3 GB switch

[Mike]

Hi all,

Just a quick question. I have XP home with SP3 and I'm trying to apply the
/3GB switch. I entered the correct lines in the boot.ini file using the
system/advance/start up recovery settings/edit. I then saved the file and
rebooted. After it re-booted I was told to look under the systems general
tab and make sure it said "physical address extension". But it does not.
I've rechecked the boot file and its typed exactly like I was instructed to
type. Does anyone know what I did wrong? Does Home edition allow the /3GB
switch? Thanks for the help

 

[John John (MVP)]

The /3GB switch has nothing to do with Physical Address Extensions.

John

 

[Jerry]

Try adding /PAE instead.

 

[Mike]

Thats the problem with the internet..."everyones an expert". This was
suggested in a post to help with out of memory (OOM) errors. At the end of
the boot edit I was to add "/userva=2650" to help increase the stability of
the simulation. Jerry, if your suggesting /PAE what amount of VAS would you
suggest?

 

[John John (MVP)]

What are your pagefile settings and how much RAM have you got in the
machine?

 

[Mike]

2 Gig RAM
"System managaged" page file

What are your pagefile settings and how much RAM have you got in the
machine?

 

[John John (MVP)]

What are the Commit Charge readings (in the Task Manager)?

Is your "problem" application LARGEADDRESSAWARE? If it isn't the use of
the /3GB switch is for naught. What does the application vendor have to
say about memory management with their application?

John

 

[Mike]

The OOM error is linked to largeaddressaware. I have made sure the
largeaddressaware>2 gig "box" is checked in the .exe file for the simulation
(FSX). I have edited the boot.ini with the /3GB switch AND added
/userva=2650. So far I haven't had any issues...windows loads just fine
w/out errors...BUT...how do I know if the 3GB switch is working? He states
that I need to look to make sure I have "physical address extensions" under
the system general tab but it does not state this and you have replied "the
/3GB switch has nothing to do with this"...so I go back to my question...how
do I know the /3GB switch is working? Is there something under the system
info that states how much VAS I have selected and its being allocated?

 

[John John (MVP)]

Well, usually we would tell users to look for the /3GB switch in the
boot.ini file or to look at the SystemStartOptions value at the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control key.

Otherwise you have to look at the pool resources. This can be done with
the kernel debugger or you can use WMI and query the MaxProcessMemory size.

Memory Management - Understanding Pool Resources
http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/ar...-management-understanding-pool-resources.aspx

Memory Management - Demystifying /3GB
http://blogs.technet.com/askperf/archive/2007/03/23/memory-management-demystifying-3gb.aspx

Counter of the Week - Free System Page Table Entries (PTEs)
http://blogs.technet.com/cotw/archi...-non-paged-pool-memory-on-32-bit-windows.aspx

Verifying the /3GB switch
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kb...03/AdminTips/Admin/Verifyingthe3GBswitch.html

John

 

[Mike]

I'll check it this evening...I appreciate the time and effort friend.

Mike

 

[John John (MVP)]

You're welcome.

John

I'll check it this evening...I appreciate the time and effort friend.

Mike

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