LargeSystemCache

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

Data type

Range

Default value

REG_DWORD

0 | 1

Windows 2000 Professional: 0 Windows 2000 Server: 1

Description

Determines whether the system maintains a standard size or a large size file system cache , and influences how often the system writes changed pages to disk.

Increasing the size of the file system cache generally improves server performance, but it reduces the physical memory space available to applications and services. Similarly, writing system data less frequently minimizes use of the disk subsystem, but the changed pages occupy memory that might otherwise be used by applications.

Value

Meaning

0

Establishes a standard size file-system cache of approximately 8 MB. The system allows changed pages to remain in physical memory until the number of available pages drops to approximately 1,000. This setting is recommended for servers running applications that do their own memory caching, such as Microsoft SQL Server, and for applications that perform best with ample memory, such as Internet Information Services.

1

Establishes a large system cache working set that can expand to physical memory, minus 4 MB, if needed. The system allows changed pages to remain in physical memory until the number of available pages drops to approximately 250. This setting is recommended for most computers running Windows 2000 Server on large networks.

This entry, and the Size entry (which is in the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters subkey), store the setting of the Optimization section of the Server Optimization tab in Network and Dial-up Connections.

Option setting

Large System Cache value

Size value

Minimize memory used

0

1

Balance

0

2

Maximize data throughput for file sharing

1

3

Maximize data throughput for network applications

0

3

Change method

To change the value of this entry on Windows 2000 Server, use the Server Optimization tab in Network and Dial-up Connections. Right-click My Network Places, click Properties, right-click Local Area Connection, click Properties, click File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, and then click the Properties button. To set the value of this entry to 0, select the Maximize data throughput for network applications option. To set the value to 1, select Maximize data throughput for network applications.

Note Image Note

Because setting the value of this entry to 1 is not appropriate for computers running Windows 2000 Professional, you cannot use Network and Dial-up Connections Windows 2000 Professional to change the value of this entry.

The default value for Windows 2000 Server (1) is designed for file servers. Because this value can degrade service performance, it is not appropriate for application servers. If you are running an application server, such as Web server, change the value of this entry to 0 by selecting the Maximize data throughput for network applications option in Network and Dial-up Connections.

The system sets the value of this entry to 1 when you install Windows 2000 Server. But many applications, such as SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange, change the value of this entry to 0.