________________________________ Thinkpad mailing list [email protected] http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
