the 32 bit/ 64 bit conundrum

SM
Posted By
scott_martinez
Mar 9, 2007
Views
289
Replies
9
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Closed
This will sound more like a PC question but I’m building a system solely for PS CS2. Everybody says Vista 32bit will support 4Gb ram. But PC forums talk about how it will only "address" around 3gb or even less. Something about other parts of the system taking up address spots. I get confused reading those computer techies.

Bottom line: How much ram will available to PS using Vista 32bit. with 4gb installed.

If I have to, I will beg NewEgg to exchange Software but I don’t hold out much hope. It’s OEM
Related Tags
32-bit 64-bit bit

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DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Mar 9, 2007
Scott,

With 4GB of memory installed, the 32-bit version of Windows XP splits that between 2GB of user memory and 2GB of system memory, the latter being considerably more than would typically be required. By specifying the 3 GB boot switch "/3GB" on the boot options in the boot.ini file for WinXP, you reallocate only 1GB to system memory, thus providing 3GB for applications that are "3GB aware", and Photoshop is. You could Google for "3 GB boot switch" and find better info than what I can recall, but that’s the jist of it. My WinXP boot.ini file looks like this:

* [boot loader]
* timeout=3
* default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
* [operating systems]
* multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="4GB Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /FASTDETECT /3GB /NOEXECUTE=OPTOUT
* multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" * c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /CMDCONS

The entry I titled "4GB Microsoft Windows XP Professional" shows where the 3GB switch is used. The entry after that is to boot WinXP in the default way, in the event the 3GB switch causes a problem.

Windows Vista doesn’t use the boot.ini file, but I’d think it should still provide some mechanism for employing the 3GB switch. In fact, I got curious myself, and a Google search steered me to a Microsoft Developer’s Network page which states:

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

Now, how you use BCDEdit in Window Vista, I don’t know and didn’t find any quick answers. But, it does seem things are done differently with Windows Vista, as it also doesn’t use a boot.ini file.

Regards,

Daryl
RB
Robert_Barnett
Mar 9, 2007
It is also important to note that the 3G switch doesn’t work well for every system. Many it does, some it doesn’t and you won’t know until you try it. If your system gets flaky then…

Robert
SM
scott_martinez
Mar 9, 2007
Interesting info. Does this mean I will get considerably more ram for PS than my old XP Home + 2gb system?

This still leaves me staring at my unopened Vista 32 box.
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Mar 9, 2007
Scott,

I’m not sure what you are asking. Do you mean will Vista’s memory utilization leave more RAM free for PS to use than XP did, given the same amount of installed RAM? Or did you leave out "need to", as in "Does this mean I will need to get considerably more RAM for PS?"

If you stay at 2GB, then I don’t know if Vista is less of a memory hog than XP was, but I’d just call them even. On the other hand if you are saying you’ve got 2GB already but question if you’ll need more, I’m not so sure you "need" it, but I’d be inclined to install the most RAM that is supported so that PS can work as efficiently as possible. Now, does that mean 3GB or 4GB? If that BCDEdit entry allows memory allocation akin to what the /3GB switch for XP Pro does, then I’d still opt for 4GB so I’d have as much of the 3GB free for PS as possible. Then again, much may also depend upon the size of images you edit, and how large the working size tends to get. The larger it is, the better served you are with more RAM.

Regards,

Daryl
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Mar 9, 2007
The /3GB switch works in XP Pro, but not in XP Home.
C
chrisjbirchall
Mar 9, 2007
If you stay at 2GB, then I don’t know if Vista is less of a memory hog than XP was, but I’d just call them even.

Vista apparently eats far more system resources than XP

the 32 bit/ 64 bit conundrum

< http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=3200 05>

The most interesting point made in this Adobe Knowledge Base article, is that under the 64bit OS, PS will use approximately 3GB. However: if you install 6GB of RAM, Photoshop will utilize much of the free RAM to act as a cache for its scratch disk – with considerable performance advantages!

Chris.
SM
scott_martinez
Mar 9, 2007
If that BCDEdit entry allows memory allocation akin to what the /3GB switch for XP Pro does, then I’d still opt for 4GB so I’d have as much of the 3GB free for PS as possible

XP is not an issue and I’m already putting in 4gb RAM. What I meant was do I install Vista 32 or Vista 64? What if any is the difference in RAM allocation. I’ll be sad if when I get my hot new system up and running I see I still get <2gb for PS

I Re-read my posts, must have left some of you head sctatching and chin rubbing. Next time I’ll take a few swigs of DC, come back and self edit.
C
chrisjbirchall
Mar 9, 2007
What I meant was do I install Vista 32 or Vista 64?

Did you check out the link in my post #6?
JH
Jacob_Hutson
Mar 9, 2007
vista business from what i’ve seen with office 2007 loaded and aero on uses a touch under 500mb of ram
winxp pro uses about 170mb by the time we get all our stuff loaded for the domain rules if your on a 2gb ram system you’ve lost 330mb already. not a good start now if you’ve got more than 2gb great.
Id get at least 4gb of ram for ps now – 3gb for ps 1gb for windows, if you can afford it get 6-8 because of the improvement in paging to disk

im very dissappointed they didn’t do a 64bit version in cs3 with full access to all ram in the pc.

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