XP only showing 3GB RAM, OS X shows 4GB...

Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
Points
6
I'm not sure what the deal is, but my version of XP is showing 2.96GB of RAM, but Leopard shows 4. Does anyone know how to fix this?
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
1,602
Reaction score
71
Points
48
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro M1 Pro - 16 GB RAM - 512 GB SSD - macOS Monterey
There really isn't a way to fix it. Windows XP is a 32-bit operating system, and as such, it only recognizes a maximum of 3GB of RAM.

Leopard recognizes 4GB because it's a 64-bit operating system.
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
4,576
Reaction score
378
Points
83
Location
St. Somewhere
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
I understand that this is a known limitation of XP.

Derek McNelly, I am not sure I understand your post. A 32 bit operating system that was limited in its addressable memory by a 32 bit (or higher) address bus would max out at a memory size that was a power of two, not at 3GB. I suspect MS at work again here, not the 32 bit boundary!
 
OP
W
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Yeah, the 32 bit is supposed to support 4GB...is there a solution for this or no?
 
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
589
Reaction score
31
Points
28
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Your Mac's Specs
See Sig...
The 32 bit version of XP cannot address 4GB of RAM, whether it's supposed to or not. For a detailed explanation of why, see here:
http://www.dansdata.com/askdan00015.htm

There is no fix except to install a 64 bit Windows OS; either XP64 or one of the various 64 bit flavors of Vista.
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
1,602
Reaction score
71
Points
48
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro M1 Pro - 16 GB RAM - 512 GB SSD - macOS Monterey
I understand that this is a known limitation of XP.

Derek McNelly, I am not sure I understand your post. A 32 bit operating system that was limited in its addressable memory by a 32 bit (or higher) address bus would max out at a memory size that was a power of two, not at 3GB. I suspect MS at work again here, not the 32 bit boundary!

You're right. I was getting chipsets and bit addresses mixed up. Sorry for that.
 
OP
W
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Well I read that thing and it says even some 64 bit systems still won't support the 4GB of RAM, does anyone know if the 64 bit of XP or Vista will support it?
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top