Dumb Question:What does the 4 gig patch do?

[fred8615]

Let me ask this outright since I'm still not sure. I have Win 7 64 bit. Should I use this?

Especially on a 64 bit system.
Make a backup copy of the SH4.exe before you run the Patch.
Just in case.
But it only changes one byte so there should be no problems.

[Jan Kyster]

Why would we use this for SH IV?
AFAIK we don't have issues with unstable or crashing SHIV due to lack of memory? Or at all? Don't ever recall it crashing...

If a program is limited to how much memory it can use?
It could cause stutters, slow actions of many kinds, etc.........
If it can reach more memory?
It can work better in many ways.
Some ways would save read and writes to your HDDs.
If you need it, use it.
If you have no issues?
Don't use it.
Give it a try cause you can always get rid of it.
Or you may give a report to answer all questions that will henceforth be called...........

Jan Kyster's
'After testing the 4 Gig patch thingy? Here's the low down!'



And I am not being mean or sarcastic incase you wonder.

[Sailor Steve]

Some time ago I went out and bought another two GB of memory. Now I find out I wasted my money, as my system is 32 bit.

Oh well.

[Tonga]

Originally Posted by fred8615

Let me ask this outright since I'm still not sure. I have Win 7 64 bit. Should I use this?

I also have Win 7 64 bit. You can give it a try, absolutely. The patching tool should make a backup by itself, but as privateer said, make sure you have one.

Originally Posted by Jan Kyster

Why would we use this for SH IV?
AFAIK we don't have issues with unstable or crashing SHIV due to lack of memory? Or at all? Don't ever recall it crashing...

I myself only found some improvements concerning SH3, a better overall performance, almost no program crashes etc. any more. However I did never experience that much of an improvement with SH4, so I guess it really depends on the system one uses. SH4 is indeed quite stable, but with SH3 that's still a different story. There you would never go without...

Just on a side note - there are other games that may also profit from this patch. German Truck Simulator for example now rewards me with almost 15 fps more since I patched the exe. Saint's Row 2 also shows a better fps performance (about 15-20 fps more on my notebook here). I am still testing this with Battlefield 2 and several mods as well as with GTA 4. The most obvious effect you might notice is a considerable decrease in loading time.
As long as you always make a backup, testing this with other games might prove quite useful.

The patch I posted here is only for SH4 version 1.5
That was done to avoid problems with the Programmer of the Universal Patcher and permissions.
And was also done in a way that works well for SubSim.
Since the Patch here is only for SH4 version 1.5?
(And the SH3 versions)
The downloads are targeted.

[Jan Kyster]

Right, done some testing now.

Before each test, these steps were followed:
- boot system
- wait 3 mins for W7 to settle
- load Process Monitor
- run the SH4.exe (made two: SH4-ORG.exe and SH4-LAA.exe)
- start process monitor
- play a bit
- exit SH4
- read Process Monitor

Test 1, standard TMO career, approaching harbour for attack, 9 ships in play.
Test 2, run single mission "Tokio-Saipan Convoy", 23 ships in play.

Screenshots of Process Monitor.

Test 1, org. and patched:





Test 2, org. and patched:





For Process Monitor and (another) LAA-program: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=112556

I notice, the CPU barely breakes any sweat...


Conclusion:
I found no difference, but at least it didn't crash SH4. Seems to run unaffected.
Would like to test, if someone has a mission with a humongeous load of ships...


"Hey! It's only a drill!"

.

[Jan Kyster]

Thought of making a really heavy mission with quadzillions of ships, but then it struck me! The OM Museum!
Always known as a "Not To Be Used!" option because of crash!


So loaded OM with all stuff and quite right - SH4 crashed.


Here's the Process Monitor screendump.
Note how the max. memory use do not exceed 1.65 GB! but it still crashes...




Now the LAA patched SH4 Process Monitor screendump:






Conclusion:
Reason for SH4 crashing in Museum, is because of the 2GB limitation. Using the LAA patch now allows for opening the museum.
Max. memory 2.21 GB for OM!



However, the sea is very strange.
Like high speed water flow... but of course, noone has ever seen it before...



Been running with the LAA patch for some 10 hours and have found no side effects, so I would say it's safe to use.
And if you would like to see the Museum, it's a must have!



/edit, note re. memory use.

Extra memory used for 9 to 23 ships = 1.40GB to 1.48 = 80MB
With Max memory = 1.65GB = crash, then we have 1.64GB-1.48GB = 160MB in real overhead.

Which is only twice of what required to meet 22 ships in the open ocean. No harbour, shallows, land etc.

All my installs now have the LAA patch. Imho it's a must have. Thanks for the hint, BubbleHead!

Core i7-930, 6GB, Win7 64-bit used in test.

Btw. Bubble, you should change the thread title to "[Solved] What does the 4 gig Patch do?"
It does nothing but good!

[irish1958]

Jan Kyster
Thanks for the info;
This is an example of how good science works
State a problem, form a premise, gather data to support or refute the premise, form a conclusion supported by the gathered data,
Publish the results and invite comment.
I tested the premise and can confirm that the museum is viewable with the 4Gb patch installed on Win7, 64 bits.

@Jan Kyster,

Great report!
I knew you would give us the needed facts in a
concise way.

[fitzcarraldo]

Originally Posted by Jan Kyster

Thought of making a really heavy mission with quadzillions of ships, but then it struck me! The OM Museum!
Always known as a "Not To Be Used!" option because of crash!


So loaded OM with all stuff and quite right - SH4 crashed.


Here's the Process Monitor screendump.
Note how the max. memory use do not exceed 1.65 GB! but it still crashes...




Now the LAA patched SH4 Process Monitor screendump:






Conclusion:
Reason for SH4 crashing in Museum, is because of the 2GB limitation. Using the LAA patch now allows for opening the museum.
Max. memory 2.21 GB for OM!



However, the sea is very strange.
Like high speed water flow... but of course, noone has ever seen it before...



Been running with the LAA patch for some 10 hours and have found no side effects, so I would say it's safe to use.
And if you would like to see the Museum, it's a must have!



/edit, note re. memory use.

Extra memory used for 9 to 23 ships = 1.40GB to 1.48 = 80MB
With Max memory = 1.65GB = crash, then we have 1.64GB-1.48GB = 160MB in real overhead.

Which is only twice of what required to meet 22 ships in the open ocean. No harbour, shallows, land etc.

All my installs now have the LAA patch. Imho it's a must have. Thanks for the hint, BubbleHead!

Core i7-930, 6GB, Win7 64-bit used in test.

Btw. Bubble, you should change the thread title to "[Solved] What does the 4 gig Patch do?"
It does nothing but good!

LAA patch is the same 4GbPatch? I have this in SH4; TMO with RSRDC OK, but OM, without museum. Glup!

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[Jan Kyster]

Originally Posted by fitzcarraldo

LAA patch is the same 4GbPatch?

No, it's not. But the end result should be the same. Setting the Large Address Awareness-bit.
However I prefer the "original" work since this have some more features and may handle all kinds of programs... follow links in above posts.

OM Museum - Glup??
Can open it at any time. It do take some time due to the massive amount of ships and planes, but eventually it gets there...

Impossible to open without allowing SH4 to use more RAM than it's native 2GB (=1.6GB) address limit permits... as screendumps above shows.

[Alky]

Originally Posted by Kpt. Hess

Just on a side note - there are other games that may also profit from this patch.

I'd like to try it on other games but the patch looks for sh4.exe specifically, how do you get around that?

Originally Posted by Alky

I'd like to try it on other games but the patch looks for sh4.exe specifically, how do you get around that?

The patch hosted here is only for SH4 version 1.5
I did it that way to avoid problems with the Creator of the original
version that will patch nearly every program.
If you want the Multi-program that patches all kinds of stuff?
I can send you a link by PM.