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News Google automatically switches 32-bit Chrome to 64-bit

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 4 May 2017.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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  2. jcb121

    jcb121 What's a Dremel?

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    now it can have all the rams
     
  3. edzieba

    edzieba Virtual Realist

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    I view 32bit Chrome's limitation to 4GB as a feature, not a bug. Forcibly prevents the memory leaks from eating up all 16GB.
     
  4. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Thanks. I always like to know that my Mom's laptop is going to crap out. At least this time I already know why.
    2017, and we still don't have enough memory to open a web page, FFS.
     
  5. B1GBUD

    B1GBUD ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Accidentally Funny

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    Can someone explain how it's supposed to improve security?
     
  6. dstarr3

    dstarr3 What's a Dremel?

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    Chrome uses so much memory because it sandboxes each individual tab. If you run out of memory, Chrome might stop sandboxing tabs, making them much more vulnerable to attack. If you expand the memory available to Chrome, it can sandbox more tabs.
     
  7. TimB

    TimB What's a Dremel?

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    Even a 32bit app can eat up 16GBs of memory when it has leaks.

    Sometimes the only way to affect change is to force it. Plugin developers have had over a decade to make the move to 64bit.
     
    Last edited: 5 May 2017
  8. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Where to start? Data Execution Prevention (DEP) by default, whereas it's disabled by default for 32-bit applications; Structured Exception Handling Overwrite Protection (SEHOP), again on by default for 64-bit applications and disabled by default for 32-bit applications; beefed-up Address Space Layout Randomisation (ASLR) with a massively bigger address space to hide things in; Kernel Patch Prevention (KPP), or PatchGuard; Code Integrity checking; and to quote Microsoft on the benefits of 64-bit Edge, "When Microsoft Edge runs on a 64-bit PC, it runs only 64-bit processes, which are much more secure against exploits."
     
  9. Dr. Coin

    Dr. Coin Multimodder

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    I have no strong opinions on this move by Google, but I am wonder what would happen following a system upgrade where a computer goes from less than to more than 4 Gb of RAM? Will Chrome auto switch versions?
     
  10. wolfticket

    wolfticket Downwind from the bloodhounds

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    It'll probably just switch versions the next time it silently updates.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Paradigm Shifter

    Paradigm Shifter de nihilo nihil fit

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    Well, I finally switched to 64-bit Firefox the other day (I use Chrome, but not as my daily driver as I just don't like it very much) so I won't be sorry to see Chrome switch too.
     

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