RAM limit? [Solved]

[devva231]

I am looking into doing a custom build having Win 7 and MX Linux on separate HDD and SSD. I'm deciding on whether to go for 16GB RAM or 32GB. The Win 7 can only use 16GB. Can MX Linux 17.1 use more than 16GB?

[genericmeatsack]

Linux works fine with 32 gb ram.

[agnivo007]

Forget of any practical desktop user limit of RAM in 64bits linux. If you are installing 32bit, linux PAE can address upto 64GB. Win 7 Home Premium 64bit can support upto 16GB, all 32bit upto 4GB.

[chrispop99]

Why MX Linux 17.1? The current version is 19.3.

Chris

[agnivo007]

Maybe he is building something from antique or old stuff (16/32GB signals a phased out server) which he thinks would run better on MX17 or he'd run some special programs which supports Win7 only (EOL). Only he knows that I guess...or is he doing a time travel?

[chrispop99]

Maybe he is building something from antique or old stuff (16/32GB signals a phased out server) which he thinks would run better on MX17 or he'd run some special programs which supports Win7 only (EOL). Only he knows that I guess...or is he doing a time travel?

If that's the case, MX-18.3 would be a better choice.

I can see no reason for not using 19.3, and if on old hardware using an older kernel.

Chris

[devva231]

Linux works fine with 32 gb ram.

Looks like the check mark is not a like button. Sorry. Thanks for letting me know that at least one OS can handle 32GB RAM!

[devva231]

Forget of any practical desktop user limit of RAM in 64bits linux. If you are installing 32bit, linux PAE can address upto 64GB. Win 7 Home Premium 64bit can support upto 16GB, all 32bit upto 4GB.

Good to know. I like the idea of having more RAM than I'll probably ever need, but having more than I could actually use is silly. When I found out at pcpartspicker that even 64-bit Win 7 Home was limited, I had hoped MX Linux would justify 32GB. Very good to know! Thanks.

[JayM]

Maximum RAM is limited by your hardware and firmware rather than by Linux, although I think there's a memory limit parameter in the kernels. Don't forget that Linux (though not MX which is a desktop distro) is used on a lot of servers and some of those have tons of RAM in them, 128GB, 256GB or more, depending on the need.

My current system has 32GB and my Quick System Info shows that it's all being detected, though it's probably way more RAM than I'll ever actually need to use. I was tempted to put 64GB in it because the motherboard and processor can address that much and I have two empty DDR4 DIMM slots but it would probably be a waste of money. As one of the devs said (I forget who), "Memory never used is memory wasted." My previous system was maxed out at its motherboard, chipset and processor's limit of 16GB and I don't remember seeing my RAM utilization ever get over around 50%. The only thing 64GB would buy me is the satisfaction of seeing that much RAM shown in my QSI.

[devva231]

Maybe he is building something from antique or old stuff (16/32GB signals a phased out server) which he thinks would run better on MX17 or he'd run some special programs which supports Win7 only (EOL). Only he knows that I guess...or is he doing a time travel?

CPU: i7-4790k

Cooler: Noctua NH-D14

Motherboard:
MSI Z97-Gaming 5
MSI Z87-GD65 Gaming
MSI Z97-GD65 Gaming
MSI Z97-G45
MSI Z97A Gaming 6

RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X-series 32GB (4x8GB)

Storage:
WD Caviar Black 1TB 3.5 72rpm (Win 7)
Crucial 500GB MX500 SSD (MX Linux)

Graphics card: Geforce GTX Ti 2GB or GeForce GTX 560 Ti (whichever I run across first, same as the motherboards)

Power supply: Seasonic Focus 650 w80+ Gold

DVD burners: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/AS

Mobile racks: Syba SY-MRA55006

Case: CM Storm Trooper SGC-5000-KKN1

eSATA expansion card: still looking!

Mostly legacy, with a few new parts to speed up the build. I already answered the MX Linux 17.1 question way too many times on my previous posts. Look to them for the answer stated a hundred times, in a hundred different ways. Many of the parts chosen was to accomodate Win 7 (i.e. native support), so I don't have to fool with slipstreaming and other long-winded workarounds, to force the 'latest&greatest' crapola to work.