The 430VX chipset doesn't cache more than 64 MB of RAM.

However it is really only a  issue under Win 9x and Me. The cache
controller caches 64 MB of RAM from the
bottom up. Win 9x and ME loads into RAM from the top down. If you have more
than 64 MB of RAM, the OS will always be in an area of system RAM that isn't
cached.

For some functions, a machine with more than 64 MB will feel slower
than a machine with less than 64 MB. For other functions or applications,
you will still benefit from adding more than 64 MB. It will depend on the
OS and the application.
If you use an application that is always swapping out to virtual memory
then more uncached RAM will help.
Uncached RAM will always be faster then a thrashing hard drive.

With Win NT/2000 and Linux, the OS loads from the bottom up, so the problem
of uncached RAM above 64 MB isn't as much as a problem.


Mark Rode
The NOSPIN Group

At 09:03 AM 10/19/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>I can't remember, but was hoping someone knew right off hand.  Is there a
>memory limitation on a VX motherboard?
>A friend currently has 64 meg RAM and wants to increase it.  He's using
>Win95, but upgrading to Win98SE.   I thought I'd read something somewhere
>sometime about memory and a VX board.  Thanks.
>
>Byron Wolter

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