Post reply

SQL Server process not using more than 170 MB

  • September 5, 2005 at 7:21 pm

    #102770

    Good Day!

         I have an issue with a SQL server of a client and i could use some help. Here's the scenario:

    1. Dell PowerEdge 6650

    2. Windows Server 2003 Enterprise

    3. 16GB RAM physical memory

    4. SQL Server 2000 SP3

    5. /PAE on boot.ini

    6. Min server memory = 0

    7. Max Server Memory = 15871 (15 GB)

    8. AWE enabled = 1

    9. set working set size = 0 (disabled)

         Looking at the Task Manager, sqlserver.exe never goes higher than 180mb average, no matter how complex or process intensive any query is. Windows recognizes the full 16 GB of RAM installed and the processor indicators never max out.

         This server is using HT technology showing 8 processors while having 4 on board. This is leading to performance issues where some queries take forever to run and some other processes hang because of the database locks, until the tables are released by the queries.

         It's also showing the following error message on the event viewer:

    **************************

    Source: MSSQLSERVER

    Category: 2

    Event ID: 17055

    Type: Error

    Description:

    17122 :

    initdata: Warning: Could not set working set size to 1767716 KB.

    **************************

         Any ideas anybody ? We just noticed that today and it will become a problem pretty soon as right now the server don't have even 1/2 of the load it will have in the next few weeks. According to Dell Tech Support, there's nothing that indicates a problem with the physical memory. Still we switch the dimm modules around but that didn't help. Thank you!

    Best regards, 

    Amram Peña, FCSE, MCP

    President

    INSS Internet and Networking Security Solutions Inc, S.A.

    http://www.inss-inc.com

    Phone: +506-258-6813

    Fax: +506-258-7265

    Mobile Costa Rica: +506-844-4130

    E-mail: pamram@inss-inc.com

  • September 6, 2005 at 12:13 am

    #587663

    Re: 170 MB

    The SQL Server process in task manager does not show the real amount of memory it has. Since SQL Server is using AWE to allocate memory Windows in not aware of how much memory it has. Use Perfmon and look at the SQL Server counters, TotalServerMemory specifically, to see how much memory SQL Server really has.

    Note that it is recommended to set min memory size to the same level as max memory and have set working set size on when using AWE.

    Regarding the hyperthreaded processors, take a look at this KB article.

    --
    Chris Hedgate http://www.hedgate.net/
    Contributor to the Best of SQL Server Central volumes
    Articles: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/chedgate/

  • September 6, 2005 at 9:56 am

    #587836

    Had a similar issue on a Dell server running with 8GB of RAM -

    Go to Server Properties - Memory tab and ensure the "Reserve physical memory for SQL Server" is UNCHECKED.

    I found this stopped AWE allocating the memory properly.

    As Chris says the memory count in Task Manager doesn't report the memory usage properly - cheers Microsoft.

    Sim

    Cheers,

    Sim Lever

  • September 6, 2005 at 12:20 pm

    #587881

    Is the SQL Server Enterprise edition?

     

    Steve

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply