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Date:      Tue, 4 Nov 2008 05:57:40 -0800
From:      Jeremy Chadwick <koitsu@FreeBSD.org>
To:        Alex Zhang <alex34live@gmail.com>
Cc:        Questions <questions@FreeBSD.org>
Subject:   Re: how much memory can be support in FreeBSD system?
Message-ID:  <20081104135740.GA49361@icarus.home.lan>
In-Reply-To: <F02404077B4842A895E90FB6BE19484E@inb>
References:  <F02404077B4842A895E90FB6BE19484E@inb>

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On Tue, Nov 04, 2008 at 09:52:20PM +0800, Alex Zhang wrote:
> I'm a new comer and want to configure a Virtual server base on UNIX. The
> safe, steady and easy for maintenance is needed. 
> 
> Approximately 8GB memory will be mounted. Can anyone tell me how much memory
> can be supported in FreeBSD?

On 64-bit FreeBSD (what's called "amd64", but is not specific to AMD
CPUs; don't let the name mislead you), you should be able to use up
to 1TB of memory.

On 32-bit FreeBSD (what's called i386), you can use up to 4GB (but
once you surpass ~3GB, you'll only see ~3.25GB usable; this is not
a FreeBSD problem, it's an x86 design thing).

On 32-bit FreeBSD, you can use what's called PAE mode to increase
that 4GB limit to 64GB, but there are repercussions to using PAE
(read the Wikipedia article).  There are also numerous drivers on
FreeBSD which do not work in PAE mode.

If at all possible, make sure your processor works in 64-bit mode
and go with amd64.

-- 
| Jeremy Chadwick                                jdc at parodius.com |
| Parodius Networking                       http://www.parodius.com/ |
| UNIX Systems Administrator                  Mountain View, CA, USA |
| Making life hard for others since 1977.              PGP: 4BD6C0CB |




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