Topic: Windows VM uses insane amount ofi RAM despite all normal in task manager :(

[devnullius]

FROM: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/all-physical-memory-being-used-but-nothing-showing/74473cc5-cef9-4fa7-be98-a50295e308b4?page=4&rtAction=1414879991541

I just installed a Windows 8.1 Hyper-V (version 2) client on Windows Server 2012 R2.
Server has 128GB RAM, I allocated 32GB for the virtual machine with Windows 8.1.
Task Manager does not show any memory usage (the virtual client has been freshly installed) of importance.

The task manager on the Win 8.1 x64 client says 30GB of 32GB is used. Running RAMMAP on the client shows "Locked Driver" is consuming 28.4 GB of RAM!! :/

Stopping Search service does not solve it. I have no multimedia to speak of nor did I configure anything. And yes, I'm using View all details in task manager's process list...

And no, it's not cached data... Cache is 1GB currently (shouldn't be more than 2 GB anyways).

So... Expert advises please? And ffs, don't copy paste the same answers over and over again... We can read a thread just fine! ;p

I'm gonna remove this Virtual machine and start over fresh - see if it turns out differently...




Peace!

Devnullius

PS: "Your goal is not to target large amounts of free memory, even if you are doing only a few things. When your OS uses as much RAM as possible, it will be able to take advantage of the speed RAM provides."
LOL - crackheads! Amateurs!


EDIT: created a fresh virtual win 8.1 client, but immediately had the same prolbem. All is normal until 'hidden driver' kicks in Sigh..

[jheysen]

Did you install the Hyper-V drivers in the client?

[devnullius]

Did you install the Hyper-V drivers in the client?

Erhm, no? I thought only VMWare had those...? It never got pointed out to me... Will double-check; I just removed the offending machine

Devvie

UPDATE: https://encrypted.google.com/search?{google:acceptedSuggestion}oq=hyper-v+client+software+download&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=hyper-v+client+software+download
I couldn't find any specialist client drivers / tools for Hyper-V...? Are you sure they are needed?
Also see http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2013/06/20/hyper-v-support-in-windows-8/ ?

[jheysen]

If my memory is not failing to me, I had to install some drivers in the client :p
Anyway, did you run Windows Update for that client? Maybe an updated version of the offending driver is available.

[metalmunna]

i think there has configuration error or problem on the network card(simple lan card and cable makes a lot of trouble too if that is connected with 10MBPS hub/switch, so use minimum 100MBPS hub/switch , try to install Win 8.1 with 8GB max memory with dynamic memory. later you can increase the memory from the Hyper-V VM settings. Usually VM is more faster then physical machine ...

[devnullius]

i think there has configuration error or problem on the network card(simple lan card and cable makes a lot of trouble too if that is connected with 10MBPS hub/switch, so use minimum 100MBPS hub/switch , try to install Win 8.1 with 8GB max memory with dynamic memory. later you can increase the memory from the Hyper-V VM settings. Usually VM is more faster then physical machine ...

10Mb HUB... What century are you from?? ;p

Anyways, got it solved!

Quote:
I also tested with a Generation 1 Windows 7 client, it had the same problem: quickly after logging in all available RAM would be consumed. So that got me thinking... It can't be THAT buggy, right??

And now I think I actually 'solved' it...

When I created the virtual machines I set the total amount of RAM on 32GB instead of the advised default of 512 RAM. And I enabled dynamic memory... Also with with a max of 32GB.

So after the failed experiment with Win 7 I decided to start over once more: but this time I started with the advised default of 512MB RAM. I know, horrible right?? But I also set dynamic memory from 512 to max of 32GB.
And guess what: both clients now behave as one would expect! When RAM is short, it automatically expands the total ram of the virtual machine and it will use it. Even for caching purposes. I'd suppose you could change the settings of the virtual machine's memory settings IF you are experiencing this problem too. I did not check that though... You might have to start from scratch (I did).

I still don't understand WHY this is happening though! And also it's unclear to me why it only happens after a short while after logging in, not immediately when you start the virtual client-computer... :s

Thank you Redmond, not ;p

Devvie
twitter.com/devnullius

[metalmunna]

i think there has configuration error or problem on the network card(simple lan card and cable makes a lot of trouble too if that is connected with 10MBPS hub/switch, so use minimum 100MBPS hub/switch , try to install Win 8.1 with 8GB max memory with dynamic memory. later you can increase the memory from the Hyper-V VM settings. Usually VM is more faster then physical machine ...

10Mb HUB... What century are you from?? ;p

Anyways, got it solved!

Quote:
I also tested with a Generation 1 Windows 7 client, it had the same problem: quickly after logging in all available RAM would be consumed. So that got me thinking... It can't be THAT buggy, right??

And now I think I actually 'solved' it...

When I created the virtual machines I set the total amount of RAM on 32GB instead of the advised default of 512 RAM. And I enabled dynamic memory... Also with with a max of 32GB.

So after the failed experiment with Win 7 I decided to start over once more: but this time I started with the advised default of 512MB RAM. I know, horrible right?? But I also set dynamic memory from 512 to max of 32GB.
And guess what: both clients now behave as one would expect! When RAM is short, it automatically expands the total ram of the virtual machine and it will use it. Even for caching purposes. I'd suppose you could change the settings of the virtual machine's memory settings IF you are experiencing this problem too. I did not check that though... You might have to start from scratch (I did).

I still don't understand WHY this is happening though! And also it's unclear to me why it only happens after a short while after logging in, not immediately when you start the virtual client-computer... :s

Thank you Redmond, not ;p

Devvie
twitter.com/devnullius

i live in MARS and we welcome all unfriendly guys on here! some professional router comes with a free 10mbps hub/switch, i just remind that if using that free switch/hub! i told you about configuration error which means your RAM configuration too and to be sure about that place i told you start with 8GB RAM, nice way to solve after suffering, you will not forget for next time! people will think 2nd time when you should shouting help help ... to get escape from the tiger! anyway, have a good day.

[devnullius]

And update for JHeysen... Yes, there seem to be client tools after all

Generation 2 Windows 8.1 x64: from the menus, press Action - Insert Integration Services Setup  Disk

Strange they don't remind users! I doubt if it would have solved my RAM problem - might check a next time

Thank you all for thinking along,

Devvie