Please start any new threads on our new
site at https://forums.sqlteam.com. We've got lots of great SQL Server
experts to answer whatever question you can come up with.
| Author |
Topic |
|
scootermcfly
Yak Posting Veteran
66 Posts |
 Posted - 2002-03-14 : 10:52:59
|
| Right now I am running servers that are at 2GB each with Win2K Server and SQL2K Standard Edition. I would like to bump up the memory to about 4GB for each and haven't ever played with the /3GB switch or the 'awe enabled' option.Do i need to add the /3GB switch to my boot.ini file on my server if I add more memory and the amount that I add it over 3GB? Or will Win2k adjust itself?Should I configure the 'awe enabled' option before I increase the memory, or after increasing the memory. (I have pictures of SQL not starting due to the new increase in RAM, if the option is not first enabled)And is there anything else that I should be particularly careful of, or things that someone has run into in the past that might be of help?Thanks in advance,Scooter McFly |
|
|
chadmat
The Chadinator
1974 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-14 : 12:11:00
|
| Are you running a single or multiple instances?The /3GB switch is if you want the application address space to be 3GB and the OS address space to be 1GB. This is not required, and should be tested, because it doesn't always increase performance (And can even hinder it).The AWE switch will allow SQL to utilize more than 2GB of memory. I believe this is only available in the Enterprise Edition, so I don't think it is an option.Come to think of it I think /3GB is an Advanced Server Option too (Not 100% on that) so this whole discussion may be moot, unless you are upgrading SQL and the OS.-Chad |
 |
|
|
scootermcfly
Yak Posting Veteran
66 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-14 : 12:26:16
|
| Single instance of SQL running and it is on Win2K Server, not Advanced Server. I Know that the standard server edition of Win2k can handle upto 4GB, I just have never dealth with that and SQL2K.Thanks,Scooter McFly |
|
|
|
setbasedisthetruepath
Used SQL Salesman
992 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-14 : 14:00:51
|
| scooter,the windows OS gives each process a 2GB virtual memory space, and reserves an additional 2GB virtual memory space for itself. With default settings, each process (including sql server) gets a maximum of 2GB, regardless of how much physical RAM is in the box.You can check this easily by opening up task manager. SQL Server will never allocate more than 2GB, even if you try and adjust the min/max memory settings. The OS will not give it any more than 2GB.When you specify /3GB in the boot.ini, you allow each process to allocate 3GB. When you specify AWE enabled ( i believe you need datacenter for this ) you can go to 64GB. You should use the /3GB switch if your server is dedicated to SQL Server. |
|
|
|
chadmat
The Chadinator
1974 Posts |
Posted - 2002-03-14 : 17:04:10
|
| Standard Server can handle 4GB of memory, but the /3GB option is only available in Windows 2000 AS (Confirmed) and NT 4.0 EE.So with your setup you don't need to change or set anything, actually there is nothing you can set or change. These options aren't available to you.SQL Server will start up fine with 4GB of physical memory, it will only allocate 2GB though.-Chad |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/3GB switch in my boot.ini