So, here's my direct question for the gurus. XP here. Currently at 1.5gb. (512x2 and 256x2).

Owner: VI solo strings and Chamber Strings.

Seeing the challenges that 64bit PC users are having (with the hosts more than anything else)...it'll be a while before I make that move...and honestly, I'll probably just jump to Apple/Logic when I do. So for now...

I've read above with 4gb RAM (and appropriate configuration) the VIs will see about 2.8 as addressable. Does anyone have a 3gb machine? What does that yeild? Can you still use the "3gb switch", but put in a manual amount for say 2.4gb for user mode? I guess I'm asking is that last GB really diminished returns? It will cost me twice as much to have 4gb than to have 3gb, given my current config. If it's going to make a difference of a few hundred mb extra--not worth it to me. But, if it'll take me down to say 2gb addressable, I might need to go ahead and pop for it.

If it matters...host is Cubase4.

welcome langsons,

well i don't want to sound sloppy, but 1 GB ram sticks (and i'd assume DDR2 in your case) don't cost a fortune ....

the facts: 3 GB RAM minus 1 GB for windows = 2 GB for user space (minus something for other applications also needing user space)

you can't leave less than 1 GB to kernel space ... the /3GB switch would actually be neccessary, because otherwise windows would divide the available memory into half (1,5 + 1,5) ... don't forget to set /USERVA=2048 (maybe a little bit less) ... and do not just change the boot.ini line but add an additional one ...

christian

edit: in any case i'd recommend to get memory modules with the right layout (double vs. single sided) and the most similar timing to your 2 x 512) - not all chipsets accept all memory sticks in every combination ... check your motherboard manual

@cm said:

edit: in any case i'd recommend to get memory modules with the right layout (double vs. single sided) and the most similar timing to your 2 x 512) - not all chipsets accept all memory sticks in every combination ... check your motherboard manual

Crucial is a great source of information. You can even run their tool to find out what suits your PC.

D

So, yeah...if  it's the difference in 2gb addressable and 2.8gb addressable, it's settled--I'll replace all the RAM in the computer.

Anyone want to buy 512x2 and 256x2 sticks of PC3200 Mushkin CAS2.5 RAM? ;)

I added it up this morning. To load the full level 1 presets of both the chamber and solo strings, but leaving out the basses (it IS pop music)...I could get the full deal loaded in at 2.5gb. That, of course would be a tad over the top, as I doubt I'd need solo and ensemble strings for all three instruments in their full compliment of articulations on a single project...but, I like to plan for worst case scenarios. That's worth the extra $140, I guess. I'm already in deep enough to this string sequencing box--that's like chump change. [:#]

Side note: how do you change your username here? I posted as Popmann (which I post elsewhere as)...but, that was likely before being a registered owner--so now, it looks like it's picked some sort of email address default. I went into what looked like my profile...but, username was greyed out. Ideas?

BTW...I've read the 3gb switch will be harmful to Gigastudio2. Does harmful mean it has less kernel level RAM to address...or that it doesn't work correctly?

I really need to load GigaPiano and the Bosendorfer290 for my acoustic piano. If it's gonna screw it up all together, I'll either have to budget for Ivory or keep it as is.

@popmann said:

Side note: how do you change your username here? I posted as Popmann (which I post elsewhere as)...but, that was likely before being a registered owner--so now, it looks like it's picked some sort of email address default. I went into what looked like my profile...but, username was greyed out. Ideas?

reason #1 is that changing your username would mostly confuse other users ...

reason #2 is that your forum account had another email than your account from the user area, so we have not been able to identify both as corresponding during merging the databases last year ... which now has happened

christian

@popmann said:

So, yeah...if  it's the difference in 2gb addressable and 2.8gb addressable, it's settled--I'll replace all the RAM in the computer.

@popmann said:

BTW...I've read the 3gb switch will be harmful to Gigastudio2. Does harmful mean it has less kernel level RAM to address...or that it doesn't work correctly?

I really need to load GigaPiano and the Bosendorfer290 for my acoustic piano. If it's gonna screw it up all together, I'll either have to budget for Ivory or keep it as is.

Thanks for changing the username, CM.

I don't have the GVI, FWIW.  Before I would buy that, I would probably just buy Ivory to use for piano, since piano is the only major use. I guesss I do have some drum samples I like...but, I've also got BFD and decent hardware, so...

I'll order up some RAM and cross my fingers.

FYI...resolution:

I installed 4gb of RAM. Ran the 3GB switch w/ the USERVA=3328. Virtual memory is turned OFF.

I can now get Cubase/VSL to load about 2.7-2.8gb of sample buffers, so, yes--C4 IS large address aware.

On top of that, Gigastudio, which uses kernel memory, can still load both my Bosendorfer 290 and (yamaha) Gigapiano. Although, it chokes if you load much of anything else on top of them. So, no need to buy a user mode piano instrument. Giga will get me by until I find a nice Yammy U1/U3 to put down here.

I did, for the record, first install 3gb total...but, while the 3gb switch did make Cubase/VSL "see" more RAM to load into, it didn't really change anything in the real world--it maxxed at about 1.7GB of sample buffers. Considering my OS boots into 110mb, and C4 uses about 100mb overhead, this factors correctly--the 3gb switch doesn't really work unless you've got more than 3 GB, even with the USERVA option set to 2.3 or 2.5gb, which are the options I tried. Like I said-it does make it "see" more, but it can't seem to utilize more than an untweaked default memory allocation.

Oh, yeah...this also dispells the rumor that the 3gb switch only works with XP Pro, as I'm running Home. I've long told people that Microsoft said that it would work with either version of XP, but people didn't seem to believe me--proof is in da puddin'.

Hi guys...it's been a while... [:)]

popmann, if you're able to load both of those pianos with the 3GB switch turned on, I would bet that you have a separate graphics card in that machine which uses its own memory...? On the tests I've made with the /3GB switch on machines with shared memory for the graphics driver I couldn't load much before GS choked.

Regarding the rumor that the /3GB switch wouldn't work with XP Home...it's false nowadays. If I remember correctly the support for 3GB in Home Edition came with an update, maybe SP1.

/Mattias

Rule #1 (for me) when building a PC system for ANY use...don't get a shared memory architecture video solution. Yes...256mb of RAM on a fanless ATI 9600. Even for a little web surfer, I've found integrated video (meaning the shared RAM, GPU-less on board variety) will cause noticable GUI drag--compared to a 10 year old graphics card (not that you could actually put a 10 year old card in a new PC, but...). 

Hello

How much samples can be loaded (in %) on a 8GB slave machine (64-bit), when using the complete SE Plus Extended VI (and using VE3 ?)

Thanks

Fred

here's the math: 133.370 samples x 64 KB per sample need 8.1 GB memory

since one could load up to appr. 7 GB used memory on a 8GB windows 64bit machine this would be a theoretical value of 85%

but: in a test i couldn't manage to get more than 3,9 GB load with the special edition only which has already 74.860 samples (or i've simply been too dumb to find the missing patches/matrices), so this means you can load every single patch and matrix from the Special Edition bundle into such a machine.

of course this wouldn't make any sense for working on a real arrangement, one would load a much more selective preset ...

christian

You also have to take the VE instances and VI's memory consumption into account.

Each VE is about 45mb and for each intrument instance you add its another 16mb - not much but it adds up. You typically end up with maybe 4 VE's with a total of say 50 instruments: Thats 1 Gb.

Thanks!

While I know It doesn't make any sense to have every sample loaded, I just love it when everything is ready to play.

But even at 70-75% of all SE loaded it's pretty cool.

Fred

Quick memory question:

I have a slave PC (3GB RAM, XP Home, 32 bit) running Plogue Bidule as a host with the 3GB switch enabled. I am currently loading 2.7GB of samples into several instances of GVI within Plogue. If I upgraded to 6 or 8GB would I be abe to load an extra 2.7GB into VE3 instances within Bidule, as I noticed that VE seems to occupy a different process in the RAM usage? Or would I have to upgrade to XP64 to do this?

Dom 

@DG said:

You won't be  load more than 2.7-2.8GB of anything in XP 32bit.

Thanks Daryl.  So that means anything combined or 2.7GB per process?

@DG said:

You won't be  load more than 2.7-2.8GB of anything in XP 32bit.

Thanks Daryl.  So that means anything combined or 2.7GB per process?

In total.

DG