Andrew Smallshaw wrote:
In article , David Maynard wrote:

If "it" is being able to run an EM64T processor in 64 bit mode then the
board supports "it."

If "it" is having an address space larger than 4 gig then the board does
not support "it."


_All_ modern day processors support more than 4Gb

That isn't in question.

- this was introduced in the
386

PAE was introduced on the Pentium Pro.

- although admittedly you had to abandon the 'flat' memory model. For the
386 the absolute limit was 64Gb if memory serves. Therefore the processor is
irrelevant

No, the processor isn't irrelevant. x86 architecture uses PAE to get past
4GB whereas 64 bit processors natively address way more than even PAE.
They're entirely different mechanisms with different capabilities.
performance, and limits.

And, of course, there are non x86 processors, although they clearly don't
plug into an x86 architecture motherboard.

- it's more dependant on the chipset.

That is precisely the 'support' we are discussing. Or rather, not only the
chipset but also how much of the chipset's capability is implemented in a
particular motherboard's design.

I never saw a 386 board that
supported so much memory but I remember them being availiable from about the
Pentium I era onwards.

PAE was introduced on the Pentium Pro, however, we're talking about 64 bit
addressing. At least in theory we are. How 64 bit addressing gets
'upgraded' into a board originally designed as a 32 bit system isn't
entirely clear.