Can you point me to information on the /3gb switch?
Now that SP2 for XP is out (supposedly with the /3Gb fix for those computers that needed a patch -- like mine) I wonder if Microsoft will supply a patch for free any more?
Do you have anything that says that fix is in SP2? I haven't seen it mentioned any time and have wondered if it would be included. I also wonder how applying SP2 will go if the other patch is already there. Will it uninstall the other one, etc? WT
Nope, nope, no idea. Naturally I haven't installed SP2 yet because of the Windows Installation problems that would arise with any current or soon-to-come service packs. All I know is that the fix was PLANNED to be included in SP2. Whether or not they could get all the current vendor chipsets covered with proper drivers is a question for Bill's boys (and girls). I never called the pay-for-tech-support phone number to ask Micro$oft for the patch for my machine 'cause I'm chicken (buck, buck). Don't want to try to fix something that ain't (yet) broke. At least not when I risk having to pay for it on top of risking having it break my machine. I took your advice about editing the boot.ini file and then put it back the way it was after I found out the /3Gb switch didn't work for me. But by the way, just where IS that pay-for-tech-support phone number posted on Micro$oft's enormous Web site? If you find something out, please post it. Thanks, Mark 'Sporky' Stapleton www.h2omarkdesign.com
If you are interested, the hotfix doesn't cost anything except the hassle of getting it, which could be made easier, if you are interested. ;-) WT
In addition to all the good information posted, it should be noted that there are dependencies on graphics drivers and possibly other drivers. One way to "check" is to run Perfmon and add a line for Memory / "Free System Page Table Entries". The number should be above 3,000 (the lower limit recommended by MS). I have run in the range of 1,500 but the computer can get pretty unstable pretty quickly down there. If you have everything set up properly but have an incompatible video driver, you will see low numbers.
I found this list of fixes in Windows Xp Service Pack 2 http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811113 328269 Windows XP SP1 may not start with the /3GB or /USERVA switch has been fixed it says.
