Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ?

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lanstrad
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2008/05/16 00:30:01 (permalink)

Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ?

I have a P5B (Asus) mobo with most likely a very early BIOS, and have a dual boot configuration: Windows XP 32 bit and Vista 64bit (I run Sonar 6 from both systems, same PC).

Now this : if I wish to update the BIOS on that machine, will it screw the dual-boot and make the PC unbootable ?

Reason I wish to update BIOS is that it *may* solve the fact that after adding 2GB (on top of the 2GB it had), and enabling memory remap, under Vista 64 I can see the 4GB, but when booting under XP (32bit) I only get what I had before adding RAM : 2GB ... I read from some sources that this is XP related (although I had read a lot about people using 4GB way long before Vista, or did I dream about it?...) Others say it's ASUS related.

Thanks,

Rob
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    kwgm
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/16 02:46:35 (permalink)
    You have to boot XP with the 3G switch to get Windows to recognize memory over 2Gb per user process. There's still a 4Gb limit, but windows reallocates 1Gb to system, and 3Gb per user process.

    Updating BIOS will not mess with your dual boot setup -- this is done with multiple NTFS partitions and the Vista boot loader program.

    --kwgm
    #2
    ew
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/16 05:00:59 (permalink)
    And, the > 3 GB switch only applies to XP Pro- XP Home doesn't support it.

    ew
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    kwgm
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/16 17:51:41 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: ew

    And, the > 3 GB switch only applies to XP Pro- XP Home doesn't support it.

    ew


    Oh, sorry, I missed that.

    XP Home does not support 4Gb of RAM. You must have XP-Pro.

    --kwgm
    #4
    lanstrad
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/19 23:41:52 (permalink)
    Thanks guys.

    Sorry about his, but *how* do I switch this 3GB *on* ?
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    kp
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/20 05:21:36 (permalink)
    XP Home does support /3GB.

    Xoo - www.alien8.co.uk
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    edentowers
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    RE: Will updating BIOS screw dual-boot ? 2008/05/20 06:00:46 (permalink)
    This Microsoft article confirms XP Home is OK and details how to set the switch in your BOOT.INI file.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833721

    S8PE, Dell XPS 720 (Q6600), XP Pro SP2, Edirol UA-101
    #7
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