Vista and RAM

[toxicity_27]

So my laptop has Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit version, and has 2GB of RAM. It can hold up to 4GB of RAM. So I was wondering if it would be worth to buy the extra RAM, meaning will I notice the full effect of 4GB or is it like XP where it won't utilize more than 3GB? Thanks.

 

[KSoD]

All 32 Bit OS's can not use 4GB of RAM. Doesnt matter if it is XP, Vista, Linux or OS X. That is a limitation of the Kernel. So getting the extra 2GB will not net you much results. But getting a extra GB will.

 

[toxicity_27]

Alright, that's what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure. Thanks.

 

[KSoD]

Not a problem.

 

[eyeCpc]

What happens with 4gb is that some 750mb or so is mapped out to hardware taking that away from the available ram. Even the 64bit versions see installation errors at times with 4gb installed.

The MS advice is to remove 2gb until after Windows 64bit is up and running. Most see about 3.2gb out of 4gb total when running a 32bit edition of Vista.

For 3gb with a pair of 512s install each in the second dimm slot per channel. For three 1gb dimms usually the third goes on second for the first or A channel.

 

[toxicity_27]

Will there be a noticeable difference between 2GB and 3GB?

 

[Drizzt]

There shouldn't be unless you felt that your laptop was slow before hand and it was not slow due to spy ware or some other kind of problem.

 

[toxicity_27]

I feel it's kind of slow.. but I think a lot of that has to do with Vista, so I was just wondering with Vista if I'll notice a difference in like loading times and such with 3GB of RAM as opposed to 2GB.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Like drizzt5 said, there won't be unless you felt it was slow beforehand. If you do rekon its slow, the extra gig might help.
First though, open the task manager, go to the 'performance' tab and check how much free ram you have. Anything over a gig free is fine and you don't need to bother with the extra stick.

 

[eyeCpc]

The largest leap seen is when going from 1gb to 2gb of memory even with XP. That will tend to smooth out everything overall. Many now are rushing to get 4gb while the practicality of it isn't there unless running a CAD type or other memory hungry program where you need that extra.

Due to complaints initially heard about it using more memory like XP does over it's predacessors 98 seeing 16mb as minimum there companies are now adding the extra on the new systems seeing Vista on them. Dell's XPS line up is one to note there.