Win xp memmory

Use a 64-bit version.

Hey chuckcolley!



Unfortunately, you'll need to get a 64 Bit Operating System, such as Windows Vista 64 Bit or Windows 7 64 Bit.



See, Windows XP is a 32 Bit system which limits the amount of ram you it will use. If you use less than 4GB of RAM, people tend to stick with 32 Bit since it utilizes them better.







Solution?:


Well, if I remember correctly, Windows XP ties itself to the Hard Drive and Motherboard, meaning you may have to buy new ones. This happened to me, but don't take my word for it. Check in with your local "tech guy" to see what you'll need to do.


Windows 7 = ($105)
Hard Drive = ($50~)
ASUS M4A785 Motherboard = ($70~)

The Windows XP license is tied to a specific system only if you buy it from a vendor like HP, Dell, Lenovo and others, but not if you buy your own copy of Windows XP. Regardless, the OP has to buy a copy of Windows 7 64-bit, but new hardware definitely isn't required.

If the mb doesnt have win7 drivers available you will have same problems i just had finding impossible to get drivers for MB making win7 waste of money because then you need new hardware.... M/b maybe cpu all to go with old ram??? not great ... research b4 you buy win 7  

Windows 7 drivers are available for the Asus m4a785. You have to own some rather old motherboard if Windows 7 drivers are not available.

SIMPLY need 64 bit OS.
Windows 7 x64 is BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks guys i will get the win 7 os and go from there

32-bit Windows 7 has the same RAM limitations as 32-bit XP and Vista. Just make sure you get 64-bit Windows 7 or you'll have the exact same "problem".

32 bit operating systems use 32 bit addresses to define the location each byte of memory and to calculate how many different possible combinations of 0's and 1's you get, you calculate 2^32. So they are limited to 2^32 bytes of memory, which is roughly 4GB. A 64 bit OS, which uses 64 bit addresses, is limited to 2^64 bytes of memory, but since that is somewhere in the range of 17,000-18,000 Petabytes and there has already been work on 128 bit OS this limitation is of no worry.

Ok, so when i install 4-2gb DIMMs on my ASUS M4A785-M Motherboard, i will need to install WXP-Pro-64bit for the system to read 8GB? Ohhh, now i understand why my laptop doesn't show the full 4GB installation i just installed there! i'm running wxp 32bit on this one. Thanx BradyT88 and others for the info!