AWE issue

  • I have a SQL Server 2005 32 bit Enterprise edition with AWE enabled on a windows server 2003. My sql server service is running as a local system account. The server has 32 GB of RAM and max server memory is configured to 30720 MB (it is a sql server dedicated machine).

    I changed the sql server service to run as a domain account and a couple of stored procedures that use a lot of memory seemed to get stuck after that. These procedures were running fine before changing the service account.

    I see following message in Windows Event Log:

    Address Windowing Extensions (AWE) requires the 'lock pages in memory' privilege which is not currently present in the access token of the process.

    Does that mean that I need to enable some privilege for the domain account that I am trying to use or there could be another reason for stored procedures being stuck and I am looking at the wrong place?

  • You should set lock pages in memory when enabling AWE for systems over the usable ram to os rating. The service account you were using I believe has that right already. So you should add the domain account by editing the gpedit.msc under local security policy. A quick search of microsoft or google will get you the exact steps.

  • Refer this link:-

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190730.aspx

    The Windows policy Lock Pages in Memory option is disabled by default. This privilege must be enabled to configure Address Windowing Extensions (AWE). This policy determines which accounts can use a process to keep data in physical memory, preventing the system from paging the data to virtual memory on disk. On 32-bit operating systems, setting this privilege when not using AWE can significantly impair system performance. Locking pages in memory is not required on 64-bit operating systems.

    MJ

  • MANU (9/9/2008)


    Locking pages in memory is not required on 64-bit operating systems.

    MJ

    hmm, i read that 64 bit SQL2005 standard doesnt support this and 64 bit sql2005 Ent requires it

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    "Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

  • In addition to the recommendation by others that you need to set lock pages in memory permission for the domain account now used, 30720 MB is too high for a max memory setting. I would go with 28GB and see how your paging does over time. You may still need to drop it further if you see much paging steady state.

    Best,
    Kevin G. Boles
    SQL Server Consultant
    SQL MVP 2007-2012
    TheSQLGuru on googles mail service

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