Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount

I know of no adverse affects beyond discussions easily found at support.ms
but those discussions are generally dealt with by current SP levels or deal
with particular behaviours/circumstances.

Most of my sites are <20 users and the only heavy SQL site is still on SBS
2000, I haven't found it necessary to run 4GB. My _personal opinion_ is that
2GB is a 'sweet spot' for SBS, covering a wide range of use. I would
recommend more today but most of my client's systems have been in operation
for some time. Long winded way of saying 'no', right?-)

I suppose a cautious person would create a second boot.ini line, allowing
the system to be started with/out PAE. Not sure, but I think 'safe mode'
would be possible anyway.

"Daniel Jewel" <cyberdudeiq@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OG9YRKLdHHA.420@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Many thanks SuperG !

have you ever applied the switch to a SBS 2003 box? The Server is
beginning to work reasonably well now...and I just don't wanto to screw
things up...to the best of your knowledge, do you think the switch will
not screw things up?
tks,
Dan

"SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" <not@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:u7NyM2KdHHA.4344@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Daniel, please add the /PAE switch to your boot.ini line but also be
aware of http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834628/en-us (and other articles
viewable by plugging '2003 PAE' into the search box at
http://support.microsoft.com) and let us know how much memory SBS
reports.

This does not necessarily 'cure' your problem, TTBOMK it requires certain
criteria to be satisfied which may include CPU, motherboard, and device
capabilities.

The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space for
the devices out of the base 4GB, making the 4GB (or most of it) available
to the OS. It does however have an impact on performance, it increases
the 'pointers' for memory handling to allow 32b systems to access outside
the 4GB flat memory model. Do you get better performance from the
increased memory or by running without PAE and living with the reduced
amount? If it works with your system we'll see :-)

http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2004/08/18/216492.aspx
Myth: PAE increases the virtual address space beyond 4GB

and I'm sure there's a discussion of this on one of the SBS blogs but
I've checked Susan, Sean, SBSdocs, and the 'Official' without luck

"Daniel Jewel" <cyberdudeiq@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23u9A$MKdHHA.4172@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Many thanks Charlie,

had I only purchased 3 GBs of RAM would have the same impact on the
overall performance?
If yes, that means I threw 1 GB of RAM out the window...?

Dan,

"Charlie Russel - MVP" <charlie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:AAAC4A14-5AF9-4C56-977F-7F85E7C686E0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This is a direct byproduct of the limited flat memory space available
to 32-bit Windows. The BIOS reserves space for PCI card BIOS and memory
mapping below 4GB. Because of this, access to RAM in that memory space
is blocked. With a 64-bit OS this can be remapped above 4GB,
eliminating the problem. And many BIOS have the ability to reduce this
hit with one of several configuration changes.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/xperts64


"Daniel Jewel" <cyberdudeiq@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OYg7W68cHHA.2088@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
hello all,

this is the first time I see this (usually don't go over 2 GBs) that
tere are 4GBs installed but the OS (SBS2003 R2 Premium SP2) only shows
2.87GB...I have nothing sharing the main RAM...

Also, do I have to add some sort of switch in boot.ini or someplace
else?

Thanks,

Dan










.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount
    ... Most of my sites are <20 users and the only heavy SQL site is still on SBS ... the system to be started with/out PAE. ... The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space for ... increases the 'pointers' for memory handling to allow 32b systems to ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount
    ... allowing the system to be started with/out PAE. ... have you ever applied the switch to a SBS 2003 box? ... The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space for ... increases the 'pointers' for memory handling to allow 32b systems to ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount
    ... have you ever applied the switch to a SBS 2003 box? ... http://support.microsoft.com) and let us know how much memory SBS reports. ... The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space for the ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount
    ... is that 2GB is a 'sweet spot' for SBS, covering a wide range of use. ... have you ever applied the switch to a SBS 2003 box? ... The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space for ... increases the 'pointers' for memory handling to allow 32b systems to ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: 4GBs of RAM Miscount
    ... allowing the system to be started with/out PAE. ... have you ever applied the switch to a SBS 2003 box? ... The idea is that /PAE allows the system to move the reserved space ... it increases the 'pointers' for memory handling to allow 32b systems ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)