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Thread: Does 2003 Server Enterprise have a boot.ini file?

  1. #1
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    Does 2003 Server Enterprise have a boot.ini file?

    I'm trying to run through a SQL check list and I don't see that my Server 2003 Enterprise x64 even has a boot.ini file.
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  2. #2
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    Maybe its hidden

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  3. #3
    Just Another Geek
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    Why would an SQL checklist contain something related to boot.ini?
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  4. #4
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    In case your server has more than 4GB of memory, you should utilize the /3GB switch in the boot ini file..

    Awe Enabled
    If you are using SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition under Windows 2000 or 2003 (any version), or are running SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition under Windows 2000 or 2003 Server, or if your server has less than 4GB or RAM, the "awe enabled" option should always be left to the default value of 0, which means that AWE memory is not being used.
    The AWE (Advanced Windowing Extensions) API allows applications (that are written to use the AWE API) to run under Windows 2000 or 2003 Advanced Server, or Windows 2000 or 2003 Datacenter Server, to access more than 4GB of RAM. SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (not SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition) is AWE-enabled and can take advantage of RAM in a server over 4GB. If the operating system is Windows 2000 or 2003 Advanced Server, SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition can use up to 8GB of RAM. If the operating system is Windows 2000 or 2003 Datacenter Server, SQL Server 2000 Enterprise can use up to 64GB of RAM.
    By default, if a physical server has more than 4GB of RAM, Windows 2000 and 2003 (Advanced and Datacenter), along with SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition, cannot access any RAM greater than 4GB. In order for the operating system and SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition to take advantage of the additional RAM, two steps have to be completed.
    Exactly how you configure AWE memory support depends on how much RAM your server has. Essentially, to configure Windows 2000 or 2003 (Advanced or Datacenter), you must enter one of the following switches in the boot line of the boot.ini file, and reboot the server:
    • 4GB RAM: /3GB (AWE support is not used)
    • 8GB RAM: /3GB /PAE
    • 16GB RAM: /3GB /PAE
    • 16GB + RAM: /PAE
    The /3GB switch is used to tell the OS to allow SQL Server to take advantage of 3GB out of the base 4GB of RAM that Windows 2000 and 2003 supports natively. If you don't specify this option, then SQL Server will only take advantage of 2GB of the first 4GB of RAM in the server, essentially wasting 1GB of RAM.
    AWE memory technology is used only for the RAM that exceeds the base 4GB of RAM, that's why the /3GB switch is needed to use as much of the RAM in your server as possible. If your server has 16GB or less of RAM, then using the /3GB switch is important. But if your server has more than 16GB of RAM, then you must not use the /3GB switch. The reason for this is because the 1GB of additional RAM provided by adding the /3GB switch is needed by the operating system in order to take advantage of all of the extra AWE memory. In other words, the operating system needs 2GB or RAM itself to mange the AWE memory if your server has more than 16GB of RAM. If 16GB or less of RAM is in a server, then the operating system only needs 1GB of RAM, allowing the other 1GB of RAM for use by SQL Server.
    Once this step is done, the next step is to set the "awe enabled" option to 1, and then restart the SQL Server service. Only at this point will SQL Server be able to use the additional RAM in the server.
    One caution about using the "awe enabled" setting is that after turning it on, SQL Server no longer dynamically manages memory. Instead, it takes all of the available RAM (except about 128MB which is left for the operating system). If you want to prevent SQL Server from taking all of the RAM, you must set the "max server memory" option (described in more detail later in this article) to a figure that limits SQL Server to the amount or RAM you specify.
    As part of your audit process, you will want to check what this setting is and then determine if the setting matches your server's hardware and software configuration. If not, then change the setting appropriately.
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  5. #5
    Just Another Geek
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    With all that automagic stuff happening when running windows I would have imagined this to automagicly turn on/off too.. Oh well, at least I learned something new
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  6. #6
    AO Ancient: Team Leader
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    For everyone's edification, ('cos I didn't see it in the screed above), Exchange server has a similar switch required when it has more than 1Gb of ram in the box.

    We were having some performance issues and I told one of my employees to up the RAM in the server... He went away and was investigating it and came across this switch buried deeply in a book... Same switch as mentioned above...
    Don\'t SYN us.... We\'ll SYN you.....
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  7. #7
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    True, true. I generally always configure this switch on any server with more than 4gb of RAM. But, I just bought an IBM X series 260 with 16GB or Ram. I popped my x64 cherry with the install of 2003 server enterprise x64, and while looking for the boot.ini file, I came to the conclusion that there is not one. Is this an x64 thing or a 2003 enterprise thing?
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  8. #8
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    http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;323427


    applies to


    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition


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  9. #9
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    Thanks Bro...
    There are many rewarding oppurtunities awaiting composure from like minds and great ideas. It in my objective to interconnect great things.

  10. #10
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    No prob....sis

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    How people treat you is their karma- how you react is yours-Wayne Dyer

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