WindowsXP - need more memory 1

[jsmc]

We use UGV18 and ProE2001 on Win2K platforms.
A UG session will consume 1.9Gig of RAM, before running out of memory and crashing: ProE 2.2Gig (this according to information read from the Windows task manager).

Incidentally, multiple sessions of UG and/or ProE will each run to the above limits simultaneously.

Our impression has always been that the platform, and not the applications it runs, limits the amount of available RAM.
We're soon to change to a WindowsXP platform, and preliminary testing shows no improvement. We expected to get 3.5Gig .

Has anyone else encountered this ?

 

[Step24]

G'day jsmc

Recieved these hints from our office in the USA with regard to memory with xp.

Hope it helps

Step24


This used to be coverred in TPI 111330, but I PTC's web site says that page it is no longer available.
This page covers some of the basics:
<

http://www.ptc.com/cs/tpi/112623.htm>

 
Here's the short answer:
 
Edit your C:\boot.ini file and add /3GB to one of the lines under the section [operating systems].
I recommend you duplicate one of those lines and add the option.
By default, there should be only one such line in the file.
Microsoft offer a tool to do this for you.
See <

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q291980>

 
Be aware that video drivers for high-perfornace graphic cards may fail unless you actually have 3GB of RAM.
Swap space alone is unlikely to be acceptable.
 
If you use Windows XP with SP1,there is also a known bug that is likely to cause problems.
Se here <

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;328269> for

details and fix.
 
 
After you get you systems booted to 3GB, you need to patch Pro/E to use it,using the imagecfg command as follows.
    cd <proe_load_point>\i486_nt_obj
    imagecfg -l xtop.exe



Title Increasing The Per-Process Memory Limit in Windows XP Professional for Pro/ENGINEER.
Product Pro/ENGINEER Module MEMORY_USE TPI ID 111330 Created 01-NOV-01
Workstation Windows XP Reported In Release Reported In Datecode
SPR None Resolved In Release Resolved In Datecode
Description
-----------------

32-bit operating systems are limited to a maximum of 4 gigabytes (GB) of memory addressing. The actual amount of memory that a single 32-bit application running on a 32-bit operating system can access is generally less than 4GB and closer to 2GB. Certain 32-bit operating systems provide ways of enabling larger per-process memory addressing. This document describes the PTC-supported Microsoft procedure for enabling larger memory addressing under Windows XP Professional (32-bit).

Please note that PTC will also be releasing a version of Pro/ENGINEER 2001 for Windows XP Professional 64-bit. 64-bit operating systems and applications can address approximately 18,446,744,073 GB of memory. Currently, there are shipping versions of Pro/ENGINEER 2001 that support 64-bit on Sun and HP UNIX operating systems.


Resolution
-----------------
The following describes the Microsoft's recommended procedure for increasing the per-process memory limit to 3 GB.
Before starting, please read the following Microsoft knowledge base article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q319043

*** Please note that improper modification of boot.ini can render the operating system inoperable. PTC assumes no responsibility for corruption of boot.ini by improper use of BOOTCFG or manual editing. ***

1. Modify the boot.ini on the workstation to include the /3GB switch using BOOTCFG

Windows XP has added a tool called BOOTCFG that can be used to edit the boot.ini file (rather than manually editing the boot.ini file as described in step 4). For more information on BOOTCFG, see:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q291980

The following technique can be used to add the /3GB switch to the boot.ini file. From a command prompt, enter the following to add the 3GB switch to the end of the first line of the operating system entry in the boot.ini file (requires administrative privileges):

BOOTCFG /Raw "/3GB" /A /ID 1

Where:

/Raw Specifies the OS options for the boot entry. The previous OS options will be modified.
"/3GB" The 3GB switch
/A Specifies that the OS options entered with the /Raw switch will be appended to the existing OS options.
/ID The boot id. It specifies the boot entry id in the OS Load Options section of the boot.ini file to add the OS options to. The boot entry ID number can be obtained from performing the command: BOOTCFG /Query (this displays the contents of the boot.ini file) at the command prompt.

A reboot is required after editing the boot.ini file. Verify after reboot that the /3GB switch has been added to the boot.ini file. The computer's total virtual memory must then be increased to at least 3 GB in order to enable the switch.

2. Install Pro/ENGINEER locally

Perform a local Pro/ENGINEER installation of Release 2001, datecode 2001360 or later. Make sure you create a backup copy of <Pro/ENGINEER_loadpoint>/<machine_type>/obj/xtop.exe before patching so you can restore normal operation should the file become unusable.

3. Patch <Pro/ENGINEER_loadpoint>/<machine_type>/obj/xtop.exe using IMAGECFG.

As of Release 2001, build 2001440 or later of Pro/ENGINEER, IMAGECFG can be found in: <Pro/ENGINEER_loadpoint>/<machine_type>/obj directory. Imagecfg is also available in the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. For example, to modify the target file xtop.exe:

Imagecfg -l xtop.exe

At this point, the process is complete. Pro/ENGINEER should be able to access more than 2GB of memory.

4.Removing the /3GB switch

If you wish to undo steps 1 - 3 above, follow this procedure:

Select Start, Control Panel, and double click on the System icon. Select the Advanced tab, and the Settings button in the "Startup and Recovery" section. Select the Edit button from the "System Startup" section. The boot.ini file will launch in an editor. Remove the "/3GB" from the end of the appropriate boot entry line under the [operating systems] section. Save and close the file. Select OK from the "Startup and Recovery" section. Select the Start button, select Run, and enter "msconfig" and select OK. Select the BOOT.INI tab and verify that the change to the boot.ini file was made. Reboot the computer.

Restore your original version of xtop.exe (prior to the IMAGECFG).