R help - Aug 2008 - R memory limitations under Windows vs UNIX

Hi all,
 
Our section at work is looking at buying a high-powered computer (32 Gb RAM,
64-bit) to be able run models on large datasets and have more processing power
for the software we commonly use. We mostly use R to fit GLMs and GAMs. Our
department uses Windows as the standard OS (we are upgrading to Vista in the
next few months) and so most people would be in favour of having the same OS on
this computer. I have concerns with Windows as I'm not convinced it will
make full use of the increased RAM.
 
I have done some searching on the web and as far as I can see, the most amount
of RAM under Windows I can expect to make use of is 4 Gb using Vista 64-bit
whereas UNIX will make use of closer to the full amount of RAM.
 
Is this correct? Is there a way to make the windows version of R use more of the
available RAM? Or is going for a UNIX OS the better solution?
 
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
 
Fiona 
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On Fri, 22 Aug 2008, Fiona Giannini wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Our section at work is looking at buying a high-powered computer (32 Gb 
> RAM, 64-bit) to be able run models on large datasets and have more 
> processing power for the software we commonly use. We mostly use R to 
> fit GLMs and GAMs. Our department uses Windows as the standard OS (we 
> are upgrading to Vista in the next few months) and so most people would 
> be in favour of having the same OS on this computer. I have concerns 
> with Windows as I'm not convinced it will make full use of the
increased
> RAM.
>
> I have done some searching on the web and as far as I can see, the most
Well, that *is* in the rw-FAQ -- so do we take it that as an R for Windows 
users you have yet to read it?
> amount of RAM under Windows I can expect to make use of is 4 Gb using
> Vista 64-bit whereas UNIX will make use of closer to the full amount of 
> RAM.
>
> Is this correct? Is there a way to make the windows version of R use 
> more of the available RAM? Or is going for a UNIX OS the better 
> solution?
See the rw-FAQ for info on 64-bit builds of R under Windows.
> Any advice would be very much appreciated!
>
> Fiona
> _________________________________________________________________
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>
>
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>
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-- 
Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595