Should I try installing 32GB of RAM on a 4-year-old motherboard that says 16GB max?

Probably not, and even if it works, it’s not worth the hassle. A 4-year-old board might not support 16GB per DIMM, leading to boot failures, only seeing 16GB total, or random crashes. A BIOS update might help, but it’s a gamble that wastes time. If you need 32GB, confirm support via forums or upgrade the platform instead.