Testing 8GB RAM with BIT v7 Pro 32-bit

[h32axc]

I have been preparing a Windows PE 3.0 64-bit environment with BIT v7 Pro 64-bit in order test PCs with 8GB RAM installed, on the assumption that this configuration was required to test greater than 4GB RAM.

However, I happened to try WinPE 3.0 32-bit with BIT v7 Pro 32-bit and found that it appears to be testing the 8GB RAM (i.e., the available RAM - per my past question regarding testing "all RAM" - http://www.passmark.com/forum/showth...g-full-4GB-RAM), whereas I had expected it to be limited to the 32-bit address space = 4GB RAM.

I am using the default RAM test settings: Standard, Default (Cyclic); I am not currently selecting "Also run the Standard test as a pre-test".


In WinPE 3 (i.e., Windows 7-based), is BIT Pro 32-bit actually performing the same memory test as BIT Pro 64-bit?

Stated another way: is BIT Pro 32-bit really testing all 8GB RAM, as it appears? If so, how?

[Tim (PassMark)]

The memory test is launched as several test processes so it can allocate more memory than would be available to a single process, however it still cannot test as much RAM as the 64bit version of BurnInTest (the 32 bit version will still be limited to just under 7GB).

[vincinator44]

My system has WinXP Sp3 32b installed, with 8GB (2x4GB) physical memory installed. I've unlocked the memory as described in the manual and the memory test does run. It does only show 3.5GB of memory tested (set to 100%). Is it really testing the 7GB? How can I tell the test is working to test all (or most) on the memory I have installed? Thanks.

[David (PassMark)]

Would make a lot more sense to install a 64bit operating system on the machine, than fighting with XP32bit to try and make it use 8GB.

[Tim (PassMark)]

The amount of "Test Ram" displayed in the test window is that amount that BurnInTest has been able to allocate for testing. If you set the trace file detail level to "Activity trace 1" BurnInTest will log the total system memory, allocated memory and free memory available each cycle to the trace log.