# Are there any PAE kernel packages?



## nikitastepanov (Mar 26, 2020)

Are there any PAE kernel packages?


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## SirDice (Mar 26, 2020)

What do you mean?


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## eternal_noob (Mar 26, 2020)

When checking out the kernel sources, there is a PAE config file.

Here's mine for i386:

```
[root@xxx ~]$ cat /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/PAE
#
# PAE -- Generic kernel configuration file for FreeBSD/i386 PAE
#
# $FreeBSD: releng/12.1/sys/i386/conf/PAE 276526 2015-01-02 05:34:14Z scottl $

include GENERIC

ident        PAE-GENERIC

# To make a PAE kernel, the next option is needed
options     PAE            # Physical Address Extensions Kernel

# The following drivers don't build with PAE enabled.
makeoptions    WITHOUT_MODULES="ctl dpt hptmv ida"
nodevice    dpt
nodevice    hptmv
nodevice    ida

# The following drivers don't work with PAE enabled.
makeoptions    WITHOUT_MODULES+="ncr pst"
nodevice    ncr
nodevice    pst
```

Means you have to recompile your kernel.


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## SirDice (Mar 26, 2020)

I would suggest not using it. There's very little to gain, applications need to be specifically coded to make use of PAE and most applications will simply ignore it. Plus it also causes a lot of problems with third party kernel modules. If you need to use more than 4GB of memory you really should be running a 64 bit OS.


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## eternal_noob (Mar 26, 2020)

SirDice said:


> If you need to use more than 4GB of memory you really should be running a 64 bit OS


I second that. Using PAE is a dirty workaround.


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