Windows 32 bit: Use more than 4 GB RAM

RAM of at least 4 GB is standard nowadays. Unfortunately, older 32-bit Windows versions cannot use more than 4 GB of RAM. In this practical tip, however, we will show you how you can make your old PCs fit again.

Windows 32 bit: Use more than 4 GB RAM

32-bit operating systems work with 32-bit addresses. So they can address a maximum of 2³² bytes of RAM, which corresponds to about 4 GB. Nowadays, more modern processors even work with a 36-bit address bus. A working memory of 2³⁶ bytes, i.e. about 64 GB, can be addressed.

• However, the system kernel must also support this memory addressing. Here, a technique called "Physical Address Extension (PAE)" is used, which supports most operating systems and also Windows from version 2000.
• To use more than 4 GB, you need to make sure that your BIOS supports a feature called "Memory Remapping".
• Then you have to tell your kernel that PAE should be used. To do this, you must first start the command prompt ("CMD") as an administrator. Then enter the "bcdedit" command (without the quotation marks) to start a Windows tool called "Boot Configuration Data Editor" that you can use to edit boot options. With the command »bcdedit / set pae forceenable« you can now force your PC to always use PAE.
• To use more RAM, you need the free tool "Gavotte RamDisk". Simply download the ZIP file, extract it and start the program. Also make sure that the "Fixed Media" checkbox is selected in the "Media Type" section. If Windows asks if you want to install the drivers of this program, you have to agree. Finally click on "Install Ramdisk".
• If everything worked, you will find a new drive on your PC with the drive letter "R". This drive is emptied after every PC restart. We will also show you all the steps again in the picture gallery below.

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To use more than 4 GB, you need to make sure that your BIOS supports a feature called "Memory Remapping".

Then you have to tell your kernel that PAE should be used. To do this, you must first start the command prompt (CMD) as administrator. Then enter the "bcdedit" command (without the quotation marks) to start a Windows tool called "Boot Configuration Data Editor" that you can use to edit boot options. With the command »bcdedit / set pae forceenable« you can now force your PC to always use PAE.

To use more RAM, you need the free tool Gavotte RamDisk. Simply download the ZIP file, extract it and start the program. Also make sure that the Fixed Media checkbox is selected in the Media Type section. If Windows asks if you want to install the drivers of this program, you have to agree. Finally, click Install Ramdisk.

If everything worked, you will find a new drive with the letter R on your PC. This drive will be emptied after each PC restart.