virtualbox.org

hi,
i need help with this

i have a system capable of works x64 (8 Gb of Ram ),
but because my old sound card
i had to install windows 7 x32 (only Recognize 4 Gb of Ram)
now a days the music software ( sounds) are really good and would like to use them, but they require big amount of RAM
here comes my problem and is driving me crazy
would like to use my sound card and the 8 gigas
first i tried with PAE but couldnt do it
then i tried with "Readyfor4Gb" and ti looks somehow my system cant support ...
now i wonder if i can do it with virtualbox , using windows10 but when i try to install it , an error happens

The defining feature of 32bit Windows is that it can't use more than 4GB RAM. They don't use PAE, at least not to access RAM. No version of Windows since the Vista era really cares about PAE: Microsoft policy is that if you need >4GB then install a 64bit OS.

If you run a VM then RAM for it is allocated by the host OS. If the host OS doesn't understand RAM beyond 4GB then it obviously can't allocate that RAM to a process that simulates a PC. The fact that it simulates a 64bit PC doesn't change that basic fact.

Lots of people currently install 64bit Windows on PCs with 4GB RAM or less. Microsoft doesn't block this, and users get no direct benefit from doing so, except of course the important ability to run 64bit-only apps.

Hi,

Maybe try a different approach.

Leaving aside VirtualBox virtualization for the moment, on the host install Windows 7 64-bit (legally you are allowed to use the same licence to install either 32-bit, or 64-bit (but not both at once!)), then try using Windows 'Compatibility Mode', possibly XP SP3 option, to install the sound card driver?

Dave B wrote:then try using Windows 'Compatibility Mode', possibly XP SP3 option, to install the sound card driver?

Or get yourself a cheap USB sound adapter, for less than 8€...

Dave B wrote: on the host install Windows 7 64-bit ..., then try using Windows 'Compatibility Mode', possibly XP SP3 option, to install the sound card driver?

That would not work. I'm pretty sure that "compatibility modes" only affect user level apps, not drivers - but in any case you can't install a 32bit driver on a 64bit host.

Understand,
thank you

mpack wrote:...but in any case you can't install a 32bit driver on a 64bit host.

Ah, good point!
My apologies to the OP for offering a flawed suggestion.