32bit 4GB Restriction

[Caster Troy]

Hi All Pros,
I have DL580 G2 Servers with 8GB memory on 2 Memory Expansion Boards 4GB on each. These servers are running Windows Server 2003 32bit and are playing the role of Terminal Servers. Windows recognizes the 8GB memory installed as the /PAE switch is enabled, but I want to know if the 32bit operating system is using the whole 8GB or does it only acquire 4GB. If it is not using the extra 4GB then should I remove it, is the extra 4GB doing any good or is windows not able to use it!!

[Igor Karasik]

Caster,
windows 2003 32-bit can use whole 8 Gb with PAE switch. But some applications cannot use more than 4 Gb - for example Microsoft Exchange. Terminal services use WHOLE 8 Gb, don't worry.

The ultimate solution - moving to windows 2003 x64 editions, but AFAIK DL580 G2 doesn't have x64 compatible CPU.

See this article as well.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283037/en-us

[Jon Finley]

Or.... you have to move to Enterprise server to address the additional memory.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/features/comparefeatures.mspx

Jon

[Alan_152]

If you need the extra memory and are stuck with a win32 solution, then use the PAE switch AND set up a contiguous swap file with a min and max of 4095.

Under normal circumstances, an NT kernel uses a memory model of 4GB physical and 4GB virtual for a total of 8GB.