running out of memory

[billywhiz]

OK some time back I had a problem with running out of memory, I was advised to look into the 3meg switch, this worked like a hot dam for a while but now it seems to be happening again and I'm not sure why?? The only thing I can think of it that my temp files are getting bigger. How can I check these files and remove them?? or any other suggestions as to why this is happening?

 

[sldwkmin]

The 3g switch was a bandaid for a bullet wound back in the day. It was the best thing windows could come up with at the time until 64bit systems were up to speed and out on the market. Untimately if you are having memory errors your best long term solution is a 64bit system. SolidWorks Stopped recommending the 3g switch I believe with the release of SW2009.

Cole M
CSWP, CSWST, CSWI, CPDM
Certified DriveWorks AE

 

[ctopher]

What version?
I have been having this problem since updating to SP5.0, 2010.
I'm not running the best laptop for SW, but 5.0 made a huge impact.
My 3gb switch worked only for a day.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[billywhiz]

So I'm wondering why does it stop working?? what is going on?? what do Solid Works say about this??

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you using the userva=2900 option along with the /3GB switch?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Check out the 3gb_switch_part_one,_two,_&_three.pdf from

http://kcswug.com/documents/articles/

for more details.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

See also

http://help.solidworks.com/2010/Eng...orksWorkgroup/wn_2010/wn_2010_3GB_Switch.html

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

http://help.solidworks.com/2011/Eng...cyhelp/sldworks/assem_1/memory_allocation.htm

http://help.solidworks.com/2011/Eng...works/assem_1/hidd_options_large_assembly.htm

If you have a 32-bit Windows XP Professional operating system and are working with very large assemblies, you might benefit from the /3GB switch. The switch allows you to allocate more RAM for the SolidWorks application by decreasing RAM allocated to the operating system. For details, see Memory Allocation.

http://help.solidworks.com/2011/Eng...rmsgs/hardware_issues_and_recommendations.htm

Low Memory Messages

Low memory messages appear while running SolidWorks.

Increase the amount of RAM on your machine, especially if you run SolidWorks along with a Microsoft Office application such as Excel with Bill of Materials or Design Tables.

Allocate more virtual memory on your system to accommodate for current usage. See Windows help for more information.

Enable the 3GB switch if you are running Windows XP Professional and SolidWorks 2004 (or higher). For details, see memory allocation.

 

[macduff]

Billywiz,
I’m curious……what specific function does this out of memory happen in? Is it at random or is it happening in the hole wizard function?

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 XP Pro SP 3 (32-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[billywhiz]

It happens when I have an assembly open and I open a part to modify, I might close that part but not save it because some of my part files are 200 meg and I don't want to take the time to save it if the mod needs to be changed again, I then open the assembly to see if the the modified part solved the problem, I might then open another part, modify that and then save it that's when it crashes.
The 3gig switch worked really well in the beginning but now it seems worse than ever and I don't know why.

 

[macduff]

Ok....clean your "Temp" files in the windows folder. Also, if you have SW backup files you might want to clean them too. I also run the "Disk Cleanup" in the windows system tools every once in awhile as well. Hope this helps.

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 XP Pro SP 3 (32-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

CorBlimeyLimey (Mechanical) 7 Jun 11 13:30
Are you using the userva=2900 option along with the /3GB switch?

 

[macduff]

CBL, are you asking me this question?

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 5.0
Dell T5500 XP Pro SP 3 (32-bit)
Xeon CPU 2.53 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro 4000 2 GB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[billywhiz]

not sure, would this help??

 

[kellnerp]

OK some time back I had a problem with running out of memory,... it seems to be happening again and I'm not sure why?? The only thing I can think of...

You need to tell us what exactly is happening.

Using task manager, turn on reporting of page faults and the various memory counters. Then report where they are at when you first start SW and how they increase or decrease significantly and what you are doing when significant changes happen.

And confirm for us that you have correctly implemented the /3gb /uservar=2900 parameters in boot.ini. What these do on XP 32bit are documented on MicroSoft's website.

SW had a documented memory leak for some time. I don't recall whether it was fixed in 2010. The only way to deal with a memory leak is to save, close and reboot from time to time.


TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

"Node news is good news."

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

macduff,

No. That was for the OP.

 

[AnnaWood]

Sometimes you just have to believe what the computer is telling you. You could actually be running out of memory.

If you are working on 200 plus megs files and don't want to save because it takes to long, and are working with a x32 bit Windows XP system with 4 or less gigs of RAM it would not surprise that you are running out of memory.

It is possible that you are outstripping your hardware resources. Might have worked before and you were likely on the ragged edge of being good. Looks like you have slipped over the edge.

FWIW,

Anna Wood
SW2011 SP4, Windows 7 x64

http://www.renderbay.com

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[fcsuper]

If the problem isn't resolved, you may wish to contact your VAR to their take on the issue. If it turns how to be a bug, the issue start being tracked.

Matt Lorono, CSWP
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion
Follow me on Twitter

 

[kellnerp]

@billywhiz

SolidWorks memory requirements change while working on a model an even change drastically during rebuilt.

SolidWorks also requires contiguous blocks of memory. So even though you might have enough based on simple arithmetic, you may not have enough based on getting a contiguous block of memory.

When using the 3gb switch the operating system loses some of it's memory to allow programs to have more memory. That is why /uservar is used. It sometimes needs to be tweaked.

When running SW in memory hog mode it is also a good idea to shut down every non-necessary program and service. Black Viper can help with this.

And of course it goes without saying that if in 3gb mode you have defined the upper and lower limit of your disk cache at 4gb. If you are letting Windows manage your virtual memory you will have problems every time the OS tries to expand swap space.

We are also assuming you have good hardware, approved drivers and have, perhaps, even gone so far as to have run a memory test and a hard drive test. And of course you have cleaned out your temp directory.



TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

"Node news is good news."

 

[billywhiz]

thanks for all the input guys I really appreciate you trying to help me with this problem, you all gave me a lot to look at and I will get back to you to let you know if I resolved the issue so it might help someone else in the future.