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Setting 3GB Switch on Vista 32-bit OS


Cary OConnor

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Instructions for Vista 32-bit OS for setting the 3GB memory setting.

 

To SET the 3GB switch in 32-bit VISTA, do the following:

 

1) Right-click 'Command Prompt" under -- Start > Accessories > Command Prompt

2) Choose 'Run as Administrator'

3) Type "bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072" and press [Enter]

4) Restart the computer

 

 

 

To REMOVE the 3GB switch in 32-bit VISTA, do the following:

 

1) Right-click 'Command Prompt" under -- Start > Accessories > Command Prompt

2) Choose 'Run as Administrator'

3) Type "bcdedit /deletevalue IncreaseUserVa" and press [Enter]

4) Restart the computer

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I believe if you just type "bcdedit" into the command prompt you will get a list of all your bootable entries (probably only one unless you have been messing with it). If you see a line for "increaseUserVA" then you have the switch set. No line, no switch.

 

Trolling the net I found this:

BCDEdit.jpg

Notice the bottom entry...or don't because the image tags aparently don't work on this forum...

 

Linky to Photo

 

 

 

And just to clarify, the "/3GB" switch does not exist in the same way for Vista that it did with XP. With XP, there was an additional /USERVA=XXXX switch that went along with the /3GB to "fine-tune" the /3GB switch. Now, with vista, the only thing that exists is the "UserVA" portion (or "increaseuserva" as it is implemented). It does the same thing, but there is no shortcut to implement it...

 

Edit...

Kev beat me (to it), although I was under the impression that the bootcfg was the old XP command and was replaced by bcdedit.exe...

 

Also, I recommend EasyBCD as a nice GUI for modifying your boot options in Vista. You still need to do the command prompt entries to enable the userva adjustments, but EacyBCD makes it easier to adjust and tweak the boot devices or OSs that you may want (i.e. I would use this to make a 2nd bootable Vista entry for the increaseUserVA setting, just in case you can render the OS unbootable by tweaking the setting).

Edited by Mike Twining
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