Windows Cannot Hibernate Computer with More Than 4 GB Memory

4GB (4 gigabytes) has been a buzzword recently, mainly due to well publicize limit of maximum memory or RAM module supported and usable by 32-bit (x86) version of Windows Vista is 4 GB, especially in view of cheaper RAM stick price, enable user to purchase more memories to install onto their system. However, there is another limitation, or inconvenient for user using computer with more than 4 GB of memory, that is no hibernation feature support.

Microsoft confirms that user cannot put a computer that is running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008 with more than 4 GB (gigabytes) of RAM (random access memory) installed into hibernation mode. This is not a bug but by design, as Microsoft disable hibernation support on PC with more than 4GB physical memory inserted because benchmark by Microsoft shows that performance is poor on a computer that has more than 4 GB of memory and that has support for hibernation, which requires sufficient disk space to contain the contents of the computer’s memory.

As such, user cannot find the Hibernate tab in the Power Options Properties dialog box, which is unavailable. Worse still, the issue affects both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, although the x64 editions of Windows can support more than 4 GB of memory.

There is no resolution or solution to the hibernation turned off and not working issue. The only workaround is to reduce and decrease the RAM to 4 GB or less on the affected computer, which is unlikely to be done by most people.

And if you so love the hibernation feature that you remove some pieces of RAM module for it to fit Microsoft’s ‘requirement’ of 4GB internal memory or less, the Hibernation tab in Power Options may still not appearing. This issue occurs because Windows ‘remembers’ that it has more than 4 GB of memory as PCI memory resources are mapped in the middle of 4 GB physical memory address spaces, and the rest of the RAM is mapped to more than 4 GB of physical memory address space. If the value of the highest physical memory address is larger than 4 GB, Windows determines that the computer has more than 4 GB of memory.

To fix the Hibernation tab still not available or disabled after reducing memory amount to 4GB or less, add the /MAXMEM=4096 switch to placed at the end of the ARC path that is specified in the [operating systems] section of the Boot.ini file to reduce the highest physical memory to 4 GB for Windows XP, Server 2003 and Server 2008. For Windows Vista, enable hibernation by running “powercfg /h on” (without quotes) in an elevated command prompt.

More information at Microsoft KB888575.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 1:56 am and is filed under Operating System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

15 Responses to “Windows Cannot Hibernate Computer with More Than 4 GB Memory”

  1. greymatter
    April 8th, 2010 02:34
    15

    This information is not entirely correct, I have a 32bit XP box with 4GB that hibernates fine, onboard video with max allocation of memory may help. The so called performance hit to resume from 4Gb hiberfile is bollocks. Consider all the other performance issues MS left us with, Vista springs to mind.

  2. stupid article
    January 17th, 2010 21:13
    14

    what a dumb article. you can use hibernate in a windows machine with more than 4GB.

    stupid

  3. Roger
    December 11th, 2009 18:51
    13

    Microsoft could have think in another solution like looking at the occuped memory when hibernation is requested. Then, if the amount exceeds 4 gb, a warning should be presented to the user, and he/she can decide to continue or not.

    In fact I always use hibernation even with 3-4 gb ram, because the fact of having lots of ram does not change that starting windows makes the hard disk work tooo much and it hurts my friends…

  4. Michelle
    December 6th, 2009 06:00
    12

    Wow…

  5. Bob
    December 5th, 2009 22:16
    11

    We need more posts like this!

  6. Stuart
    December 2nd, 2009 20:02
    10

    Crap, I think I did it wrong…

  7. Rob
    November 4th, 2009 22:05
    9

    There is a workaround!

    1. Go to C:\
    2. go to Tools > Folder Options > View tab > untick ‘Hide protected operating systems files’
    3. Right click on boot.ini and untick readonly
    4. Edit boot.ini and add /maxmem=4096
    5. Reboot your machine

    Futher details in this KB article
    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;888575

  8. uv.kid
    September 12th, 2009 21:35
    8

    ms photo copy site

  9. How to Enable or Disable Hibernate in Windows 7 » My Digital Life
    August 12th, 2009 21:09
    7

    [...] note that Windows does not support hibernation on system with 4GB or more RAM memory. Check out also more than 30 Windows 7 hacks, tips and [...]

  10. be unprepared » Blog Archive » Windows Cannot Hibernate Computer with More Than 4 GB Memory
    January 3rd, 2009 01:52
    6

    [...] Windows Cannot Hibernate Computer with More Than 4 GB Memory [...]

  11. hthak
    October 31st, 2008 01:30
    5

    My last bank invest is not good – see it in this blog,

  12. fornetti
    August 31st, 2008 08:50
    4

    I do not believe this

  13. Jefferson
    July 25th, 2008 01:40
    3

    Acabei de habilitar o hibernate em um equipamento com 4gb de memoria… o problema era o driver de video.

  14. 64-bit (x64) Windows Vista SP1 (6001.1800) tcpip.sys Auto Patcher to Fix Event ID 4226 and Unlock Increase Maximum Connections Allowed » Tip and Trick
    May 18th, 2008 02:43
    2

    [...] You can always skip the usage of ReadyDriver Plus by pressing F8 during the very early initial stage of boot up process and select “Disable Driver Signature Enforcement” in Windows Vista Boot Manager menu. However, you must remember to do so every time, else Windows will fail to start. Easier method for user who don’t want to install ReadyDriver Plus is to use hibernation to hibernate computer without shutting down. But remember that only PC with 4 GB or less physical RAM memory can hibernate. [...]

  15. Andrew Askew
    May 14th, 2008 09:00
    1

    never a fan of hibernation… seems to slow down the computer over time anyway, imo

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