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Memory Limits For Windows Releases

This document discusses memory and address space limits for different versions of Windows. It provides tables that specify limits for user mode virtual address space, kernel mode virtual address space, physical memory, paged pool, nonpaged pool, and system cache for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows releases. The limits vary based on factors like whether PAE is enabled, the Windows version, and 32-bit vs. 64-bit.

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Shivakumar S Kadakal
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65 views8 pages

Memory Limits For Windows Releases

This document discusses memory and address space limits for different versions of Windows. It provides tables that specify limits for user mode virtual address space, kernel mode virtual address space, physical memory, paged pool, nonpaged pool, and system cache for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows releases. The limits vary based on factors like whether PAE is enabled, the Windows version, and 32-bit vs. 64-bit.

Uploaded by

Shivakumar S Kadakal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Memory Limits for Windows

Releases
Limits on memory and address space vary by platform, operating system, and by whether
the IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE value of the LOADED_IMAGE structure and 4-gigabyte
tuning (4GT) are in use. IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE is set or cleared by using
the/LARGEADDRESSAWARE linker option.
4-gigabyte tuning (4GT), also known as application memory tuning, or the /3GB switch, is a technology
(only applicable to 32 bit systems) that alters the amount of virtual address space available to user
mode applications. Enabling this technology reduces the overall size of the system virtual address
space and therefore system resource maximums. For more information, see What is 4GT.
Limits on physical memory for 32-bit platforms also depend on the Physical Address Extension (PAE),
which allows 32-bit Windows systems to use more than 4 GB of physical memory.

Memory and Address Space Limits


The following table specifies the limits on memory and address space for supported releases of
Windows. Unless otherwise noted, the limits in this table apply to all supported releases.
Memo
ry
type

Limit in on X86

Limit in 64-bit Windows

Usermode
virtual
addres
s space
for
each
32-bit
process

2 GB
Up to 3 GB
with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS
_AWARE and 4GT

2 GB
withIMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_A
WAREcleared (default)
4 GB
withIMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_A
WAREset

Usermode
virtual
addres
s space
for
each
64-bit
process

Not applicable

With
IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWA
REset (default):
x64: 8 TB

Kernel-

2 GB

Intel Itanium-based
systems: 7 TB
2 GB
withIMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_A
WAREcleared
8 TB

mode
virtual
addres
s space

From 1 GB to a maximum of 2 GB
with 4GT

Paged
pool

Limited by available kernel-mode


virtual address space or
thePagedPoolLimit registry key value.
Windows Vista and
above: Limited only
by kernel mode
virtual address space.
Starting with
Windows Vista with
Service Pack 1 (SP1),
the paged pool can
also be limited by
the PagedPoolLimit re
gistry key value.

128 GB
Windows
Server 2003 and
Windows XP: Up to
128 GB depending on
configuration and RAM.

Windows Home
Server and
Windows
Server 2003: 530
MB
Windows XP: 490
MB

Nonpag
ed pool

Limited by available kernel-mode


virtual address space,
theNonPagedPoolLimit registry key
value, or physical memory.
Windows Vista: Li
mited only by kernel
mode virtual address
space and physical
memory. Starting with
Windows Vista with
SP1, the nonpaged
pool can also be
limited by
the NonPagedPoolLim
it registry key value.

75% of RAM up to a maximum of 128


GB
Windows Vista: 40%
of RAM up to a
maximum of 128 GB.
Windows
Server 2003 and
Windows XP: Up to
128 GB depending on
configuration and RAM.

Windows Home
Server, Windows
Server 2003, and
Windows XP: 256
MB, or 128 MB with
4GT.

System
cache
virtual

Limited by available kernel-mode


virtual address space or
theSystemCacheLimit registry key

Always 1 TB regardless of physical RAM


Windows
Server 2003 and

addres
s space
(physic
al size
limited
only by
physica
l
memor
y)

Windows XP: Up to 1
TB depending on
configuration and RAM.

value.
Windows Vista: Li
mited only by kernel
mode virtual address
space. Starting with
Windows Vista with
SP1, system cache
virtual address space
can also be limited by
the SystemCacheLimi
t registry key value.
Windows Home
Server, Windows
Server 2003, and
Windows XP: 860
MB
with LargeSystemCac
he registry key set
and without 4GT; up
to 448 MB with 4GT.

Physical Memory Limits: Windows 7


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows 7.
Version

Limit on X86

Limit on X64

Windows 7 Ultimate

4 GB

192 GB

Windows 7 Enterprise

4 GB

192 GB

Windows 7 Professional

4 GB

192 GB

Windows 7 Home Premium

4 GB

16 GB

Windows 7 Home Basic

4 GB

8 GB

Windows 7 Starter

2 GB

N/A

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2008 R2


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows
Server 2008 R2 is available only in 64-bit editions.

Version

Limit on X64

Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter

2 TB

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

2 TB

Limit on IA64

2 TB

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems

Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation

8 GB

Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

32 GB

Windows HPC Server 2008 R2

128 GB

Windows Web Server 2008 R2

32 GB

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2008


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2008. Limits greater
than 4 GB for 32-bit Windows assume thatPAE is enabled.
Version

Limit on
X86

Limit on
X64

Windows Server 2008 Datacenter

64 GB

1 TB

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise

64 GB

1 TB

128 GB

Windows Server 2008 HPC Edition

Windows Server 2008 Standard

4 GB

32 GB

Limit on
IA64

2 TB

Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based


Systems

Windows Small Business Server 2008

4 GB

32 GB

Windows Web Server 2008

4 GB

32 GB

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Vista


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Vista.
Version

Limit on X86

Limit on X64

Windows Vista Ultimate

4 GB

128 GB

Windows Vista Enterprise

4 GB

128 GB

Windows Vista Business

4 GB

128 GB

Windows Vista Home Premium

4 GB

16 GB

Windows Vista Home Basic

4 GB

8 GB

Windows Vista Starter

1 GB

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Home Server


Windows Home Server is available only in a 32-bit edition. The physical memory limit is 4 GB.

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2003 R2


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2003 R2. Limits over 4
GB for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.
Version

Limit on X86

Limit on X64

Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with 4GT)

1 TB

Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with 4GT)

1 TB

Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition

4 GB

32 GB

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2


(SP2)
The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2003 with Service
Pack 2 (SP2). Limits over 4 GB for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.
Limit on
X86

Limit on
X64

Limit on
IA64

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2


(SP2), Datacenter Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with
4GT)

1 TB

2 TB

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2


(SP2), Enterprise Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with
4GT)

1 TB

2 TB

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2


(SP2), Standard Edition

4 GB

32 GB

Version

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1


(SP1)
The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2003 with Service
Pack 1 (SP1). Limits over 4 GB for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.
Limit on
X86

Limit on
X64

Limit on
IA64

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1


(SP1), Datacenter Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with
4GT)

X64 1 TB

1 TB

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1


(SP1), Enterprise Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with
4GT)

X64 1 TB

1 TB

Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1


(SP1), Standard Edition

4 GB

32 GB

Version

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2003


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2003. Limits over 4 GB
for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.
Version

Limit on X86

Limit on IA64

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with 4GT)

512 GB

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

64 GB
(16 GB with 4GT)

512 GB

Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition

4 GB

Windows Server 2003, Web Edition

2 GB

Windows Small Business Server 2003

4 GB

Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003

32 GB

Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition

8 GB

Windows Storage Server 2003

4 GB

Physical Memory Limits: Windows XP


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows XP.
Version

Limit on
X86

Limit on
X64

Limit on IA64

Windows XP

4 GB

128 GB

128 GB (not supported)

Windows XP Starter Edition

512 MB

N/A

N/A

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Embedded


The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Embedded.

Version

Limit on X86

Windows XP Embedded

4 GB

Windows Embedded Standard 2009

4 GB

Windows Embedded Standard 7

4 GB

Limit on X64

192 GB

How graphics cards and other devices affect memory limits


Devices have to map their memory below 4 GB for compatibility with non-PAE-aware Windows
releases. Therefore, if the system has 4GB of RAM, some of it is either disabled or is remapped above
4GB by the BIOS. If the memory is remapped, X64 Windows can use this memory. X86 client versions
of Windows dont support physical memory above the 4GB mark, so they cant access these remapped
regions. Any X64 Windows or X86 Server release can.
X86 client versions with PAE enabled do have a usable 37-bit (128 GB) physical address space. The
limit that these versions impose is the highest permitted physical RAM address, not the size of the IO
space. That means PAE-aware drivers can actually use physical space above 4 GB if they want. For
example, drivers could map the "lost" memory regions located above 4 GB and expose this memory as
a RAM disk.

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