WinXP /3GB switch ‘gotcha’

RP
Posted By
Russell_Proulx
Nov 27, 2008
Views
524
Replies
8
Status
Closed
Just a ‘heads up’ for anyone out there thinking of adding more RAM to their XP system and use the /3GB switch in their boot.ini to increase the RAM available for Photoshop:

If you’re using an ‘on the motherboard’ video card there’s a good chance it will no longer work properly (driver will fail to load). With the /3GB switch enabled the onboard video will no longer have access to the RAM it needs when it gets re-routed away from the system (that’s what the /3GB does). The solution is to get a separate video card with its own memory.

This will affect some laptop users and anyone else who is trying to simplify their system by using the onboard video features that are common these days.

I’m not certain if this is the case with all systems. But I get the impression it’s a known issue.

Russell
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DM
dave_milbut
Nov 27, 2008
But I get the impression it’s a known issue.

it is… but you can use the /userva (from memory…) switch in conjunction with the /3gb switch to reduce the amount of ram reserved, giving yourself enough room for onboard video. so you won’t get a full 3 gig, but you might get 2.75 or so…

here, googling. this might help…

<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316739>

The /userva=xxxx switch is designed to allow for more precise tuning of User-mode address space for program manufacturers who require more than 2 GB of User-mode space but do not require all the space that is provided by the /3GB tuning switch alone.
H
Ho
Nov 27, 2008
There are perils with the /3GB switch, some with workarounds (ala dave) and some without. I’ve read of instances where the newly minted boot.ini file rendered the computer unbootable and the user had made no provision for the "what if the fit hits the shan" scenario.

I only use the switch when I know I’m going to be up to my ears in PS work and will have virtually nothing else going on. I can’t wait to have an OS, apps and mobo that will accommodate 64GB of RAM or so. 🙂
DM
dave_milbut
Nov 27, 2008
whenever i make changes to my boot.ini file. i set the current good config to be one of the options, add the new config line and set a "timeout=30" line in there to give me a chance to bail out and get back to a good config…
H
Ho
Nov 27, 2008
That’s a good practice. Unfortunately, some people just don’t read the fine print before they make changes. Sort of like the last election… 🙂
RP
Russell_Proulx
Nov 28, 2008
I use a boot menu with both (with/without) option which allows me to choose the non/3GB switch version if need be. Yes I agree that this stuff is not for the feint of heart (or those lacking in backups that work…)

Dave,

No go. I think the /userva= option might only be for "Microsoft Windows Server 2003" which that tech-doc refers to. Anyway, the videocard still seems to lack what it needs regardless of the /userva value I’m trying.

I’ll just pop in a real video card.

Russell
F
Freeagent
Nov 28, 2008
I’ll just pop in a real video card

Will that solve it? Isn’t the problem address space, not physical RAM?

Anyway, the /userva switch works fine with xp, I used it myself. But if you have to go much lower than 2600 or so there’s no real point.
DM
dave_milbut
Nov 28, 2008
. I think the /userva= option might only be for "Microsoft Windows Server 2003" which that tech-doc refers to.

no, but i don’t htink it’s guaranteed to work everywhere… there’s more info here on all the switches, and more specific links to info on /3gb and /userva

<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833721>

* Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86) * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86) * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
* Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003
* Microsoft Windows XP Professional
* Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

Isn’t the problem address space, not physical RAM?

no. onboard video sometimes (all the times?) uses main ram AS video ram.
JS
John_Schwaller
Nov 28, 2008
Here is an example of mine (boot.ini), which works in Win/XP

[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 3GB" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /PAE /3GB /USERVA=2800 /usepmtimer

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer

Extra line spaces were added above for readability. The 2nd "multi(0)…." was the original entry in the boot.ini file.

John

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