PShop not recognizing all my RAM

C
Posted By
Chuckles
Apr 18, 2008
Views
1737
Replies
18
Status
Closed
I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?

-Chuckles

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

F
Fishface
Apr 18, 2008
chuckles wrote:
I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?

You can find the answer here:
http://www.adobe.com/go/kb401088
S
SpaceGirl
Apr 18, 2008
chuckles wrote:
I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?
-Chuckles

Under Windows (32Bit), any single application can only use around 2.7Gb RAM. You can force Windows to allow larger memory with a special switch /3gb in the startup (google it), but this won’t effect PhotoShop. There’s no way around it. You could have 16Gb ram in your computer, PhotoShop will still only see 2.7Gb. Windows XP (and Windows Vista 32bit) itself cannot address much more than 3Gb RAM.

If you’re using a Mac, you should see 4Gb RAM in PhotoShop, but nothing beyond that as it’s a 32bit application (even when running on 64bit OS X Leopard). You can quite happily stick loads of RAM into a Mac and PhotoShop will perform better though, as the OS uses up the rest of the RAM & of course other programs.



x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

# lead designer @ http://www.NorthLeithMill.com
# remove NO SPAM to email
# this post (c) Miranda Thomas 2008
# explicitly no permission given to Forum4Designers
# to duplicate this post.

** Kammy has a new home! http://www.bitesizedjapan.com **
K
keepout
Apr 18, 2008
On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:54:40 +0100, SpaceGirl
wrote:

chuckles wrote:
I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?
-Chuckles

Under Windows (32Bit), any single application can only use around 2.7Gb RAM. You can force Windows to allow larger memory with a special switch /3gb in the startup (google it), but this won’t effect PhotoShop.

I have to wonder who, and why this ‘/3gb’ switch is still being passed around as a sensible solution to a hardware and [I’d call it a scam] problem of selling 4 gigs or more ram to people with more money than common sense.

this /3gb switch automatically throws everything on your machine into slow motion. It’s a case where the cure is worse than the problem.

Happily [as best one can be with Vista] operating on 2 gigs ram. —
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html
A
Alienjones
Apr 18, 2008
—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–
Hash: SHA1

SpaceGirl wrote:
| chuckles wrote:
|> I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to |> begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it |> find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it? |>
|> -Chuckles
|
| Under Windows (32Bit), any single application can only use around 2.7Gb | RAM. You can force Windows to allow larger memory with a special switch | /3gb in the startup (google it), but this won’t effect PhotoShop. | There’s no way around it. You could have 16Gb ram in your computer, | PhotoShop will still only see 2.7Gb. Windows XP (and Windows Vista | 32bit) itself cannot address much more than 3Gb RAM.
|
| If you’re using a Mac, you should see 4Gb RAM in PhotoShop, but nothing | beyond that as it’s a 32bit application (even when running on 64bit OS X | Leopard). You can quite happily stick loads of RAM into a Mac and | PhotoShop will perform better though, as the OS uses up the rest of the | RAM & of course other programs.
|
|
|

The 3gb switch is for Windows 2000, Server 2000 and it’s derivatives. According to Microsoft it is has absolutely no effect whatsoever on Windows XP (Pro). I’ve never found any difference between using it and not.

The most likely source of Windows not seeing the full amount of usable RAM is your motherboard. Many boards from seemingly reputable companies use obsolete on-board controllers in the north and south bridge. Other boards sometimes have no ability to handle double sided RAM or mixed rating RAM but will on boot, identify it.

I can only assume they do this to use up excess ordering and offer a "cheap" job lot to distributors. Unfortunately the only way to discover this is to replace the board, usually requiring a new CPU because of Intel’s constant fiddling with pin arrays.

Probably the only way you are going to discover the true source of your problem is to upgrade the PC, using a well know, previously able to handle big RAM loads, board. Many Dell computers bought in supermarkets exhibit this RAM identity problem when you add RAM not identical to the original stuff.

Check your RAM sticks and make sure the slowest piece is in the first slot if you have recently added RAM. This will force the board to "SEE" all the RAM at the slower speed. Other than that, take it to a technician for advise.

– —

from Douglas,
If my PGP key is missing, the
post is a forgery. Ignore it.
—–BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE—–
Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32)

iD8DBQFICSTlhuxzk5D6V14RAuP8AJ0RxQ49kXJYwmu1W8YPluuNm/SxzACg ippE rzR39iGYYX4san8G7tLfjws=
=uVeR
—–END PGP SIGNATURE—–
G
gowanoh
Apr 19, 2008
Oy.
32 bit Windows OSes "see" 4 gbs of ram but those who answered 2.7 gbs are usable have the correct answer.
Like the Einsteinian concept of the speed of light this is an absolute. Spacegirl is aptly named: a Mac fangirl with no concept of reality. Well, anyone who pays Apple prices for generic low to midrange Intel hardware is what they is.
Reality may be about to hit the Mac if Adobe, as reported in some places, is not developing 64 bit CS4 on the Maclinuxnext platform or whatever the Jobs plans to arbitrarily switch to at any time without warning. If this is true it must be killing the MacdevotedwhoworshipSteveJobblackshirt and work for Adobe.
As unstable as the Mac platform and development tools are the future of Vista, particularly 64, is equally dubious. Vista is a colossal dud in the marketplace, apart from being forced on machines bought at retail. I would be surprised if Adobe is developing 64 bit CS4 for Vista 64 unless they are assured it will work on Windows 7 vaporware.
It hardly matters: the future is internet based software. Once the pipeline up and down is fat enough Photoshop will be a web based application.
S
SpaceGirl
Apr 19, 2008
wrote:
On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:54:40 +0100, SpaceGirl
wrote:

chuckles wrote:
I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?
-Chuckles
Under Windows (32Bit), any single application can only use around 2.7Gb RAM. You can force Windows to allow larger memory with a special switch /3gb in the startup (google it), but this won’t effect PhotoShop.

I have to wonder who, and why this ‘/3gb’ switch is still being passed around as a sensible solution to a hardware and [I’d call it a scam] problem of selling 4 gigs or more ram to people with more money than common sense.
this /3gb switch automatically throws everything on your machine into slow motion. It’s a case where the cure is worse than the problem.
Happily [as best one can be with Vista] operating on 2 gigs ram.

I have 8Gb in my Mac and I use every scrap of it. While PhotoShop (even on a Mac) won’t use more than 4Gb… I also have Illustrator CS3 open (which uses 2-3Gb), not to mention lots of browsers, Flash CS3, often Final Cut Pro, Skype, iTunes, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, all at once. You have to remember most people don’t just run with one program open. Many work flows (for graphics people) require several large programs to be open at once so that you can work with art between programs.

Memory is cheap. Use an OS that can make the best use of it.



x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

http://www.northleithmill.com

-.-

Kammy has a new home: http://www.bitesizedjapan.com
S
SpaceGirl
Apr 19, 2008
pickled wrote:
Oy.
32 bit Windows OSes "see" 4 gbs of ram but those who answered 2.7 gbs are usable have the correct answer.
Like the Einsteinian concept of the speed of light this is an absolute. Spacegirl is aptly named: a Mac fangirl with no concept of reality.

How so? I said the limit was 2.7Gb, which you just agreed with…

Well,
anyone who pays Apple prices for generic low to midrange Intel hardware is what they is.

That’s only part of what you pay for: what you’re really paying for is quality and reliability.

Reality may be about to hit the Mac if Adobe, as reported in some places, is not developing 64 bit CS4 on the Maclinuxnext platform or whatever the Jobs plans to arbitrarily switch to at any time without warning. If this is true it must be killing the MacdevotedwhoworshipSteveJobblackshirt and work for Adobe.

How will this change anything? I don’t need 64bit applications. 32bit CS4 will do me fine. Apple are not about to swap platforms again, BTW.

As unstable as the Mac platform

Unstable? Elaborate, or are you just flaming?

and development tools are the future of
Vista, particularly 64, is equally dubious. Vista is a colossal dud in the marketplace, apart from being forced on machines bought at retail.

Vista is really, reall nasty 🙁

I would
be surprised if Adobe is developing 64 bit CS4 for Vista 64 unless they are assured it will work on Windows 7 vaporware.
It hardly matters: the future is internet based software. Once the pipeline up and down is fat enough Photoshop will be a web based application.

Ultimately, maybe. But there isn’t the infrastructure to deliver all these Internet based application. These applications tend to be large, and if you’re a professional you don’t want to be at the mercy of the Gods of whatever WiFi connection you happen to be closest to. Even with my 20Mbit home cable, I’d not be convinced of running any critical software over it.



x theSpaceGirl (miranda)

http://www.northleithmill.com

-.-

Kammy has a new home: http://www.bitesizedjapan.com
K
keepout
Apr 19, 2008
On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:47:01 +1000, Alienjones
wrote:

The 3gb switch is for Windows 2000, Server 2000 and it’s derivatives. According to Microsoft it is has absolutely no effect whatsoever on Windows XP (Pro). I’ve never found any difference between using it and not.
It most definitely does have an effect with XP. It turns everything into a snail immediately.

more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html
PP
Philip Procter
Apr 20, 2008
On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:47:01 +1000, Alienjones
wrote:

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–
Hash: SHA1

SpaceGirl wrote:
| chuckles wrote:
|> I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to |> begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it |> find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it? |>
|> -Chuckles
|
| Under Windows (32Bit), any single application can only use around 2.7Gb | RAM. You can force Windows to allow larger memory with a special switch | /3gb in the startup (google it), but this won’t effect PhotoShop. | There’s no way around it. You could have 16Gb ram in your computer, | PhotoShop will still only see 2.7Gb. Windows XP (and Windows Vista | 32bit) itself cannot address much more than 3Gb RAM.
|
| If you’re using a Mac, you should see 4Gb RAM in PhotoShop, but nothing | beyond that as it’s a 32bit application (even when running on 64bit OS X | Leopard). You can quite happily stick loads of RAM into a Mac and | PhotoShop will perform better though, as the OS uses up the rest of the | RAM & of course other programs.
|
|
|

The 3gb switch is for Windows 2000, Server 2000 and it’s derivatives. According to Microsoft it is has absolutely no effect whatsoever on Windows XP (Pro). I’ve never found any difference between using it and not.
The most likely source of Windows not seeing the full amount of usable RAM is your motherboard. Many boards from seemingly reputable companies use obsolete on-board controllers in the north and south bridge. Other boards sometimes have no ability to handle double sided RAM or mixed rating RAM but will on boot, identify it.

I can only assume they do this to use up excess ordering and offer a "cheap" job lot to distributors. Unfortunately the only way to discover this is to replace the board, usually requiring a new CPU because of Intel’s constant fiddling with pin arrays.

Probably the only way you are going to discover the true source of your problem is to upgrade the PC, using a well know, previously able to handle big RAM loads, board. Many Dell computers bought in supermarkets exhibit this RAM identity problem when you add RAM not identical to the original stuff.

Check your RAM sticks and make sure the slowest piece is in the first slot if you have recently added RAM. This will force the board to "SEE" all the RAM at the slower speed. Other than that, take it to a technician for advise.

Sorry, but my experience suggests your conclusion is not correct. I had a modern motherboard (Gigabyte p35) with 3GB RAM installed. Widows XP Pro reported 2GB and Photoshop saw about 1.8GB available. Adding the /3GB switch let both XP and Photoshop see the extra 1GB.

Unlike the previous writers comments, I didn’t notice any slowdown, but, then, I had just upgraded from a 3 year old computer, so I might have never noticed it.

philip
D
dvus
Apr 20, 2008
SpaceGirl wrote:
pickled wrote:

I would
be surprised if Adobe is developing 64 bit CS4 for Vista 64 unless they are assured it will work on Windows 7 vaporware.
It hardly matters: the future is internet based software. Once the pipeline up and down is fat enough Photoshop will be a web based application.

Ultimately, maybe. But there isn’t the infrastructure to deliver all these Internet based application. These applications tend to be large, and if you’re a professional you don’t want to be at the mercy of the Gods of whatever WiFi connection you happen to be closest to. Even with my 20Mbit home cable, I’d not be convinced of running any critical software over it.

Wow, do I ever agree with that! If my business depended on access to any particular application there’s *no* way I’d trust to the vagaries of an ISP to run it.

But then again, I also agree that the Mac has become an overpriced Intel clone. I guess they were forced to take that route, but they lost their mystique as a result. Of course, if Mac is over-priced, Vista is over-*everything*, including "priced". Hell, you can buy E-Machines way cheaper than a copy of Vista Ultimate.


dvus
T
Tacit
Apr 23, 2008
In article ,
chuckles wrote:

I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?

This is from Adobe’s Web site:

"Photoshop CS3 is a 32-bit application. When it runs on a 32-bit operating system, such as Windows XP Professional and some versions of Windows Vista, it can access the first 2 GB of RAM on the computer.The operating system uses some of this RAM, so the Photoshop Memory Usage preference displays only a maximum of 1.6 or 1.7 GB of total available RAM. If you are running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, you can set the 3 GB switch in the boot.ini file, which allows Photoshop to use up to 3 GB of RAM.

Important: The 3 GB switch is a Microsoft switch and may not work with all computers. Contact Microsoft for instructions before you set the 3 GB switch, and for troubleshooting the switch. You can search on the Microsoft support page for 3gb for information on this switch."


Photography, kink, polyamory, shareware, and more: all at http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
C
Chuckles
Apr 25, 2008
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:25:27 -0400, tacit wrote:

In article ,
chuckles wrote:

I just installed an additional 2G of ram this week. Ontop of my 1G to begin with. So far, it says it can see/use 2 gigs worth. Why cant it find the rest? What do I have to change so I can use more of it?

This is from Adobe’s Web site:

"Photoshop CS3 is a 32-bit application. When it runs on a 32-bit operating system, such as Windows XP Professional and some versions of Windows Vista, it can access the first 2 GB of RAM on the computer.The operating system uses some of this RAM, so the Photoshop Memory Usage preference displays only a maximum of 1.6 or 1.7 GB of total available RAM. If you are running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2, you can set the 3 GB switch in the boot.ini file, which allows Photoshop to use up to 3 GB of RAM.

Important: The 3 GB switch is a Microsoft switch and may not work with all computers. Contact Microsoft for instructions before you set the 3 GB switch, and for troubleshooting the switch. You can search on the Microsoft support page for 3gb for information on this switch."

Okay, sounds good. Now how do I turn on the switch in the boot.ini file? What do I have to do?
Thanks for your help tacit.
K
keepout
Apr 25, 2008
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:05:34 -0400, chuckles wrote:

Important: The 3 GB switch is a Microsoft switch and may not work with all computers. Contact Microsoft for instructions before you set the 3 GB switch, and for troubleshooting the switch. You can search on the Microsoft support page for 3gb for information on this switch."

Okay, sounds good. Now how do I turn on the switch in the boot.ini file? What do I have to do?
Thanks for your help tacit.

Read further on the /3gb switch. It’s designed only for a FEW of windows OS. like on XP, it turns you into a C= 64. It’ll take all day to REMOVE the /3gb switch on XP once you get it to boot. I can’t tell you how it works with Vista, since a 32 bit machine isn’t designed for 4 gigs of ram. I quit with 2 gigs for this Vista machine.

If you aren’t using server 2000 [switch designed for this OS] you’ll waste an entire day learning the /3gb does not work or play well with many OS’ The lesson in this is Don’t listen to 90% of the crap you read in a NG. And now you have to ask yourself, do you listen to my post, or waste an entire day with 3 characters that are going to seriously mess your machine up ?

But since you obviously have enough info on how to install the switch, I’m guessing you already know you’ve been scammed by those promoting this garbage switch.
And how’s it feel now with 4 gigs of ram, and knowing you wasted most of the money on a scam telling you how great it was ?

But for some reason people are still promoting 4 gigs of ram for 32 bit machines, that are KNOWN to NOT be capable of using much more than 3gb. —
more pix @ http://members.toast.net/cbminfo/index.html
MR
Mike Russell
Apr 25, 2008
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:02:12 -0400, wrote:
….
And how’s it feel now with 4 gigs of ram, and knowing you wasted most of the money on a scam telling you how great it was ?
….
Not really.

It’s true that the /3gb switch does not work for all sytems, but it’s worth experimenting with, and no harm no foul if you plan a way to boot up and put the old boot.ini back. If you bought a memory stick you didn’t need, set it up as a ram disk and have Photoshop use it, and see if that speeds things up. Memory is cheap in any case.

On my XP pro system, /3GB does work, and makes it possible to open extremely large images in Photoshop, even with only 2Gb of ram installed.

Here’s how my boot.ini is set up – it gives me a choice at boot time, so it is easy for me to switch back and forth. You may need to use different options than I did, and be prepared to back out of the experiment if it doesn’t work.
(watch for split lines)

[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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA=2944 /NoExecute=OptIn


Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com
RB
Rudy Benner
Apr 25, 2008
"Mike Russell" wrote in message
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:02:12 -0400, wrote:

And how’s it feel now with 4 gigs of ram, and knowing you wasted most of the
money on a scam telling you how great it was ?

Not really.

It’s true that the /3gb switch does not work for all sytems, but it’s worth
experimenting with, and no harm no foul if you plan a way to boot up and put the old boot.ini back. If you bought a memory stick you didn’t need, set it up as a ram disk and have Photoshop use it, and see if that speeds things up. Memory is cheap in any case.

On my XP pro system, /3GB does work, and makes it possible to open extremely large images in Photoshop, even with only 2Gb of ram installed.
Here’s how my boot.ini is set up – it gives me a choice at boot time, so it
is easy for me to switch back and forth. You may need to use different options than I did, and be prepared to back out of the experiment if it doesn’t work.
(watch for split lines)

[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="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA=2944 /NoExecute=OptIn

Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com

Does this work differently on Vista?

Just upgraded and hate it already.
MR
Mike Russell
Apr 25, 2008
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:06:32 -0400, Rudy Benner wrote:
[re /3gb switch]
Does this work differently on Vista?
Just upgraded and hate it already.

Hi Rudy,

It’s different. This from MSDN:

The /3GB parameter is supported on Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT. On Windows Vista and later versions of Windows, use the IncreaseUserVA element in BCDEdit.

<http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791558.aspx> —
Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com
RB
Rudy Benner
Apr 26, 2008
"Mike Russell" wrote in message
On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:06:32 -0400, Rudy Benner wrote:
[re /3gb switch]
Does this work differently on Vista?
Just upgraded and hate it already.

Hi Rudy,

It’s different. This from MSDN:

The /3GB parameter is supported on Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows
2000, and Windows NT. On Windows Vista and later versions of Windows, use the IncreaseUserVA element in BCDEdit.

<http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791558.aspx> —
Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com

My new PC has room for 8 gig. I have 3 gig now. According to the above link, I see no advantage of going above 4 gig. Am I missing something?

Yes, I hate Vista already.

r.
D
Denis
Apr 26, 2008
Rudy Benner wrote:
My new PC has room for 8 gig. I have 3 gig now. According to the above link, I see no advantage of going above 4 gig. Am I missing something?
Yes, I hate Vista already.

r.

Hi Rudy
If you are running Vista 64 more ram will help if you like to have mutliple applications running.

Denis

MacBook Pro 16” Mockups 🔥

– in 4 materials (clay versions included)

– 12 scenes

– 48 MacBook Pro 16″ mockups

– 6000 x 4500 px

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections