Question

What is the maximum size a process can take on 32 bit processor on windows machine?
Can a process size be more than 4GB in any case?

Answer 1

Let’s assume you are talking about virtual memory size, “process size” doesn’t mean anything.

• A 32-bit process can consume up to two gigabytes of address space on a 32-bit operating system.
• A 32-bit process can consume up to three gigabytes of address space on a 32-bit operating system when it is booted with the /3GB boot option and it is linked with the /LARGEADDRESSAWARE linker option. This boot option is rarely available these days, particularly video adapters consume too much physical address space to leave enough room for the operating system and file system cache.
• A 32-bit process can consume up to four gigabytes of address space on a 64-bit operating system, as long as it is linked with the /LARGEADDRESSAWARE linker option
• A 64-bit process can consume an amount of virtual address space on a 64-bit operating system that’s limited by the maximum size of the paging file. The absolute maximum is further limited by the OS edition, as documented here.

You are liable to run into other limitations. This is all well explored in Mark Russinovich’ blog series titled “Pushing the limits”. The virtual memory limits are explored in this one.