Ram

[Paul King]

Hi Ken

Premiere is compiled for the 3Gb RAM switch. You will never see 4GB but you will get 3GB.

Thanks

Paul

[Bill Buchanan]

Understanding how apps and the OS use RAM about as well as I do people who don’t like Mexican food, I’ve read where the OS uses up to about half your RAM. And trying to make sense of all the info in the Performance window of Task Manager seems a futile effort even for those who claim to know what it all means. I’ve spent hours Googling for definitive explanations of all that nonsense.

So, if Prem Pro 2.0 can use up to 3gb of RAM and you’ve only got 3gb of RAM (and have the 3gb/PAE switch enabled), what’s left for the OS after PP2.0 ostensibly consumes 3gb?

Would it now make sense for those of us working in long-form with thousands of shots in the bins and on the timeline to have over 3gb of RAM installed?

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who really understands all this RAM stuff to clue the rest of us in.

Bill Buchanan
Buchanan Film Co.

[Paul King]

Hi Bill

If it’s OK with you I answer the question.

The 3GB switch is designed for Windows apps to see more physical memory. Most of us are putting in 4GB, mostly because of MB requirements for RAM installed in pairs. I am unable to go into much detail about why it is that we are doing it (NDA) however you should consult your NLE hardware supplier (incidently who is it? Blackmagic, Matrox?).

The reason behind all of this is best explained here: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

Suficit to say that some of the issues you may have experienced with large projects will relate to this issue. I have had a bit of experience with large projects and have sent a number of those projects overseas to manufactures so they can see first hand what is happening.

The memory switch only works for the new versions of AFX, PremPro etc and not with the older apps.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[Bill Buchanan]

Thanks, Paul. I actually do have some understanding (and have had it enabled for over a year)of what the PAE switch does.

My primary question at this point is: Would it make sense to have more than 3gb of RAM installed? And you’re certainly right about every MB, including mine, requiring RAM be installed in pairs. I have 6 512mb sticks installed, and to increase RAM to at least 4gb, I’d have to pull two of the 512s, replacing them with 2 1gb sticks; a pretty expensive move. This is why it’s important to know whether or not increasing RAM to at least 4gb should or will make a difference. BTW, I’m using Blackmagic’s Extreme board.

Bill Buchanan
Buchanan Film Co.

[Bill Buchanan]

Paul:

I forgot to mention that I am now using Prem Pro 2.0, with of course the PAE switch enabled. The “serious error…” crashes I experienced constantly with PP1.5 are NOT occurring any longer I’m thrilled to say. When I purchased PP2.0, seems I recall reading instructions about enabling the PAE switch, since 2.0 could now use the additional memory. I also recall enabling PAE while working with PP1.5, and as you suggested, it didn’t make any difference.

Bill

[Mike Carro]

Okay, this PAE switch is new to me. What is it and how do you enable it?
thanks and I appologize if this is elementary.

[Bill Buchanan]

Mike:

Check out this site that Paul noted in his reply. It’s about the best explanation I know of.

https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

Bill Buchanan

[Jason J rodriguez]

Just curious, in this passage:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT=”????” /3GB

What is the programatic name of Windows XP Pro (to replace the “????”)?

Thanks,

Jason Rodriguez
Virginia Beach, VA

[Steven L. gotz]

Jason,

There should already be a BOOT.INI file in your root directory. In that file, you will find the same line already exists with what should be appropriate for your PC.

Steven
http://www.stevengotz.com

[Bill Buchanan]

After you add /3gb to the string (with a space between what’s before and after it) and then re-boot, you should open Control Panel/System to see if “Physical Address Extention” appears at the very bottom of the window (below the amount of RAM). If it does not, then it didn’t take, as in my case. Instead I added /PAE

Why the /3gb in my system didn’t take, but /PAE did, I’ve no idea.

Bill Buchanan
Buchanan Film Co.