4 GB Problem On Windows XP SP2.

i read somewhere (i think it was in anandtech) that some games are not flagged for large memory usage and will crash after the game uses more than 2 gig of ram... by the way can i know what sort of game that ur playing? the solution is either to edit the .dll file and add /largememoryusage to the game .dll file (quite risky, did that to my sup com and had to reinstall the entire game) or switch to a 64 bit os (much better IMO)
Cheers,

You need to run a 64bit OS to use 4Gb of RAM.

CS 1.6,CS:S,Ghost Recon 2,Driver pallalel lines,BF2,UT2004,NFSMW,NFSC.

only game that is a bit too old is counter strike 1.6

if anyone knows a way to add the memory with the others with out using it?just so i dont have it on my table.XP Dosent have to use it.

You don't have to "hide" the unused memory. Just make sure the memory address space is not being remapped. The .ini file should contain the switch "/NoExecute=OptIn" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899298

And then indeed the motherboard may not get along with these particular four sticks of ram, try changing them around.

no the memory is fine.i used had the same memory before (2 x 1gb) OCZ PC 6400 SOE @ 800mhz and worked fine.after my upgrade to 4 gb i had problems.Mo/bo supports upto 8 gb.

I think you should try to exchange the new 2x1GB for new 2x512MB kit to get maximum 3GB. Probably this will work fine, as it's the maximum usual advised RAM configuration for having no problems.
It might not seem the best buy or upgrade but that's only in theory because in practical terms probably you'll solve the 4GB RAM problem most people reports.

This problem is a Windows 32-bit limitation that is better solved by correct hardware, usually installing a maximum of 3GB (2x1GB + 2x 512MB). Only 64-bit OS can take advantage of larger memory addressing larger than 3.5GB / 4GB.

Hi, guys.
Windows 5.1 (AKA XP) has 2 variants: Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

Windows XP has maximum addressable physical memory limit of 4 GB, but as long as you don't have exactly this amount of ram, it allocates an application a maximum of 2 GB of virtual memory. If you max out to 4 GB, then virtual memory limit increases to 3 GB.

Some moron programmers use signed long integers, which has the limit up to 2 GB to address the pointers or memory regions.
So if Windows tells that the app can use 3 GB of memory, the app calculates it as a negative number and eventually crashes.

In Windows Server 2003, the maximum physical memory limit is arount 64 Gigabytes. (40 adress bits) But Windows Server 2003 by default gives all applications 2GB of virtual memory, regardless of the amount of memory available. So, either lower the amount of RAM on your system, or get a patch for your game.  

Or install 64 bit Windows.

You won't break an application by installing 4GB. It has a 2GB virtual memory space no matter how much physical ram you install.

And it is not true that xp automatically changes the layout of the virtual address space just because you install 4GB. This you must do manually. Edit: even if the layout is changed with the /3GB switch, the application must be compiled to use it, otherwise it will still be presented with a 2GB address space

@OP - You have a hardware issue. Either one of the sticks of memory is bad (have you run memtest?) or you're getting a voltage drop from the load of 4 sticks (not uncommon) and need to bump the memory voltage a bit. Are you running at the memory vendor recommended voltage?

What message is dumped on the BSOD?

Go to the OCZ website. I had the same problem. OCZ's website shows that your memory will not boot on some MB's or will only run at 667MHz. You have to set the BIOS manually at 800 MHz and 2.o volts to get max performance.

Although it could also be your 32 bit OS. On my machine the OCZ was only coming up as 3.5 gig so I returned it. I still need to find out if it is true I cannot run 4GB of memory on XP 32 bit. Does anyone know for sure before I go back this afternoon to buy a different brand of 4GB? Will I need Vista or XP 64 to run 4GB or RAM? Or should it work on XP 32?

@Tm4_Reaper - You will not be able to have 4 gig memory available in 32 bit Windows (XP or Vista) or any 32 bit OS. This is because hardware devices and ROM are mapped to memory space starting at 4G and down. Go to the "Device Manager' and select View by resourse and then Memory and you will see the hardware that is assigned to memory addresses. Those addresses will not be available RAM memory to the OS. You will see the full 4 gig in the memory test and BIOS but Windows will only report 3.5 at the most and as little as 2.25 depending on the installed hardware.

What Firemist said is correct - sort of like the old DOS where you had 640 K for programs and 384 (Upper memory) that was used to load drivers and Hardware pointers.

I bought an extra 2 Gigs (1st 2gigs coat $240 - 2nd set (Same Memory) was only $90 after rebate.

Initial install gave me memory erros, Bumped up VDimm (+.05V), and bumpped up V FSB +0.1V - walla no memory errors and winXP reported 3.5 Gigs usable. If your MB will support going to 4, then I recommend 4 Vs 3. (1) do to Cost, and (2) may decide to go to 64 Bit.

Thanks guys.

Anyone hear of using the full 4GB on a 32 bit OS by setting your duel core to run the 4GB where one core uses 2gb and the other uses the other 2 GB? Some guy at work today said he did that on his but cant remember how he did it. Just wondering if he was full of S*** or not.

Find yourself a new tech advisor. The reason he could not remember is he did not do it (it is not possible at many differnet levels). If you really want to see your OS report 4 gig of usable memory you need a 64 bit OS. The hardware will still take some of the memory space but you have more space available and will not hit this issue untill you fully populate the MB with memory.

If the work-guy was using a server version of Windows, then he might, by enabling PAE

If you do your homework like I did when I had the same above problems, you will find out what I did.
I found info on the net, that all 32bit OS's have a 2GB memory limitation. Once you install 4GB of ram you just took away all your virtual memory. The 32bit OS's will only write out 2GB of memory allocation addresses. It's a known 32bit OS problem. I just built a new Duel core socet AM2 config with 4GB of OCZ PC 6400 DDR2 800Mhz ram.
I installed XP Pro no prob. I was able to navigate through XP Pro no prob. I did my first test. I recorded a wave file using my voice, with a simple "testing 1,2,3". When I tried to play it back, I got an on screen msg stating "Not enough virtual memory to run this application"
I had XP X64, & installed that along with the Service pack 1 update. all my games & everything else installed runs awesome...

That is a misunderstanding. Virtual and physical memory is not the same thing, so you won't fill up the virtual memory space, just because you install 4 GB RAM.

Good advice here, a reply to this would most likely lead to the solution to your problem.