Need help with large format psd files.

[signage]

I have a question on this CS4 64bit, will it access the memory even if the OS is only 32bit? I thought you had to also have a 64bit OS to utilize the 64bit architecture!

 

[GAC05]

64bit CS4 is not going to run in 32bit windows

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I have a question on this CS4 64bit, will it access the memory even if the OS is only 32bit? I thought you had to also have a 64bit OS to utilize the 64bit architecture!

No. It's technically the OS that recognizes the RAM, if the OS only sees 3.5 gb, the program will only see 3.5gb. Plus a 32 bit OS won't run a 64 bit program (a 64 bit OS will run a 32 bit program though).

On the subject, if you have a 32 bit OS and Photoshop 32 bit, and your computer has 4 gb of RAM, you still won't be able to use all of it, and Photoshop will only address about 2.6 gb or so. There's a simple fix for this called the "3 gb switch". If you enable it, The OS will be able to use more of the RAM, meaning more of it will also be available to Photoshop (up to about 3.5 gb or so). If you don't enable it, no matter how much RAM you have, you're not using but a little more than half of it. Google 3 gb switch to find out how to enable it, it takes no more than 5 minutes.

 

[SignBurst PCs]

No. It's technically the OS that recognizes the RAM, if the OS only sees 3.5 gb, the program will only see 3.5gb. Plus a 32 bit OS won't run a 64 bit program (a 64 bit OS will run a 32 bit program though).

On the subject, if you have a 32 bit OS and Photoshop 32 bit, and your computer has 4 gb of RAM, you still won't be able to use all of it, and Photoshop will only address about 2.6 gb or so. There's a simple fix for this called the "3 gb switch". If you enable it, The OS will be able to use more of the RAM, meaning more of it will also be available to Photoshop (up to about 3.5 gb or so). If you don't enable it, no matter how much RAM you have, you're not using but a little more than half of it. Google 3 gb switch to find out how to enable it, it takes no more than 5 minutes.

While this is true to an extent, I have seen the 3GB switch wreak havoc on systems. Some systems are fine, but I have seen others not boot after adding the switch.

With the switch, you limit the OS to using 1GB, leaving the rest for your apps. To be really technical, both the 64 Bit OS and the 64 Bit application can see the additional RAM. This is why 32 Bit Photoshop only sees 3GB of RAM, even on a 64 Bit OS, while 64 Bit Photoshop on the same 64 Bit OS will see all (or most) of the RAM.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

While this is true to an extent, I have seen the 3GB switch wreak havoc on systems. Some systems are fine, but I have seen others not boot after adding the switch..

What kind of issues (or just won't boot)? I didn't know it could cause problems, I've been running it on 4 computers for about 3-4 years now and never had an issue, maybe we're lucky...