I have a question about memory allocation with VMware server.
I'm running vmware server 1.0.5 on a Windows XP SP2 (fully patched) with 2 GB ram. I'm trying to run 3 virtual instances in memory, and having no luck. I've setup these files (from a March 12, 2008 posting):
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Server\config.ini
prefvmx.useRecommendedLockedMemSize = "TRUE"
prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "100"
guest ".vmx" file:
sched.mem.pshare.enable = "FALSE"
mainMem.useNamedFile = "FALSE"
MemTrimRate = "0"
MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"
The three VMs memory size are:
First - 448 MB
Second - 384 MB
Third - 256 MB
Before I start any of the virtual machines, memory usage is about 700 MB. Start the first one and I see the memory usage jump to 1.25 GB (task manager). Perfmon reports about 700 MB available. Other perfmon VMWare counters from this first machine:
Guest locked memory bytes: 326529024 (about 311 MB)
Guest Virtual Physical memory bites: 469762048 (the 448 MB)
Percent guest physical memeory touched: anywhere between 16-20 (my guess this is the guest locked memory divided by total memory of 2048 MB).
Try to start second machine and I get the error "Not enough physical memory is available...". Just to test I changed the memory size of the second machine to 32 MB and still get the error.
Another thing I tried, I changed the config.ini file variable prefvmx.useRecommendedLockedMemSize from true to false. I left the rest of the variables the same and was able to start the first two VMs (448 and 384 MB) but not the third.
I even tried changing the memory usage in Windows XP preference from Programs to System cache, but same result.
Any suggestions. Included is the error log of the second VM.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| WSSCAN: reserved mem (in MB) min=32 max=1920 recommended=1920
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| hostMem=2048 maxAllowedAll=-1 maxAllowedVM=3600
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| totOverhead=16
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| WSSCAN: used rec mem (in MB) 1920
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| WSSCAN: Overhead 104689 paged 5791 nonpaged 4096 maxFBSize
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| WSSCAN 2 80471 80473 80473 491520 262046 100 126992
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| Msg_Post: Error
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| http://msg.memsched.preNotEnoughMem Not enough physical memory is available to power on this virtual machine.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| http://msg.memSched.notEnoughMemNoVal2 To fix this problem, power off other virtual machines or adjust the additional memory settings to allow more virtual machine memory to be swapped.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| http://msg.memsched.postNotEnoughMem If you were able to power on this virtual machine on this host computer in the past, try rebooting the host computer. Rebooting may allow you to use slightly more host memory to run virtual machines.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| -
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| POST(no connection): Not enough physical memory is available to power on this virtual machine.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| To fix this problem, power off other virtual machines or adjust the additional memory settings to allow more virtual machine memory to be swapped.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| If you were able to power on this virtual machine on this host computer in the past, try rebooting the host computer. Rebooting may allow you to use slightly more host memory to run virtual machines.
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx|
Mar 30 12:36:57: vmx| Module MemSched power on failed.