SQL Server Express is eating up my memory!

Question

SQL Server Express is eating up my memory!

eschlange

SSC Veteran

Points: 213
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November 28, 2007 at 8:25 am

#181577

I installed SQL Server express, and it seemed to be working swimmingly...until it stopped. On further investigation, I found that SQL Server was slowly but surely taking more and more system memory, until I ran out of memory!
Is this normal? How do you fix it? Seems like others have had this issue...doesn't this seem like a bug (not a feature)?

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004406 More actions · Answer 1

Are you using any of the sp_OA* stored procedures? Are you closing GUI (and other) connections to the data base when they are no longer needed?

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Matt Miller (4) SSC Guru Points: 124210 More actions · Answer 2

You need to set up the Maximum size in memory setting for SQL server. If you don't have >1024MB, it's entirely possible that some big process will prompt SQL Server to take all of the RAM on the machine, which will cause you to slow down. Also - once SQL server acquires resources, it usually doesn't relinquish them, so the max memory setting tends to make it behave.

SQLExpress will only use up to 1GB of RAM, so it shouldn't crowd you if you DO have more than that (unless things are misbehaving like Jeff mentioned).

The Max memory needs to leave enough memory for the OS and other apps to perform. You may need to "play" with it to find the right balance.[/

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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?

eschlange SSC Veteran Points: 213 More actions · Answer 3

It's my understanding that you can't set a maximum memory setting for SQL Server Express. Or is the "maximum size in memory" a different setting than the one I'm referring to (which you get to by going to the properties of the server, then memory, then you can set min/max values?)

Matt Miller (4) SSC Guru Points: 124210 More actions · Answer 4

Did you turn on advanced options? AFAIK - that's required.

Try this script:

use master

Go

exec sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;

Go

RECONFIGURE;

GO

exec sp_configure 'max server memory (MB)', 700;--or whatever number you wish

GO

RECONFIGURE;

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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?