VirtualBox doesn't map all avalible memory on host OS

[dang]

I am currently running virtualbox 3.0.6 on a Windows 2K8 Host. The host OS has 8GB of avalible memory. However, when I go to the system properties for my newly installed Windows 2K8 Guest it only allows me to select up 1.5GB of memory to allocate to the host OS. Why doesn't VB see the full 8GB?

[Perryg]

32 bit restrictions more than likely. Are they 32 or 64 bit OSes?

[dang]

They are 32bit... However, you would think that a 32bit OS could see more than a 1.5GB of memory. The host shows that it has 8GB of memory in the task manager.

[dang]

OK I see what you are referring to now ...

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog
Main: restrict guest RAM size to 1.5 GB (32 bits Windows hosts only)

Guess I'll have to use another Virtualization Product....

Thanks for your help

[Perryg]

The 32 restriction I am referring to is one that is due to the OS. Google windows 32 bit memory restriction.
VBox set the 1.5 gig on 32 bit because the host needs to have half of the available memory to be able to function. Selecting more than half causes memory errors.
Since you will not be able to use more than a little over 3 gig of memory total in a 32 bit OS the virtualizer is not going to matter.

[dang]

The 4GB limit you are referring to with 32bit OS generally applies to workstation OSes such as XP and Vista. As I am running WIN2K8 Server Ent. the 32bit OS is able to map more than 4GB of RAM. I think VB is an amazing product and will continue to use it however, for this particular situation I had to use VMWare ESX because it allowed me to allocated more memory to the guest OS.

[Martin]

In the 32bit host OS there is a 2GB limit per process. So you can run multiple guests with 1.5GB each at the same time in your 8GB, but a single guest cannot use more.