I just installed Windows 7 Ultimate x86 (32-bit) on a computer with 16GB of RAM, so naturally it won't use all the available memory because my system is 32-bit.
I searched for a solution and found about patching the kernel with PAE. I found a couple packages that are meant for this task:
- PatchFor4GB ()
- PatchPae ()
I tried them, PatchFor4GB adds a boot option to the bootloader list, which is supposed to be the kernel-patched one, but everytime I boot with it, I only get a blank screen on my computer after the Windows logo splash and then it gets stuck there.
With PatchPae, the added loader option just didn't boot the system at all.
However, I also tried this in an installation of a Virtual Machine of the same system, assigning it 6GB of RAM and the patches worked like a charm.
Because I use with my computer some hardware that uses privative drivers made ONLY for 32bit systems, I CANNOT INSTALL THE 64-BIT VERSION OF WINDOWS (they're a bit old, trust me, they don't work in Windows 64-bit). Please eliminate that as a possible answer. Sorry.
Do you know any reliable way to make my Windows 7 Ultimate able to use the total of the RAM my computer has installed? Any graphic or command-line solution is more than welcome and appreciated :D
UPDATE:I forgot to mention that in both of the cases I mentioned, if I boot in Safe Mode (with or without networking/command prompt), I can reach to the graphic interface.
Thanks in advance!!
45 Answers
No, there is no reliable patch though you could always upgrade to an nvidia/ati graphics card. In fact, poorly written drivers are the reason that Microsoft disabled access to memory above 4GB on 32 bit consumer OSes in the first place.
1Maybe because you're using Intel HD VGA, that's why you're always facing blank screen (BSOD). Intel HD VGA cannot use PAE 32 Bit. Change and use another VGA card (ATI/Nvidia) to solve this problem.
I made something a bit different.
I was playing with my GF old PC and wanted to make it use more RAM.
INTEL card wasn't letting me to start it.
Simply go to intelhd website, download latest 32bit drivers, install them.
Once installed, start windows with PAE patch, it will start normally, unlike before.
I know this is an old thread but for someone who might be having the same problem on Win 7 (or Win 10) and looking for a solution.
I had an identical problem (using the PatchPAE patch) to the one stated such that whenever the machine was booted, I also got Win logo and then also a blank, black screen, and then nothing. Moreover, this happened on two machines. I was able to restart with the original unpatched kernel and all worked well. It was not that the patch was not working but there was some kind of compatibility issue related to NVIDA display card. This is a known problem. I discovered this on wj32.org discussion of the PachPAE patch. I changed to ATI and bingo! It worked like a charm.
2Try this before patching:
- download latest driver
- uninstall current Intel hd driver from control panel
- patch it with pae
- restart it (Intel driver)
- now try reboot, press f8 and enter safemode
- install your new driver in safe mode
If you can run aero with max ram that means vga driver is working fine.
