Windows /3GB switch

[Pradeep]

It seems one of our image processing programs at work is quite greedy when it comes to RAM requirements. Greedier than the feeble 2GB maximum that Windows allows per process. From what I understand, the quickest fix right now would be to run 32bit Windows XP Pro with the /3GB switch in boot.ini, and add the appropriate flag to the application executable at compile time, so it can see/use 3GB? Using AWE seems needlessly complicated given 64bit around the corner.

Moving on, we would likely be switching to A64s and XP 64bit edition, to bypass this memory limit nonsense.

 

[Mercutio]

The 3GB switch will work, or you can move the application to an "Enterprise" version of NT Server, which use 3GB/1GB by default.

I'm under the impression that you'd have to move up to something Opertonish to get actual 64-bit memory addressing.

 

[Pradeep]

I believe Opteron and Athlon64 have the same capabilities in regards to addressing:

Physical Address 40 Bits
Virtual Address 48 Bits

We sell the software as a standalone package as well as part of a turn-key solution with workstation, so Enterprise editions are out from a cost standpoint.

Thanks.

 

[Jan Kivar]

I'm under the impression that you'd have to move up to something Opertonish to get actual 64-bit memory addressing.

Socket 754 supports 2 GB @ 400 MHz, 3 GB @ 333 MHz. (if the board has three slots)
Socket 939 supports 4 GB @ 400 MHz (single row modules, are there any?), or @ 333 MHz (double row).

Opteron boards (S940) have more than four memory slots, which helps when the goal is to have enough RAM for 64-bit addressing... :mrgrn:

Cheers,

Jan

 

[mubs]

Jan,

Any Socket-939 boards out there that actually support 4GB at any speed? Last I checked (a couple of months ago), the max was 3GB, with many supporting only 2GB.

 

[Jan Kivar]

Jan,

Any Socket-939 boards out there that actually support 4GB at any speed? Last I checked (a couple of months ago), the max was 3GB, with many supporting only 2GB.

Don't know. Four slots, and 1gb modules are available. Here's a MSI nForce4 motherboard with a statement "Supports a maximum memory size up to 4GB".

Maybe? :-?

Cheers,

Jan