Guide to enable windows XP to use more than 3.25GB ram

Discussion in 'Windows XP Customization' started by yummy90, Jun 29, 2015.

  1. yummy90

    flavallee Guest

    These are the same steps that were used in post #16, but with a different computer.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This is what I did today in my Dell Precision M6400 laptop which has the following:
    Windows XP Professional SP3 32-bit (up to date to May 2019)
    Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 2.53 GHz processor
    8 GB(2 GB x 4) DDR3-1066 RAM (3.48 GB usable)

    1. Download and save the 64 GB PAE patch
    https://download850.mediafire.com/vozw7lu6yfvg/i7nhh6hj8af63ui/Gamersky-WindowsXP_64G_RAM.7z
    and then extract its contents.

    2. Copy the ntkl64g.exe and hal64g.dll files into the C:\Windows\system32 folder.

    3. Replace the contents of the C:\boot.ini file with this text:

    [boot loader]
    timeout=30
    default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
    [operating systems]
    multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /kernel=ntkl64g.exe /hal=hal64g.dll /fastdetect /PAE /noexecute=alwaysoff


    4. Restart the computer.

    (Note: This is assuming Windows XP SP3 32-bit is installed in the C: drive)

    Upon restart, everything loaded and worked fine.
    The amount of usable RAM increased from 3.48 GB to 7.98 GB.
     
    flavallee, Jul 12, 2020
    #21
    Elizabeth23 likes this.
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  2. yummy90

    cornemuse

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    Well, I tried again, twice. Even downloaded the file again in case it might be corrupted. Same results both times. Carefully followed instructions (above & instructions in the zip file) Same results, both times. No Go.
     
    cornemuse, Jul 15, 2020
    #22
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  3. yummy90

    Elizabeth23

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    :(:(:(
     
    Elizabeth23, Jul 15, 2020
    #23
  4. yummy90

    flavallee Guest

    cornemuse:

    I'm not there to see what you're doing, so I can only assume you're doing something wrong.

    You are using Windows XP Professional SP3 32-bit?
     
    flavallee, Jul 16, 2020
    #24
  5. yummy90

    ImWolf

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    I have used this method of recognizing all Ram above 4G on a few machines now..... When you make the edit to your Boot.ini file be sure to use an ascii text editor such as Notepad.

    Also, the line.....

    "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /kernel=ntkl64g.exe /hal=hal64g.dll /fastdetect /PAE /noexecute=alwaysoff"

    This is one continuous line..... not 2 lines as appears here with word wrap mode.
     
    ImWolf, Jul 19, 2020
    #25
    Elizabeth23 likes this.
  6. yummy90

    ImWolf

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    Here's a copy of my Boot.ini

    Also, even after using PAE to detect all installed ram on XP, I still use the paging file. As I understand it, this swap file is not really used until the system runs out of usable ram for pending operations. It did make a noticeable difference however when I removed the page file from the Windows install HDD, and put it on another HDD.
     

    Attached Files:

    ImWolf, Jul 19, 2020
    #26
  7. yummy90

    snoopx

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    Well I tried the hack with Win XP/SP3 32bit on a Quad Core Intel Q6600 Asus P5B MB with 8GB RAM.
    Initially the hack worked and the RAM went from 2.93 to 6.93 GB. The computer seemed faster.
    However, after a little use I realised the system had become too buggy so had to remove it.
    Problems:
    1) Hibernation no longer works. The Hibernation tab is missing from Power Options.
    Have to put the system in Standby instead or turn off.
    2) From My Computer, R-clicking a drive and formatting no longer works. Just hangs and doesn't complete. After the hang, computer won't shut down properly and have to do a hard reset.
    3) Macrium Reflect no longer works. Tried to clone a disk, it starts the cloning process, but just hangs and doesn't finish. After the hang, computer won't shut down and have to do a hard reset.
    4) Win XP's Disk Management no longer works properly. Just hangs on formatting a hard disk.
    5) Camfrog software no longer works. It loads, but its video function no longer works properly. After loading Camfrog, computer won't shut down and had to hard boot.
    6) Every time I restarted the computer, CHKDSK said there was a problem with my drives and scanned them, but found no errors.
    So sadly ended up removing the hack.
    There were likely more problems I had yet to find since I only tested it for a day.
    Funnily enough browsing in Firefox worked ok with the hack, but it still had the same memory problems despite having the extra RAM to draw from ie it still began to freeze up with too many tabs loaded and when its memory reached about 1.3GB.
     
    snoopx, Jul 29, 2020
    #27
  8. yummy90

    flavallee Guest

    I don't use any of the functions and software that you listed, so that didn't effect my Dell OptiPlex 980 minitower or Dell Precision M6400 laptop.
    The only issue that I noticed is with using a USB thumb drive.
    Since I use Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit only for testing purposes, I can live with that.
     
    flavallee, Jul 29, 2020
    #28
  9. yummy90

    WindowsCP

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    Ok. Now this post has my attention. I'm gonna closely review this and test this out.
     
    WindowsCP, Dec 1, 2020
    #29
    secpar likes this.
  10. yummy90

    flavallee Guest

    WindowsCP:

    If you follow the steps correctly that are in posts #16 and #21, it should also work for you.
     
    flavallee, Dec 1, 2020
    #30
  11. yummy90

    Borg

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    Be carefull guys. This is nice hack that enables PAE so virtual memory adressing is
    now 36 bit (64GB). But, there can be a problems.. drivers.. If driver is not correctly written (assuming 32bit addressing mode) you will get bluescreens. So after applying hack, be sure to stress test the system so you are sure its 100% stable.
    I was fighting BSOD on my Win2003 for few months (16GB ram here) before
    finding a faulty audio driver.. Luicky, managed to find alternative drivers and stuff become stable.
     
    Borg, Nov 21, 2021
    #31
  12. yummy90

    red Guest

    tried this and not working on my optiplex 780 ,guess mine aint as good as it could be but works fine :)

    long live xp :)
     
    red, Nov 28, 2021
    #32
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