CADMASTER1128 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 CADMASTER: The link to the AutoDesk article I mentioned re /3GB switch. http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=11857241&linkID=9240617 Thanks for that link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 ReMark, I went to my boot.ini file. Here is what I found: [boot loader] timeout=0 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons I am scared to mess with this to much. I read the instructions and I am a little confused. Where do I do the copy and paste. And what would mine look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 You should be scared. A foul-up in editting the boot.ini file could result in your system not booting. Please make a back up copy of the file and put it in another folder on your hard drive or copy it to a flash drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 This is the line you need to add to your boot.ini file. If you put it after the other line in the file that looks very much like it then at bootup you'll see a DOS screen that will provide you with two options. The first option (where you do nothing) will be to boot up as normal. The second option will be to boot up with the /3GB switch enabled. Follow me? multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 3GB" /3GB /fastdetect If it doesn't work as expected you'll have to swap the old (original) boot.ini for the new one. That's the reason for the back up copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorg Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Make sure you get the 64bit updates from windows installer too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 This is the line you need to add to your boot.ini file. If you put it after the other line in the file that looks very much like it then at bootup you'll see a DOS screen that will provide you with two options. The first option (where you do nothing) will be to boot up as normal. The second option will be to boot up with the /3GB switch enabled. Follow me? multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 3GB" /3GB /fastdetect If it doesn't work as expected you'll have to swap the old (original) boot.ini for the new one. That's the reason for the back up copy. Before I get stupid and change my boot file, what is going to do? Is going to recognize the RAM that I have added? The reason i ask is because I added 3GB to my computer. (making a total of 3.5 GB) The computer only registers 1 GB. This "new" boot file will fix this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Oh boy. You mean to say that when you right-click on My Computer and select Properties that on the General tab under the heading Computer your system indicates 1.00 GB of RAM? How many memory slots on your motherboard? How many are filled with a stick of RAM? The slots have numbers next to them. List the number of the slot and the amount of RAM in each. Is each stick of RAM the same type (DDR 2)? What speed? Same manufacturer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Oh boy. You mean to say that when you right-click on My Computer and select Properties that on the General tab under the heading Computer your system indicates 1.00 GB of RAM? Correct How many memory slots on your motherboard? 4 How many are filled with a stick of RAM? all The slots have numbers next to them. List the number of the slot and the amount of RAM in each.I cant see any numbers Is each stick of RAM the same type (DDR 2)? What speed? Same manufacturer? All are DDR2, 3 are 3 GB, 1 is a 512 MB. The computer says 1.00 GHz. 512 are stock RAM, the new sticks are PNY Here is the answers to your questions. ^^^^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 3 are 3GB? Don't you mean 3 are 1GB each? They are all DDR2 you say but you still did not tell me the speed. Your choices are: DDR2-400MHz DDR2-533MHz DDR2-667MHz DDR2-800MHz DDR2-1066MHz You do know that all the sticks of RAM should be the same speed right? Do you have the mobo manual? What is the make/model of the mobo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Sorry my bad, thanks for the correction and I dont know the speed. All I know is that they are PC2-4200 Do you have the mobo manual? What is the make/model of the mobo? HUH? whats mobo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cad64 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Mobo = Motherboard Just because your board has 4 slots, doesn't mean it can accept 4GB RAM. It might be a 2GB board, or even possibly a 1GB board. You need to find out the specs and do some research. You can do some serious damage to your computer if you don't know what you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Even right now as it is? What Kind of damage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cad64 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I was mainly referring to your boot.ini file. If you modify it, and you get it wrong, your computer will not start. But you really need to do some research on your system and find out what type of RAM your Motherboard uses and how much it will accept. As I said before, it may not be able to access 4GB. Maybe that's why it only shows 1GB. Or maybe you have the wrong type in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 You had me sacred there Cad64...lol Dont worry no plans to modify the boot.ini I will do some research and see what I can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noahma Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Mobo = Motherboard Just because your board has 4 slots, doesn't mean it can accept 4GB RAM. It might be a 2GB board, or even possibly a 1GB board. You need to find out the specs and do some research. You can do some serious damage to your computer if you don't know what you're doing. exactly. A motherboard is given a max. memory it can support. that does not mean that you can have that much available to use for programs. Different hardwares use some of that. So say your motherboard can support 4gb max memory, then subtract some for your video card, your sound card, and other hardware items inside the computer. After that, you have your number available for your system to use. If your motherboard accepts more than 4gb you are probably in good shape. 32 bit systems can use up to 4gb of memory, 64 up to 16gb memory. Find the motherboard's product number printed on the motherboard and see if you can find info from the manufactuer on it. The info should list the max. memory the mobo can support, along with the various speeds. remember to match your memory IE you have two identical sticks in the slots it lists. If not, your computer might not boot, unless your motherboard is not picky. My last machine I went through 7 sticks of memory before I managed to get a matching pairs. Memory manuf. on the same day, in the same plant might get you a good match, unless it is the day they implemented a slight change to the chip. lol it sounds confusing, and it is. But once you get the hang of it, its easy. My family is what you could call a "computer geek" family. My dad is a computer programer, my uncle a tech that is certified by everyone under the sun, so on and so on lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 DDR2 - PC4200 is rated at 533MHz. I hope all the sticks of memory are the same speed (533MHz). If they aren't then, to my knowledge, the computer will default to using the stick of memory with the lowest speed. Do you have the full specs on the three 1GB (?) DIMMS? At this time, until questions regarding memory are answered I would recommend that you do NOT change your boot.ini file. Is this a custom built computer or is it a name brand like Dell? If it is a name brand what model? Maybe we can back into the motherboard info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Like I was telling Cad 64, I have no plans for changing my boot.ini file. Im ok,with commuters but not good enough to mess with that file. I do not have the full specs of the 1 GB sticks. It is a 2006, Compaq presario. SR2038x It was a stock computer until i added a graphics card and the RAM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I found the specs on your computer. The max amount of memory that can be installed is 4GB. The speed of the memory is 533MHz as you stated. It says the system came preconfigured with 1GB of RAM. Why do you have a 512MB module in yours? I would consider swapping that out for a full 1GB then your system will be maxed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CADMASTER1128 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 The reason I have a 512 Stick in my computer is because the computer came with (2) 512 MB stick, creating the 1 GB. If I purchase this new 1 GB stick, Will my computer register 4GB then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I think it will register up to 3GB even though it will be using more. It will never register the full 4GB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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