What happens when you install > 4GB of RAM in a computer with a 32-Bit OS?

So I'm a programmer and I'm not a complete idiot so I know exactly why you can't access memory where you can't have pointers. But I've never tried this and I don't think I ever will because it seems like a big waste of money/time.

I'm just wondering if there are any tools that let me access my himem (You'd think we'd have gotten around this issue by now).

Solution 1:

If you have a a processor with the Physical Address Extension (which you probably do) and the correct OS (e.g. not a consumer version of Windows, it uses PAE but is capped at 4GB) then the memory can be mapped and used normally. Otherwise the memory will simply not be addressed, the OS will tell that you that you have however many chips of however big they are but they just won't be added to the amount of memory you can access.

Solution 2:

Things would work nicely as 4GB is the limit for a 32bit processor. Here's as article that goes more in depth and actually shows that you can install and use much more than 4GB on a 32bit OS.