Is there anything that can stop /3GB 4GT working

Paul Cahill · Jul 16, 2005

I have 4GB Ram on a SQL 2000 Enterprise Edition machine.
I have enabled /3GB but if I set SQL Server max memory to anything above
1.9GB I get horrendous paging >300/sec. If I drop it down then the paging
drops to 3/sec.

Could a driver or stop /3GB being enabled?
Is there any independant way of checking to see if /3GB has worked. I may
have to try /PAE but I can't find any literature explaining what the
performance hit (address translation etc) for it is.

Thanks
Paul Cahill

Paul Cahill · Jul 17, 2005

If it helps

I have a 4GB Ram, /3GB and a 4GB swap file

System information displays

Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Total Physical Memory: 2,096,648
Total Virtual Memory: 8,292,880
Available Virtual Memory: 4,043,092
Page File Space: 6,196,232

Paul du Toit · Jul 18, 2005

Hi

You might find this article useful. A description of the 4 GB RAM Tuning
feature and the Physical Address Extension switch
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=291988

Regards
Paul du Toit

Paul Cahill · Jul 18, 2005

I wish there was a way of testing it.

Paul du Toit said:
Hi

You might find this article useful. A description of the 4 GB RAM Tuning
feature and the Physical Address Extension switch
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=291988

Regards
Paul du Toit

Jetro · Jul 19, 2005

These could help:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=274750
How to configure memory for more than 2 GB in SQL Server

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/adminsql/ad_1_server_1fnd.asp
Managing AWE Memory

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/architec/8_ar_sa_6b3k.asp
Using AWE Memory on Windows 2000

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsqldev/html/sqldev_01262004.asp
Inside SQL Server 2000's Memory Management Facilities

Paul Cahill · Jul 19, 2005

Thanks Jetro.

I think SQL Server is fine but not w2k. I'm looking in to a hardware issue.
It could be with hot plug pci controllers that this system does not allow
access to all memory unless /PAE is used.

I've just set up a new compaq with 4GB of ram as a test. Without /3GB or
/PAE windows reports 4GB of physical memory. I know this will be logically
split into 2+2Gb.

However on the problem system, a dell poweredge 8450, only 2GB is displayed
by windows advanced server unless /PAE is used.

Paul

Jetro · Jul 19, 2005

I would ask Dell to blame the hardware because PE8450 was certified for
Datacenter Server. Meanwhile I would apply *sp_configure* option *awe
enabled*. /PAE switch is useful with > 4GB of RAM.

Paul Cahill · Jul 19, 2005

Thanks Jetro.
On this compaq I have set up /3GB etc is working exactly I I'd expect from
ms docs.
Something very wrong with the dell. Dell Tech support just recommended
running /PAE.