Using the MAXMEM=4096 Switch

[357mag]

I'm trying out XP Professional 64 Bit. I got 4GB of RAM. But when I look in Power Options there is no Hibernate available. After doing some research this is because PCI memory resources are mapped in the middle of 4GB address spaces, and the rest of the RAM is mapped to higher address spaces.

If the value of the highest address space is above 4GB Windows thinks the computer has more than 4GB of memory and thus disables the Hibernation tab.

What you can do though to get Hibernation back is to go into the boot.ini file and at the very end add the MAXMEM=4096 switch. Then reboot the machine and the Hibernation tab will show up.

I did this but unfortunately it has a side effect. Before I did this Windows said I had 3.97GB of RAM.

After I did that switch thing Windows now says I have 3.24GB of RAM.

So is this the consequence of using this switch? That if you choose to invoke this switch you will have less RAM available?

Or is it one of these deals where Windows simply reports that you have less RAM than before but you in fact still will have access to the full 4GB?

[glc]

I would recommend you do without hibernation on a desktop computer.

[357mag]

Yeah the hell with it. I'm not gonna use it. I'd much rather have the RAM available.