Problems with memory above 64 mb

[beroc]

I got problems with my memory
i am running windows 98, and my computer shows 208mb ram, in two 8 mb edo simms, 1 64 mb sdram dimm, and 1 128 mb sdram dimm.
memory tests and shows at 212, something, or basically 208 mb.
it used to be that i had 80 mb, minus the 128 mb sdram, and i would run my progs, namely MSIE 4.0 and windows, and it showed 87% free in my system performances. Then i would load 3dsMax(3d prog) and it would drop to 10% free. if i ran any memory hog plugs in the prog, it would drop, never quite got it to 0 yet just like that, but i sure couldnt load anything else. understandable, it is a big memory intensive program.
So, i purchased 128 mb sdram, and stuck it in, luckily it just did everything right and boosted it all up to 208 mb ram.
i load my computer now, win 98, MSIE 4.0 and what do you know, i have 208 mb ram, at 87% free. Hmmmmmm
Then i load 3dsMax, and now i am down to 10% free.
This i dont understand, is windows that lame, that it cant figure out that i have a buttload of ram, or is this problem rixable. If it does have a cut off at 64mb, which i was told(at least i was told win95 had it, was also told win 98 did not have that problem), how do i get around it?

[CMonster]

Nothing is wrong. Your memory is there and available, the memory you are seeing as used is actually earmarked for programs by Windows memory management and will be given up as needed. By the way, ON MOST SYSTEMS I believe you are not supposed to mix both SIMMs and DIMMs.

As for the 64MB question: Windows 95/98 can theoretically use up to 4 gigabytes of ram - but the 64MB limit some refer to was for certain Intel chipsets (namely the 430TX chipset) which could only CACHE up to 64MB of ram and because of the way Windows uses memory this meant that access for anything above 64MB was a tiny, tiny bit slower.



[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 04-07-99).]

[kwai]

yeah, my aopen mb manual warns that unless you bought a 5V tolerant dimm (vs the usual 3.3V), that the two types of memory will work for awhile, but in a couple months, your dimm will be damaged by the higher voltage. better to sell your simms to someone else i think.

[Bleeding Edge]

AutoCad, 3dMax and other Autodesk products have the ability (unlike other run of the mill programs) to use all available physcal ram.