I would like to know if there is a way to have Skyrim utilize 8+GB of memory. I have a system with 16GB DDR3 1600 and would like to know if this is possible.
Also, is it possible for Skyrim to utilize all the CPU threads (4 cores, 8 threads)?

Large address patch should allow 16 GB but don't quote me on that. There's an entry in the ini for threads, might try upping that.

LAA patch allows up to 4GB, the maximum memory a 32bit program can access. So no, unless gamesas releases a 64bit build of Skyrim, you won't be seeing more than 4GB. To effectively use more than 4GB, you'd need more processes, not threads. Threads share memory space.

I really hope they release a 64bit version...

They won't.

Could the modding community convert the 32 bit .exe to a 64 bit .exe?

Not without the sources and probably correcting a lot in them just to be able to compile in 64 bits...

So, short answer, no.

Highly unlikely, and possibly illegal. It can't be done with a simple mod, it would require editing the source code, which violates copyright law and the EULA (and that's if you could even get a hold of the source code).

I wonder if it would be possible in the way the SKSE hacks into the code... Which is not illegal. But I know little about this subject, just the very basics.

Nope - You'll need the source code for the entire shebang, not to mention 64-bit versions of all the third party libraries the game uses.

Does this work well? I have 6 gigs Ram so obviously only using 2. People see a marked difference with this patch/mad, has been stable?

Not until consoles start using 64 bit, anyway.

It is like we have access to an apache helicopter and everyone around us has pointy sticks and stones, but we have no jet fuel.

About what are you talking. The LAA Patch/Launchers prevent your game from crashing, especially if you use some texture replacers.
About the topic and its comments

a) In generall, allocate RAM only because there is enough RAM is plain stupid. Happy when a programm uses 2GB instead of 1GB but see no difference?
However without the source code including third party stuff code/libraries it wont be possible to create a working x64-Exe
c) Even if we reach the destinated allocation limit of 1,8-2GB or 4GB with LAA-Flag on a x86-Exe, the programm should be written that way that it wont crash or free unnecessary stuff. This seems not to happy because people using texture replacers and/or high resolution "ultra" settings even without modifications will experience crashes because of some weird bugged code the developers have written

d) Finally In my opinion there is no need for a x64-Exe. The developers shall fix the crashes because of bad memory managment and if possible release a native x32-Exe WITH Laa-Flag so that driver recognizes the game with default settings

Edit: Maybe some of you have played Crysis (1). I guess it was the first game released with a x32 and x64 Exe. However for me playing the game there was really no notable difference and I guess except for showing the possibilitys, it wasnt necessary

That is a wonderful anology. You forget the part where we were also given the same pointy sticks and stones as everyone else to fuel our helicopter though.

This made me think of a steam driven helicopter...

If you have that much RAM available to the system, don't bother trying to get the Skyrim executable to recognize and use it. Just setup a RAM Drive, allocate 8-12gb to it, install the game to it, and go about your merry way playing a lightning-fast version of Skyrim.

This is a bit off topic, but I'm interested in this. I keep reading about expensive SSD drives, but ram is very cheap nowadays. I always wondered why you can't simply buy something like 16+ gb (even 32gb isn't expensive) of ram and let a whole game run on it without the need for a harddrive at all (except for installing the game of course). What are the downsides aside from possible data loss (which wouldn't matter much in a game)? Any limitations, problems if you do that?

This.

You have to realize that making an x64 compile of the game with fully integrated multi-threading built in such a way that it would actually help game performance and not create race conditions or crashes is not "modding the game", it is making an entirely new game engine, and then flagrantly plagiarizing the resources of Skyrim into the game engine you have built.

You can make a "patch" (hack) that gets the game over a hurdle in using the full memory that a single-thread x32 program can support, but you have to realize what a world of difference you are asking for when you ask that the entire format on which the program runs be changed.

Data loss on the Skyrim install to a RAM drive would be nonexistent. After setting up the RAM drive, you set it to do a backup to your regular hard drive (usually when you shut the system down), or force a manual backup anytime you change the config with esps/etc. That way when Windows boots it reads the image from the hard drive and loads that into RAM for use. If the machine crashes while playing, no harm at all - just reboot and it'll reload the drive at start.

Keep all savegame files and the ini files in your My Games folder on a regular hard drive of course - real data isn't meant to reside on a RAM drive unless you are very sure about your backups, and even have them set to fire off on a regular schedule (or have battery backup going).

Most people don't run RAM drives due to the cost of the hardware, but they are extremely efficient and much faster than even SSD drives. The only exception is when you get a RAID 0 stripe of many super fast SSDs working in tandem - that might approach the efficiency of the RAM drive and takes a little of the load off the memory subsystem. SSDs have their own problems of course, which is why I stopped using them a year or so ago.

Bottom line - if you can afford to boost your rig to 12gb or higher, and have the patience (or funds) to get the right RAM drive software and set it up correctly, you'll be playing a version of Skyrim with almost no load time, and no loading stutter.

You certainly don't need 12gb. Even making a 2-4gb RAM drive and installing the frequently used files that the game loads often helps quite a bit.

Possibly yes, though you'll have to use mountpoints or some other tech to offload just a few of the files instead of the entire Skyrim folder. My Skyrim install takes up almost 6gb, and you'd want to give Windows 7 a minimum of 4gb all of it's own. 10gb would suffice, but 12 would afford some breathing room. Given that a lot of motherboards have 6x memory slots (with 3x install configs), 2gb in each slot would do the trick.

I personally have the game installed to a fast RAID 0 stripe of 2 drives, and my load times are pretty low (on the order of 2 seconds average), which I can live with. It would be fun to see it on a RAM drive however.

What is this? Is it something Bethesda promised to do for the PC?

More RAM available to the game won't help. The LAA patch only helps if you're using a whole whack of high res texture packs etc, but doesn't affect vanilla game performance at all.

I'm running at ultra with a decent number of mods currently, including sever texture replacements, and thus far there's no performance impact with or without the additional 2gb.

More than 4gb available would serve no purpose: the engine isn't designed to use that much, and simply wouldn't.

A ram drive would certainly work: I'd recommend moving the /data folder to it, and hard linking with a tool like Junction. God, I wish Windows had a proper hard link tool built in! At least the *.BSA's.

An SSD is a much simpler setup, just install skyrim there and you're golden. But, if you don't have one, it's a pricey(though worthwhile) upgrade if you've got some spare cash. Moving your system install to an SSD makes for a ridiculous performance enhancement overall.