It was actually 3gb because operating systems have to reserve parts of the memory address space for other things. It's more difficult for all 32bit operating systems to address above 4gb just most implemented additional complexity much earlier because Linux runs on large servers and stuff. Windows actually had a way to switch over to support it in some versions too. Probably the NT kernels that where also running on servers.
A quick skim of the Wikipedia seems like a good starting point for understanding the old problem.
jwr1@kbin.earth to 
It was actually 3gb because operating systems have to reserve parts of the memory address space for other things. It's more difficult for all 32bit operating systems to address above 4gb just most implemented additional complexity much earlier because Linux runs on large servers and stuff. Windows actually had a way to switch over to support it in some versions too. Probably the NT kernels that where also running on servers.
A quick skim of the Wikipedia seems like a good starting point for understanding the old problem.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_GB_barrier
Wow they just…disabled all RAM over 3 GB because some drivers had hard coded some mapped memory? Jfc
Only on consumer Windows.
Windows Server never had the problem. But wouldn't allow Creative Labs drivers to be installed either...