Virtual Memory Setting -- sql server new users

sql server new users : Virtual Memory Setting

Greg Lumpkin
1/12/2007 11:07:45 AM

All:

I have a Pentium 4 2.2 GHz laptop with 512 MB of RAM. I installed SQL
Server 2005 Express Advanced Edition on it last night and it said that my
hardware wasn't optimal for the installation.

After looking at upgrades this morning, I have decided to max out the RAM to
2048 MB to see if that will improve performance.

My question is this (and it may be off topic and if so, I apologize), what
Virtual Memory swap file size would you suggest I set Windows XP to? I'm
sure it is currently set to start at 1.5x RAM (768MB) and stop at 3x RAM
(1536 MB).

Since the machine will have 2048 MB, should I just set a static swap file
for 4096 MB (the limit with XP) or would it be better to set it for System
Managed Size.

I'm posting to this group since I am a SQL Server newbie and thought someone
else might have input from experience.

Thanks,
Greg

Andrew J. Kelly
1/13/2007 11:26:54 AM

To be honest I don't know what the current recommendations are for swap file
size on the different OS anymore. But it should not generally be a factor
for SQL Server since SQL Server tries very hard to not force the OS to swap
due to its memory requirements. It will give back memory to the OS instead
of forcing it to swap. With 2GB of memory you should not be swapping to disk
that much anyway. I have 2GB on my laptop and I usually have several
instances of SQL Server and other apps running and my swap file is only set
to 2GB.

--
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP

[quoted text, click to view]

Greg Lumpkin
1/14/2007 8:01:40 AM

Thanks for the reply Andrew. I looked at the swap file size for a new Dell
at my office that was set up right out of the box with 2 GB of RAM and I
also looked at the settings on a Compaq Workstation I have at home with 2 GB
of RAM and set my laptop up like them. Thanks also for the info on SQL
Server.

Greg

[quoted text, click to view]

Got something to say? Click here to post a reply to this thread.

Don't see what you're looking for? Try a search.

View other messages about sql server new users

home · blog · groups

Questions? Comments? Contact the dn