Active Windows Extensions

  • Hi all,

    I understand that in order for SQL Server to use more than 2GB of memory on a server which has more than 2Gb installed we have to enable AWE. Most of the sites I have read discuss only about Windows 2000. Below is a chart showing versions of Windows 2000 and SQL Server 2000 that support AWE memory:

    Windows Version

    SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition

    SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition

    SQL Server 2000 Personal Edition

    SQL Server 2000 Developer's Edition

    Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

    64GB

    2GB

    2GB

    64GB

    Windows 2000 Advanced Server

    8GB

    2GB

    2GB

    8GB

    Windows 2000 Server

    4GB

    2GB

    2GB

    4GB

    Windows 2000 Professional

    N.A.

    N.A.

    2GB

    2GB

    What I wanted to know was about Windows Server 2003. Do we need to enable AWE for all Editions of Windows Server 2003 also?

    Thanks.

    Shahid.

  • Shahid

    It depends what edition of SQL Server you're using and how much more memory than 2GB you've got.  If you have SQL Server Standard Edition, then you can't use more than 2GB under any circumstances.  If you have up to 4GB of RAM then you can use the /3GB switch in the boot.ini file to allow your applications (including SQL Server) to use up to 3GB of memory, reserving only 1GB for the OS.

    For memory above 4GB, you need to use AWE.  Put the /PAE switch in boot.ini (and remove the /3GB switch if you have 16GB or more).  If you have SQL Server 2000 SP4 then there is a hotfix you need to apply to use AWE.  Also, SQL Server cannot dynamically allocate memory with AWE so you should manually set the maximum memory for each instance on the server.

    All this applies to Windows 2003 as well.

    Hope that helps

    John

  • Thanks John. Makes the concept of AWE little bit more clear.

  • Hi,

    AWE =Address windowing Extension.

    When this option is enabled on sql server EM.Then SQL server uses more RAM.

    U also have to edit the boot .ini file and add /PAE or /AWE at the last.

    SQL support (AWE) to address approx. 8 GB of memory for instance that run on MW2000 advanced server and approx.32 GB for instance that run on MW2000 Datacenter.

    HTH

    from

    Killer

  • Wrong forum, this is the Notification Services forum.

  • Gallan, am afraid is this your signature [Wrong forum, this is the Notification Services forum.] or your answers for any questions. ?

    I've seen all your replies are just the same - Wrong forum, this is the Notification Services forum. So just wonder about.

    If you cant help with solution better dont write it. Thanks !


    Get busy living ....or get busy dying....

  • Wrong forum, this is the Notification Services forum.

    What part of that don't you understand?

    I can appreciate people helping people even if they are not in the correct thread/forum.

    But, please try to find any input regarding Notification Services within this forum:

    Forums Home » Notification Services » Administration

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/forums/messages.aspx?forumid=92

    Trying to find an answer to a problem should first demand some investigation, not just go straight to a posting. Agree? Therefore, I am looking for forums/blogs etc. that are on the topic of Notification Services not for anything specific but examples/best practices/bugs/etc.

    This is my point.

  • Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but in my understanding the 4GB limit John talked about does not apply in x64 editions of Windows Server 2003 using an x64 edition of MSSQL.

    If not, then we're switching to 64-bit on our database servers for almost nothing.

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