Enabling 3GB switch on Windows XP

[jwilliams]

Can someone please tell me how to enable the 3GB switch on Windows XP.

The readme from patch 1.2 says :-

5.2 Enabling 3GB switch on Windows XP or Windows Vista

Advanced users may know that the virtual address space of processes and applications is still limited to 2 GB unless the /3GB switch is used. Activating this option in Windows greatly enhance Silent Hunter 5 performance.

[vois2]

Below is how you want to make your boot.ini file look.

Add a few lines to your boot file, so that it gives you options when Windows first starts up. In other words, you would select the 3GB line at start up, if you plan to play 3GB switch that session.

Or, you would select one of the other options if you aren't planning to play 3GB that session. You should copy the below into boot.ini . The way I have it set up below it will give you 6 seconds to decide, before the WIndows login screen appears.

Here is what you want. Please copy-and-paste this into boot.ini
below the dots
.
.
.





[boot loader]
timeout=6
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional SP2" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional w/3GB" /fastdetect /3GB /Userva=2560







When you plan to play 3GB switch, restart the machine and during those 6 seconds, you need to select the 3rd option above, the one which says "Windows XP Professional w/3GB "

See if that helps.

[jwilliams]

Thankyou for the clear and fast response.

done and about to reboot to test.

thanks again. :up:

[vois2]

no problem.
I don't know why the extra spaces (spacebar) appear in the code above, but you should remove the extra spaces.

[Arclight]

Just be aware that you're messing with the memory management, shifting kernel space to user space. Simply put, you're taking away reserved memory space from the kernel ("central component of most computer operating systems"), making it more likely for it to run out. More of a concern for servers, but just be aware it's not without it's complications.

If you run into any unexplained issues, first thing I'd try in troubleshooting is disabling that switch.

[Los]

Notice any improvement in SHV with the 3G on?

[Kromus]

no problem.
I don't know why the extra spaces (spacebar) appear in the code above, but you should remove the extra spaces.


Well, his bootup procedure is kaput if he copied exactly this:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

Lets hope he did not. (text in "...." does not matter since it`s only text to display before bootup sequence to choose from)

I remember funny episode from my school days when I was helping administrator friend setting up win NTs/98s and we forgot to make content (files) of C:\ folder hidden... Luckily, he was left after few days of schooling on them with at least few computers untouched so we had to copy crucial files (like boot.ini NT, IO.sys or msdos.sys 98) back from floppys.

[jwilliams]

Well, his bootup procedure is kaput if he copied exactly this:

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

Lets hope he did not. (text in "...." does not matter since it`s only text to display before bootup sequence to choose from)


LOL.. Poota booted up fine, I musta done something right. :03:

nah i didnt copy and paste it in.

I just copied this single line:-

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windo ws XP Professional w/3GB" /fastdetect /3GB /Userva=2560and pasted it to the end of my boot.ini. then deleted the space in the word Wind ows. Prob wouldn't matter to the bootup file as its displayed text (between quotes " ").

PC booted up fine. selected 3gb mode.... about to test if it makes any diferance to SH5.

[Kromus]

Good to hear you did everything right :) Let us know if helped SH5 performance.

[jwilliams]

Does it make SH5 run better. ?????

It's hard to tell. Could be a placebo effect, but.....

You know when you use 256x accelerated time (or higher) and sometimes the games pauses for a sec, then continues..... Well it doesnt do that so much.

And i was able to track a contact from 40 KM away and not lose it. before I'd lose contacts from alot less distance.


So it seems to work... Guess it loads alot more in to memory, making the game smoother and contacts stay on map for greater distance....

Or it could just be a placebo.....:06:

But i'll continue to use the 3GB switch. :yep:

[Arclight]

Contact distance would be placebo, but smoother TC is possible. :hmmm:

[Pintea]

No, it won't run "faster", but it will avoid glitches like missing harbors for example, or some crashes.

[The General]

First off, thanks you guys :up:

Secondly, where is this boot.ini of which you speak?

Thirdly, in the lines of code you want me to cut & paste from above, I have Vista, so I must exchange 'Windows XP' for 'Windows' Visa right? :hmmm:

For example:

[boot loader]
timeout=6
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Vista SP2" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Vista w/3GB" /fastdetect /3GB /Userva=2560

[vois2]

It's a hidden file (boot.ini) in the C: root (Go to My Computer, and turn on view of hidden files via Tools --> Folder Options --> View )

Do a Google search before messing with the Vista boot.ini to make sure the 3GB switch applies the same there (assuming you are using 32-bit Vista). However, I believe this kind of boot.ini dialogue is legacy for all Windows versions. Doublecheck that by Googling. :-)

Also, yes change the text to Vista.

Finally, be sure this line appears with NO spaces (spacebar) throughout:
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

[The General]

Apparently this is the case:In Windows Vista, the boot.ini file has been replaced with Boot
Configuration Data (BCD). This file is more versatile than boot.ini, and it
can apply to Computer platforms that use means other than basic input/output
system (BIOS) to start the computer. If you need to make changes to BCD,
such as removing entries from the list of displayed operating systems, use
the command line tool Bcdedit, an advanced tool intended for administrators.:doh: I don't think I can do this.

[Arclight]

Just start "Run..." ("Windows key + R" shortcut) and type "cmd", enter.

Gets you a command prompt, where you type: "bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072", enter.

Done. ;)


Do this on your own risk though; I still can't say I aprove of messing with the OS in this way.

[The General]

Is there a way to reverse this, should I experience any problems? :DL

[Arclight]

I think the default setting is 2048, so try using that instead of 3072.

All it does is set the amount of memory for the user-space, if I understand it correctly. Normally the max of 4GB adressable is split 50-50, but with the command you set 3GB for user, leaving 1GB system/kernel.

[The General]

I only have 2 Gig of DDR2 Ram on-board, so this isn't worth me doing is it?

[Arclight]

Don't think so, but then. I don't think it's worth it in the first place. :lol:

Probably more to gain by installing more RAM, don't think this would result in any improvement at the moment. :hmmm:

[The General]

Because SH5 is unfinished and hasn't gone through a lengthy development process where the programme is streamlined and optimized, it is very demanding upon the system's resources. The only answer is to get a machine that is way more powerful than should be necessary.

[Reece]

What's annoying is that if I edit the boot.ini file just to have the " /3GB" switch added leaving the " UserVa= xxxx" out, most of my games play with stutter or lockup and my TV card just shows a black screen, take the switch out and all goes well, placing the switch to include the " UserVa=xxxx" (doesn't matter what xxxx value is) still has exactly the same problem!:damn:

[Pintea]

First of all, the patch "readme" is wrong.
The 3GB switch won't do anything performance-wise. It will just avoid errors and crashes when SH5 runs out of "memory" (addressing space actually).
And it will only matter for 32 bit systems.

Even though you only have 2GB RAM, the 3GB switch refers to _virtual memory_, not physical memory. So you can enable the 3GB switch even with 1 GB of RAM, it will help.

If you have windows vista/7, the more video RAM you have, the more your harbors will disappear ! (as paradoxical as it can be....)
That's because the video card memory uses the same 2GB of virtual memory as the game uses, so you will have less memory for the game.

As a conclusion, this will only avoid errors/crashes, and only works on 32bit systems (with more positive impact for vista/win7 uses).

[Arclight]

What's annoying is that if I edit the boot.ini file just to have the " /3GB" switch added leaving the " UserVa= xxxx" out, most of my games play with stutter or lockup and my TV card just shows a black screen, take the switch out and all goes well, placing the switch to include the " UserVa=xxxx" (doesn't matter what xxxx value is) still has exactly the same problem!:damn:
Then leave it alone. :lol:


Seriously, not much to be gained here anyway. More something for servers so they can use larger caches.

You know that rattle from the HD when it needs to load something and it results in a stutter in the game, since harddrives aren't that fast? It helps to deal with that. Normally it loads things into (V)RAM during those loading screens, and works from that during play. If you run out of memory though, it will need to move unused stuff from RAM to the pagefile (virtual memory; just HD space and thus far slower than RAM), or swap some stuff between it and RAM.

*at least as far as I can figure it. Pintea has a point about the virtual memory. Think we agree it won't improve performance though. :doh:

[The General]

First of all, the patch "readme" is wrong.
The 3GB switch won't do anything performance-wise. It will just avoid errors and crashes when SH5 runs out of "memory" (addressing space actually).
And it will only matter for 32 bit systems.

Even though you only have 2GB RAM, the 3GB switch refers to _virtual memory_, not physical memory. So you can enable the 3GB switch even with 1 GB of RAM, it will help.

If you have windows vista/7, the more video RAM you have, the more your harbors will disappear ! (as paradoxical as it can be....)
That's because the video card memory uses the same 2GB of virtual memory as the game uses, so you will have less memory for the game.

As a conclusion, this will only avoid errors/crashes, and only works on 32bit systems (with more positive impact for vista/win7 uses).Thanks again Pintea, you the man! :rock:

Now, any idea on how to get Mines and Subnets into the game? ;)

[troopie]

Just start "Run..." ("Windows key + R" shortcut) and type "cmd", enter.

Gets you a command prompt, where you type: "bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072", enter.

Done. ;)


Do this on your own risk though; I still can't say I aprove of messing with the OS in this way.


G'day all.

I did this back in the day; it was the only way I could get SH5 to run on my rig. Now I want to undo it! Despite the conjecture I can safely say it was an effective fix. The effect was immediate and effective. Without it I could launch the game but the GUI 'buttons' appeared as white boxes.

I was/am using Vista 32 bit.

My rig is since upgraded (same OS) and I think the 'switch' is causing probs for my OS.

Does anyone now how to properly undo this?

@Arclight gives this post as an undo:

I think the default setting is 2048, so try using that instead of 3072.

All it does is set the amount of memory for the user-space, if I understand it correctly. Normally the max of 4GB adressable is split 50-50, but with the command you set 3GB for user, leaving 1GB system/kernel. Can I just bang this number in or is there an 'open default' that has been undone by specifying a value; such as when giving core numbers to 'boot'? (i.e. no value selected means max?)

And does 'increase' still work as a command?

[troopie]

Found it here:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1751607&postcount=316