Memory fragmentation or Windows limitation?

Hello,

RDBMS Version: 8.1.7.4.1
Operating System and Version: Windows 2000 Advanced Server

All OS and Server version details are mentioned above, although single instance can take 2GB of memory on Windows, when Oracle.exe reaches 1.7GB, we start getting this error. Total SGA size is 1.1 GB, 400 sessions and dedicated server mode. So initially we reduced SGA size by reducing DB_BUFFER_CACHE. But again hit same error...


TNS-12500: TNS:listener failed to start a dedicated server process
TNS-12540: TNS:internal limit restriction exceeded
TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error
TNS-00510: Internal limit restriction exceeded
32-bit Windows Error: 8: Exec format error


Now we have inserted /3 GB parameter in boot.ini and also reduced SGA by 100 MB. In long term we are planning to use Multi Threaded server. What else can be done to avoid this error? Is this windows issue of memory fragmentation when application sessions are connected and disconnected frequently? please help us.

Thanks & Regards,

Shailesh

32Bit oracle is restricted to an SGA of 1.75Gb, any more and you will get errors (you can go up to 3Gb is you set some boot.ini parameters as you have done)

Dont forget that the OS needs memory as well, you may well be blowing all your machines resources

Are you using a lot of PGA as well?