WinXP /3GB boot.ini switch

Recently SLG list had a pro/con discusiion of 4Gb of ram and how the 3Gb
to 4Gb range is not fully used, etc

I have since come across a WinXPPro (don't know if it works on others)
'switch' that is inserted into the boot.ini file to cause WinXP to load
the kernel, executive compnenets, drivers, etc into the 'last' 3Gb to
4Gb range of ram.

In the boot.ini file (located in the system root of C:\ drive or
wherever WinXP is stored) simply add the

/3GB

into the boot line and voila, you get full 3Gb of user space allocating
3GB to user mode applications, rather than only 2Gb. Tested and works
fine for me on several systems (hey with the boxing day sale of 2Gb OCZ
800 Platinum ram for $17, why not have lots :-) }.

so, for example:
-------------------------------------------------------

[boot loader]
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
timeout=30

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /SOS /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

--------------------------------------------------------
becomes:
--------------------------------------------------------

[boot loader]
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
timeout=30

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /SOS /3GB /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

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

Thought ya'all might find this interesting/useful.
I haven't tried it on a system without 4Gb to see what disaster may lurk
if the last gig isn't there, me thinks it'll hiccup otherwise why
wouldn't MS have enabled it that way all the time?

One can also put in the /SOS switch to watch the drivers being
loaded - good for diagnostics, although I leave it like that all the time.

the /NOGUIBOOT switch to not see the graphic boot screen thereby
watching what is going on

the /PAE switch allows systems & apps that support Physical Address
Extension it to use more than 4Gb
Received on Sat Feb 9 20:16:59 2008