Base Memory Size Limitation Too Small

[kjackson]

I just installed Sun Virtual Box on a W2K8 server with dual processors and 8GB of RAM. I created a W2K3 VM and on the settings tab for base memory the size does not allow a max of more than 1500MB. The slider bar range is 4MB - 1500MB and it will not allow me to type in greater than 1500 in the text box either. The system information properties on the host machine shows 'Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB'. I need to significantly increase the base memory of this VM. Why is it only allowing 1500MB?

Thanks!
kj

[Sasquatch]

That is because you are running a 32 bit version of Windows, and 3.0.6 has now a limitation to a maximum of 1,5 GB of RAM for the VM. There is a limitation in Windows that doesn't allow applications to allocate large blocks of memory. If you would run the 64 bit version of 2k8, you wouldn't have this problem. And even though your OS sees 8 GB, can it really use that? It probably can due to PAE, but VB can't take full advantage of that for it's VMs (allocating more RAM per VM). If you downgrade to an older version, like 3.0.4 or 2.2.4, you can give the VM more RAM. But you would still be limited to 3,5 GB because of the 32 bit system (default 32 bit systems can't use more than 3,5 GB of RAM).

[kjackson]

Thank you for the very thorough explanation. I will consider the alternative solutions you've presented.

kj