Enable Windows 7 32-Bit with full 4 GB to 64 GB RAM Support

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The Russian Programmers Group "staforce" has written a small program witch removes the lock in the kernel of the 32-bit version of Windows 7. "ICE Technologie" has translate this program into English. The program automatically makes a copy of the kernel file "ntkrnlpa.exe" and saves the copy as separate file "ntkrlICE.exe". Then the program removes the lock in the copied file "ntkrlICE.exe" and integrates the new kernel file as an extra boot menu entry in the Windows 7 boot menu. So then you have the option to start Windows 7 either as usual with the original kernel file "ntkrnlpa.exe" or with the modified kernel file "ntkrlICE.exe".


The patch

The small program "4GB-RAMPatch.exe (http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/4GB-RAMPatch_Multilingual_12.7.2010.exe)" patches the kernel and removes the kernel lock:
4 Gb RAM Kernel Patch

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/4-GB-Ram-Kernel-Patch-en.png



The program makes automatically a copy of the kernel file, then removes the lock and integrates the new kernel file as an extra boot menu entry in the Windows 7 boot menu. So then you have the option to start Windows 7, either as usual with the original kernel file or with the modified kernel file.

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/bootmenu-en.png


The patch has two small but treatable side effects:

* Because Windows 7 observed the changes the kernel can not boot normally. For the Microsoft programmers who often times work with patched kernel Microsoft has built in a boot parameter - an additional switch: "testsigning = Yes"). So they can test their patched kernels. With this switch the patched kernel can start easily.
* But this switch leads to the fact that on the desktop background, lower right corner (above the clock) a hint ("Watermark") is displayed:

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/Watermark.png


To remove this "watermark" you can use the button "Remove Watermark":

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/Remove-Watermark.png

Then you should reboot.

To change the boot menu you can start the Windows 7 program "msconfig":

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/start-msconfig.png

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/msconfig-en.png

On the tab "Boot" you can specify:

* Which boot menu entry to be booted by default (if the user does not interact).
* How long should the Start menu appear.
* And you can delete one or the other boot menu entry.

However, you should not remove the boot menu entry for the original kernel. Because there are some very few programs that do not get along with as much RAM as the kernel patch makes available. Then you can always reboot the original kernel.

To remove the patch you only need remove the start Menu entry with "msconfig" (you can start the program "msconfig" when you enter in the search box in the start menu "msconfig"). The boot menu then will no longer appear. Because as long as only one menu item is available, no boot menu appears. The copied, patched kernel file "ntkrlICE.exe" in the folder "C:\Windows\system32" can also be safely deleted.

In a Command Prompt with admin rights you can see with the command
"bcdedit" the new boot menu entry in detail:

http://www.unawave.de/medien/Windows-7/Tipps/32-Bit-RAM-Sperre/Bootmenu-bcdedit.png

The text that appears in the boot menu can be found under "description".
"testsigning = Yes" allows the patched kernel to start despite modification.
The copied and modified kernel is called "ntkrlICE.exe".
With "pae = ForceEnable" the address extension for the RAM is activated.

Source: Google.

I hope you enjoyed! :)

~Home

[Freddy1990]

Nice tutorial, but I personally prefer the x64 solution to the problem :p

[Harry]

Nice guide, but....
why the heck would you buy the 32bit version if you have 4 GB+ of RAM? And why would you use an unsupported patch (that probably has some sort of rootkit in it), instead of getting the 64bit version?

Just confuses me that you would go through all that hassle and possible instability, instead of getting a version designed for that hardware.

[Wizzup?]

I thought Windows x64 also requires you to pay more if you want more RAM? Eg, windows blabla home basic bla doesn't allow more than 4GB ram anyway?

[Dan Cardin]

you are automatically allowed at least 8GB for x64. But if you're getting home basic, which you need for x64, you could use 32 bit and you'd be able to use 4GB anyway.

[Markus]

Well, there are tons of reasons for using 32-bit, one of them being incompatible virusscanners and chinese drivers, so unlocking PAE is always a nice solution. (Though it's an ugly hack, IMO)

[EvilChicken!]

Slightly off-topic, .. but yay for russians! :p

[anonymity]

Smokes, this makes me happy... I think I am going to blow away a few windows installs playing with this... thanks. :)

[Harry]

incompatible virusscanners

chinese drivers
Get a virus-scanner that doesn't suck.

Buy from better hardware manufactures. I don't know of a single reputable company that doesn't offer 32 and 64bit drivers.

[Markus]

Get a virus-scanner that doesn't suck.

Buy from better hardware manufactures. I don't know of a single reputable company that doesn't offer 32 and 64bit drivers.

You clearly never used any old soundcards like those used in profesional industry. Some of it is pretty old but still essential for business. Also TV-cards often only have 32-bit drivers.

[Wizzup?]

You clearly never used any old soundcards like those used in profesional industry. Some of it is pretty old but still essential for business. Also TV-cards often only have 32-bit drivers.

He's probably used to Linux. ;)

[Harry]

You clearly never used any old soundcards like those used in profesional industry. Some of it is pretty old but still essential for business. Also TV-cards often only have 32-bit drivers.
There are no newer versions of them? You're right though, I have never done any A/V work on older hardware.


He's probably used to Linux. ;)
This too. I only use Windows for gaming for a while now. I don't do anything special, so all the hardware works on both 32bit and 64bit. :V

[TomTuff]

protip: x64

[Smartzkid]

Beautiful. I'll have to try it out at work. We use 32 bit win 7 because it has better compatibility with a number of microprocessor IDE's & programming hardware.

Thanks.

[Tallman36]

Tried on two machines, a lenovo X200S and it gets stuck during boot in a black screen.

Tried on a dell d620 running win7 ultimate and it goest to startup repair for about 30 mins, says it cannot repair it with the info of :

C:\windows\system32\NTKRLICE.exe is corrupt

[Overtime]

this may have been patched.

You should have tried it on a fresh reformated windows 7, then patch then update windows.

I think one of the windows updates prevents this.

[Tallman36]

Used it on an old win7 version, fresh install on virtualbox and same thing.
I looked in the startup repair logs and it says something about the ntoskrnl.exe being in D:\windows\system32 folder, however the main windows install is on the C drive.
I think this is where the issue lies.
Any idea on which file to edit to get thet D: changed to C: ?