Video card memory question

[voltagexx]

Ah cool, thanks. I was thinking there would be something I'd have to do before putting the new hard drive in the new computer, rather than just putting it in as is. That certainly makes it seem a little simpler. I think for the most part now I'm good to go.

[voltagexx]

So after all kinds of little issues throughout the whole process, the computer is set up. Except I've decided to pick up a couple extra things now to make it that much better. One of those things I was going to get was 4 more GB of memory (motherboard supports 8 GB and right now I've got 2X2, with 2 open slots) however I was seeing some places that Windows XP 32-bit may not be able to read that much? I noticed earlier it looked like it was maybe only recognizing like 3.5 of my 4. If I put another 4 in, would it STILL be at 3.5, or would it maybe be reading 7, or is there an easy way I can actually get it to the full capacity of 8 GB?

And now, I may end up building a system for my sister as well, although she just wants an extreeeemely basic one to go along with her laptop, basically just to be used to download videos and watch them through a permanent connection to an HDTV.


EDIT: A little more looking and it appears it can't get much over 3 or 3.5 maybe. So I guess that limits my first question to, how easy/practical is it to upgrade to a 64 bit version, and how would one go about this....legal or "otherwise"? lol

[Zero82z]

One of those things I was going to get was 4 more GB of memory (motherboard supports 8 GB and right now I've got 2X2, with 2 open slots) however I was seeing some places that Windows XP 32-bit may not be able to read that much? I noticed earlier it looked like it was maybe only recognizing like 3.5 of my 4. If I put another 4 in, would it STILL be at 3.5, or would it maybe be reading 7, or is there an easy way I can actually get it to the full capacity of 8 GB?

32-bit versions of Windows can only recognize about 3.5GB of memory.

And now, I may end up building a system for my sister as well, although she just wants an extreeeemely basic one to go along with her laptop, basically just to be used to download videos and watch them through a permanent connection to an HDTV.

Well, that would be the subject of another thread.

EDIT: A little more looking and it appears it can't get much over 3 or 3.5 maybe. So I guess that limits my first question to, how easy/practical is it to upgrade to a 64 bit version, and how would one go about this....legal or "otherwise"? lol

The only 64-bit OSes I'd recommend that you upgrade to are Vista or Windows 7 (when it comes out later this year).

However, you should know that more than 4GB of RAM really isn't necessary or even useful for most people. I doubt that you'd see a difference. I suggest that you stick with what you've got for the time being, and if you find yourself running out of memory at some point, then consider upgrading to a 64-bit OS. But make sure you need to, so you can avoid wasting time and money doing so only to find out that you didn't really get anything out of it.

[voltagexx]

Yeah, I guess that's kinda what I had decided on. It would be kinda nice to just have everything at its max and what-not, but now I'll just look at it as having a little something in the reserves, if I ever need it in the future.

Now I just have to see if I can have my XP on the new computer AND the old one.

[Zero82z]

Now I just have to see if I can have my XP on the new computer AND the old one.

Technically, no. The license is only valid for one installation at a time.

[voltagexx]

Technically, no. The license is only valid for one installation at a time.

Poop. And where exactly would one get another product key? It seems like a simple enough thing but I kept seeing "oem for system builders" on newegg and amazon and other places, which from what I read would not be what I'd be looking for.

[Zero82z]

Poop. And where exactly would one get another product key? It seems like a simple enough thing but I kept seeing "oem for system builders" on newegg and amazon and other places, which from what I read would not be what I'd be looking for.

The only way to get a product key is to buy a copy of the OS. You can't purchase a product key separately from the install media.