Is Microsoft arbitrarily restricting your RAM ?

There is a lot of FUD about RAM limitations for 32-bit Windows, but so far I've found just one good article on that subject (from Geoff Chappell)

As modern hardware can address more than 4 GB of RAM - why is a 32-bit Windows hiding ~ 1 GB of your RAM ?

Maybe MS eventually wants everyone to shift to 64-bit Windows and they let you believe that you cannot use more than 4 GB RAM with 32 bit Windows (or even the full 4 GB) - _{though not true for 32 bit server-versions of Windows !}

As Geoff Chappell points out, this is only a matter of licensing from Microsoft's side…
One could also call it patronizing.

If you patch one byte of the 32-bit Windows kernel you free the RAM from Microsoft's limitations.

I ran some tests both with the original kernel of a 32-bit Windows 7 and a patched one:

Computer → Properties (un-patched kernel)

Computer → Properties (patched kernel)

no restriction on usable RAM :D

Task-Manager (un-patched kernel)

Task-Manager (patched kernel)

Fill up all 4 GB RAM


Process Explorer (un-patched kernel)

Process Explorer (patched kernel)

msinfo32 (un-patched kernel)

msinfo32 (patched kernel)

The patched kernel increases the RAM available for programs by 1 GB (which is a substantial improvement - if the system continues to run stable)