how to tell if AWE is enabled? 3

[Ovatvvon]

For SQL Server 2000, we want to upgrade to SP4, but need to know if we need to apply the additional patch for AWE.

How can I tell if AWE is enabled?


-Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[mrdenny]

In SQL Server use the sp_configure procedure to see if AWE is enabled.

If you are using more than 2 Gigs of RAM then you have AWE enabled.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[Ovatvvon]

We have 4 GB of ram on these two particular machines in this cluster. There are many 4 GB machines that we do not have AWE enabled, and do have the 3 GB switch (/3GB) placed in the boot.ini file. Anything over 4 GB we do use AWE. I'm just not sure if we are using it on this 4 GB machine or not.

I knew I could use the sp_configure SP to enable/disable AWE, but didn't know I could use it to determine which state AWE is currently in. What would I have to type to view that information? (If the only way to determine is to try to enable or disable it, I'd rather find a different method of determining which state it is in, as this is a production machine, and to do any changes requires all the "red tape" paperwork to be filed.) If it is just a simple statement to get a status read-out, however, I would love to know how to do that.

Thanks!!

-Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[ptheriault]

in sp_configure there is a run_value field. if it is a '1' then you have enabled AWE if it is a '0' then it is not.

- Paul
- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[Ovatvvon]

Here is the list I get when running sp_configure. I don't see AWE in the list:

Name	Min	Max		Config	Run_Value
allow updates
	0	1		0	0	
Cross DB Ownership Chaining
	0	1		0	0	
default language
	0	9999		0	0	
max text repl size (B)
	0	2147483647	65536	65536	
nested triggers
	0	1		1	1	
remote access
	0	1		1	1	
remote login timeout (s)
	0	2147483647	20	20	
remote proc trans
	0	1		0	0	
remote query timeout (s)
	0	2147483647	600	600	
show advanced options
	0	1		0	0	
user options
	0	32767		0	0

-Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[SQLBill]

Run sp_configure.

Look for the line with AWE. It should read either,
0,1,1,1
or
0,1,1,0

If the latter, that means AWE was configured but the services have not been stopped and restarted.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875

 

[ptheriault]

run this

sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1
GO
RECONFIGURE
GO

Then sp_configure

- Paul
- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[Ovatvvon]

Ahh, now it is displayed.

The AWE row for me is 0,1,0,0

So AWE is not enabled on this box.

Is that bad if the config_value value for AWE is zero instead of one?


-Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[ptheriault]

That depends. Is this a 64 bit server? If you are on 64 bit then you don't need to enable AWE. if it is 32 bit you can't take advantage of more than 2 gb without it.


- Paul
- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[Ovatvvon]

SQLBill,

When you say the latter (i.e. config_value = 1), then it was configured by services not stopped and restarted...

By configured, are you talking about the switches in the boot.ini file? Would it be configured if that was entered, but potentially never start if it was never set by running sp_configure 'awe enabled', 1. I know this server has gone down a few times, so the services have stoped and restarted due to that, but we haven't made any configuration changes in quite a while.


ptheriault,

These particular machines are a bit older, and are running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, with SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (all 32-bit). We have set the /3GB switch in the boot.ini file, which I thought allowed SQL Server to use up to 3GB, and leaves only 1 GB of the 4GB of physical memeory available to the Operating System. Is this correct?



-Ovatvvon :-Q

 

[ptheriault]

Ovatvvon,
You are correct. You only need to enable AWE if you want to use more than 4 GB of memory.

- Paul
- If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.

 

[SQLBill]

Ovatvvon,

You configure AWE using the sp_configure command. Then for it to become effective, you have to stop and start the SQL Server services.

Running this in Query Analyzer
sp_configure 'AWE', 1
reconfigure with override

will just set the configured value to 1. But it won't let SQL Server use it until the services are restarted. Then the values will be 0,1,1,1. As I call it.
Min value Max value configured in use
0 1 1 1

I don't set the boot.ini for /AWE. I DO set it for /PAE.

-SQLBill

Posting advice: FAQ481-4875