Safe to use Windows 7 as an operating system?

DatabaseError

sjc wrote: »

Windows Vista 32 Bit with SP1 will see 4GB or more and use it. I have 8GB with Vista 32bit SP2 and it recognises and uses it.

Are you SURE it's using it?
I was under the impression that x32 Operating Systems could only address (use) ~4gb ...with the reality of caches and video ram etc..the actual physical memory used on a vista x32 system could be as low as 2.5gb..though around 3-3.5 is more common.
I'm willing to be corrected, but I think at least 4Gb or your RAM is expensive 'go faster stripes', though I generally show 4gb in x32 systems...it can't all be used...but it's easier than faffing around mixing dimms.

To quote another site

Why? A 32-bit register means that 2^32 addresses, or 4 gigabytes worth, can be referenced. This is a hard, mathematical limitation. This 4GB includes system memory, video RAM, and any onboard memory - anything that uses an address. This is why users see less than 4 if that's what they installed. What happens is the OS assigns addresses in order of importance: whatever's on the Mobo, then Video, and then the installed DIMMS. What you see displayed as usable is the value of your physical RAM less Video and onboard.

You may be able to put more physical RAM on the Mobo, but you cannot use it.

To use more than 4GB total addressable memory, you much go to a 64bit OS. That gives 2^64 (17,179,869,184 gigabytes) of addressable space.

...and to answer the OP...I've been running the various x64 versions of 7 and it's very stable..I'm certainly happy enough to use it as my primary OS...though whether I can justify buying it when the time comes....vista x64 is also pretty good and I already have that...

-TangleFoot-

This should clear that little matter up.

sjc_2

No not 100% sure TBH.

Office 2007 shows:
Physical RAM Installed - 8.0GB
Total Physical RAM - 3.0GB
Available Physical Memory - 1.04GB
Total Virtual Memory - 6.20GB
Available Virtual Memory - 4.34GB
Page File Space - 3.29GB

timbim_2

sjc wrote: »

Total Physical RAM - 3.0GB

Says it all.

FireFox

DatabaseError wrote: »

I was under the impression that x32 Operating Systems could only address (use) ~4gb

From Microsoft's explanation -

"...the maximum memory available in 32-bit versions of Windows Vista is typically 3.12 GB."

"For Windows Vista to use all 4 GB of memory on a computer that has 4 GB of memory installed, the computer must meet the following requirements:
- The chipset must support at least 8 GB of address space...
- The CPU must support the x64 instruction set....
- The BIOS must support the memory remapping feature...
- An x64 (64-bit) version of Windows Vista must be used."

From here

sjc_2

Back to the original question, I a running Vista 32 Bit on my main Desktop, but I am running Windows 7 RC1 on my Samsung NC10 Netbook and have been since RC1 was released. I agree it is what Vista should of been and bar having to load software for the Function Keys functions, it works a treat and loaded in minutes via a bootable USB Stick finding all my components. All my software also works as per my desktop with the exception of Money 2005 which won't for some reason prompt to load the update on initial install, but can live without that.

savemoney

I just installed windows 7 x64 on on my 2 years old Dell laptop inspiron 1510 with 2gb of ram and it runs much better than vista 32bit sp1 and subsequently sp2, in fact having installed sp2 was the reason I decided to installed windows 7 as it was so slow and get stalling

I didnt need any drivers either all came with windows 7, I did install the ati graphics card driver for better speeds but it didnt need it

Marty_J

sjc wrote: »

Windows Vista 32 Bit with SP1 will see 4GB or more and use it. I have 8GB with Vista 32bit SP2 and it recognises and uses it.

I hope that extra 5 GB of RAM wasn't expensive.

FireFox

Supposedly, given an x64 CPU and chipset, Windows 7 64bit Professional & Ultimate will be able to address a rather respectable 192GB of ram.

Which is nice.


I can fly Ma, I can fly!

Marty_J

FireFox wrote: »

Supposedly, given an x64 CPU and chipset, Windows 7 64bit Professional & Ultimate will be able to address a rather respectable 192GB of ram.

Which is nice.


I can fly Ma, I can fly!

The next version of Mac OS X will be able to address 16 TB of RAM, or 16,000 GB.