For an outline of what you will be doing check post #13 above.
You could apply the necessary boot-loading parameters to your current Windows setup, but I recommend against it.
In order not to modify your normal boot procedure, kernel, etc, it is best that you create a separate boot loader entry.
That way if the procedure does not result in a successful boot, restarting the computer will offer you the boot selection menu, where you can select your original “normal” boot.
DISCLAIMER: Nevertheless I believe you must be computer proficient before you try this, not necessarily by proffesion (i’m an amateur in computers). You will be modifying basic OS parameters. In particular, the patch is low level modification with hex editor (my first time), but you will be modifying a kernel copy, keeping the original for a separate boot selection.
If you Google keyphrases like : “Windows 32bit memory kernel patch” you will find several guidelines online.
Since I read many before I decided how-to and finally succeeded I will relate my own steps.
STEP 1. Copy the Windows Kernel from \Windows\System32 to a separate folder. You will be making changes in this folder only not the original (near the end you will copy the modified kernel, renamed, back into System32). You can name the folder and the kernel copy anyway you like, it does not matter.
This link details this step. (this and the following two links are in German, I used Google-translate to English, and understood them just fine)Note I used the suggested HEX editor TinyHexer, you will find a link for that in the webpage above. Be careful TinyHexer deletes two characters (Word = pair of Bytes) with every delete keystrike, but writing a Word is typing 2 hexadecimal characters, make sure that the file words before and after the changed part remain unaltered!
Also note that there exist ready-modified kernels for this patch, but I would be reluctant to use one, because they are often considered to contain viruses, which may or may not be true and because there are several releases of the kernel for each Windows version.
STEP 2. Certify and sign the modified kernel. If you have Windows Software Development Kit SDK or Visual studio you have the two tools needed if not This link tells you how to get them. (next step also in the above, same webpage guide)
Use the commands makecert and signtool as detailed here (next step also in the above, same webpage guide) and copy the modified renamed file back to System32 folder
STEP 3. Open a command line with adminstrator privileges. bcdedit is the command that edits boot menu configurations. Without parameters it shows the existing configuration. Make a copy of the current (your “normal”) configuration as follows :bcdedit /copy {current} /d “Windows 7-32bit with Xtended Memory”
Next you will modifying this copy, adding your patched kernel, enabling PAE and increasing memory available to applications. So make sure your original boot configuration doesn’t already support PAE and increased memory (it won’t if you and yours have not edited before, it doesn’t by default).Note after you copy the {current} boot entry the name of the boot entry you will be modifying is a long alphanumerical identifier and is unique to your stystem, copy it carefully, and substitue between the curly brackets
bcdedit /set {…} kernel YourPatchedKernelNameHere.exe
bcdedit /set {…} testsigning on
bcdedit /set {…} pae ForceEnable
These boot options however are not enough to get the full benefits for Blender, to give Blender more than 2GB add the following line to the bootmenu: bcdedit /set {…} increaseuserva 3072
will give you 3GB (the maximum)
STEP 4. Your boot menu was completed above but do not reboot yet. You have added pae enable to the alternative boot. Though PAE compatiblity is generally and widely followed there are drivers that will not work with it! Among the most complicated and memory demanding are of course those for graphics cards. So when you do eventually boot first try entry 1 the standard boot sequence, make sure all works as usual, then reboot and try your new boot entry.
Many of us Blender users use NVidia. Nvidia drivers have stopped PAE support after release version 332.21 (2014).
Download that from NVidia page here
Make sure your graphics card is listed under the “Supported” tag (I have a GTX 760, but this driver is for many-many more).
Run the download to roll back your video driver.
STEP 5. Now reboot, enter menu option 1 your pre-existing “normal” boot. Check everything is as expected. Check your NVidia driver.
Reboot and this time select the new extended memory boot configuration you just added. In case you are wondering, without the graphics driver rollback your screen will be garbage, since the video driver confuses memory during the Windows User Selection screen (been there… just force a restart and choose the original boot when the menu shows up again. Do not allow startup repair or it will delete the kernel patch and the boot menu you just made)
I have used this boot configuration sucessfully. My crashes, that were regularly reproduceable in large scenes are FINISHED, NO MORE CRASHES!
If you have a different experience or if other drivers suddenly cause problems, I suggest you post in this thread to let other know too.
15.01.2016 Now installed in two computers for a few days. Rock solid steady