Quick Q: 32Bit windows on system with >4Gb RAM?

[chrestomanci]

Quick question:

Can you run 32 Bit windows XP on a system with 4Gb or more or RAM?

I realise that it won't be able to use the extra memory effectively, but will the system boot and run reasonably well, or will it fail to boot?

The reason is that I want to set-up a dual boot system, and occasionally boot into windows 32bit for compatibility reasons. Obviously I would prefer not to have to open the case & remove RAM every time I want to spend an hour running a 32bit OS.

[SiM]

As far as I know it will work fine, it just won't see/use more than 3GB...

[Paul Adams]

Take a look at this, it should answer your question:
http://forums.hexus.net/operating-sy...vs-64-bit.html

[[GSV]Trig]

Works fine, got 4gb in my machine but due to Vista sucking I went back to XP..

[directhex]

it'll boot, but you'll be unable to use more than roughly 3gib

[chuckskull]

I'm using 32bit XP with 4gb RAM right now. Uses 3.5gb total with no extra faffing around.

[s_kinton]

Apparently, SP1 will show 4Gb in 32bit Vista. Although this won't be the total accessible memory, i.e. it will still be ~3.2Gb it will show the correct total figure of 4Gb

[alsenior]

you can access more than 4gb on intel p4's but apparently PAE is quite flaky

[Agent]

you can access more than 4gb on intel p4's but apparently PAE is quite flaky

PAE has been on every processor since the pentium pro, nevermind the P4

MS locked down PAE as of SP2 and stopped it from being usable due to the driver issues it was having, it wasn't actually Windows from what I gather.