JSI Tip 9621. When you use the Hot Add Memory feature to add RAM to Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, your server hangs or BSODs?

If your Windows Server 2003 SP1 computer has a 64-bit chip set, but is running the 32-bit O/S, and you had less than 4 GB of RAM, using the Hot Add Memory feature to increase RAM to 4 GB, or greater, will cause your server to hang or BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) with STOP 0x0000007F.

This behavior occurs because Windows Server 2003 with SP1 cannot use double buffering for DMA (Direct Memory Access) RAM on 32-bit devices.

NOTE: This problem will NOT occur if you have at least 4 GB of RAM before you use the Hot Add Memory feature.

NOTE: This problem will NOT occur if your devices are not limited to 32-bit DMA RAM.