Hello fellow simmers,
 
Well, I am really stumped about the "Out of Memory issues" I have been getting lately with FSX and about setting the correct virtual memory size for my PC. I am mainly focused on trying to set the best virtual memory size for FSX because no other PC application has issues with virtual memory size, irregardless of what setting I choose, It is only FSX. 
 
So I am confused what to set my paging file to because:
 
- I cannot confirm this but what seemed best is leaving Windows to automatically manage the size (which is the recommended size of 24387 MB), however this takes up the most space and is this really necessary? I still get OOM issues with this setting.
 
- Samsung Magician, a tool for the Samsung SSD drives recommends only max 2GB and let the PC use the real RAM.
 
What Samsung says in Samsung Magician:

 

 

In order to address any potential lack of memory capacity, the Windows operating system automatically generates a block of virtual memory (pagefile.sys) on the C: drive. For example, a Windows 7 64-bit system with 4 GB of physical memory would generate 4 GB of virtual memory at boot time.

In the past, before PC Memory (DRAM Modules) were available in high volume, PCs needed to utilize some HDD space to address any memory shortcomings. Today, with PCs featuring 4 GB of memory or more, it is possible to reduce or even eliminate the use of virtual memory. Additionally, using expanded physical memory, rather than creating virtual memory on the SSD, has performance and reliability advantages for the entire system. Some applications may require the use of virtual memory. In this case, please consider your specific application requirements before disabling this feature.

 

- The Avsim Software & Hardware Guide for FSX v.1.0.4.8 says 3072, and this is what I have it now but I am getting a lot of OOM errors now, but not sure if this is setting is to blame either.

 

So I have been reading a lot of threads lately and posts about this issue, I know why OOM problems occur, how to monitor FSX leading up to the error (thanks to FSUIPC's feature) but what I am asking is for recommendations from you guys, especially those who have 16GB of RAM also.

 

What virtual memory size would you recommend with 16GB of RAM? Thanks for all feedback and replies.

I'd add that there are more factors to determine VAS usage and OOMs like

 

- installed photo scenery

- textures size(s)

- graphics settings (autogen, for example)

- AI traffic

- and more

Your pageing file will have nothing to do with your OOMs. FSX will run WITHOUT a paging file with no more or less OOMs.

 

A page file of 3072 on C more than enough for FSX but I cannot vouch for any other games or apps.  If you do any heavy duty video editing or rendering then that's different.

 

There are many here who can advise better than I re your OOMs though.

*** Some additional things ***

 

While I spent and spend time, trying to handle this problem, I would like to share some information I have found, which I have not found described previously on forums, so hope this helps someone:

 

You can display the free virtual memory size in FSX by using FSUIPC's Logging features:

 

Go to the FSUIPC options and settings, then go to logging, then underneath "specific value checks" add an Offset of 024C and select the type U32 (Thanks to Pete for sending me the instructions) You can choose to display this information in the FS Window but my suggestion is to show it in the "FS Title Bar" because it get's in the way with GSX/AES, etc. and FS title bar info. If you fly in window mode you can easily keep an eye out in he FS Title bar for free memory and even save the flight before virtual memory errors are about to happen. (DING DING audible warning from FSUIPC comes just before FSX error) You could also use autosave, which is even better.

 

Furthermore ... some basic information about FSX virtual memory monitoring:

 

Just yesterday Froogle released a video about this topic, I found this quite helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq6CkTjVqpU

RAM and Virtual memory are not the same thing. 8GB of RAM is recommended, and default paging file - leave it to system managed. This if you have Windows 7 / 64bit which is also highly recommended and absolutelly the best for FSX.

 

To avoid OOM errors:

 

-  set Texture_Max_Load in fsx.CFG to maximum 2048, never above

 - REX clouds 1024, max 2048, DXT optimized

 - Microsoft patch for heap limitation applied: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947246

 - i use SceneryConfigEditor every time before i start FSX, to enable only scenery i need for my next flight http://sourceforge.net/projects/fs-sceditor/files/V1.0/

Important is to disable all payware, especially photoscenery. I enable only 1-2 continents(2 for long haul)and 2-3 airports. 

- Virtal memory management should be system managed on windows 7 / 64bit(don't change default paging file like some people suggest)

Your pageing file will have nothing to do with your OOMs. FSX will run WITHOUT a paging file with no more or less OOMs.

 

A page file of 3072 on C more than enough for FSX but I cannot vouch for any other games or apps.  If you do any heavy duty video editing or rendering then that's different.

 

There are many here who can advise better than I re your OOMs though.

 

Okay, interesting... so maybe I am getting something mixed up then. FSX uses virtual memory size but not from this paging file? or in some cases when memory is too low? So I can even turn off virtual memory size and let FSX set a virtual memory size in my real memory size?

 

Why does WIndows recommended such a large virtual memory in contrast to Samsung's advice?

*** Some additional things ***

 

(...)

 

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/413244-some-changes-ryan-made-to-my-fsx/?p=2711172

Thank you Zeljko for those clear tips! I had some of these settings the same but a few not, will try all those suggestions! Yeah I also thought FSX was most stable with the setting on automatically manage the paging size, but I do not like that is uses 24GB of an already smaller SSD, if that is really best, I will let Windows manage the paging size.

Okay, interesting... so maybe I am getting something mixed up then. FSX uses virtual memory size but not from this paging file? or in some cases when memory is too low? So I can even turn off virtual memory size and let FSX set a virtual memory size in my real memory size?

 

Why does WIndows recommended such a large virtual memory in contrast to Samsung's advice?

 

 

This may help, too:

 

- Virtual memory is physical memory not available as RAM, so the harddisk is used instead.

- VAS (virtual address space) is the amount of memory that can be addressed by an application. For a 32bit app (like FSX) the max. is 4 GB. So the VAS limitation for FSX is way more restrictive (and way more important!) than the virtual memory size. Whatever addons you run in FSX, a physical RAM of 8 GB can contain any data needed.

I'd add that there are more factors to determine VAS usage and OOMs like

 

- installed photo scenery

- textures size(s)

- graphics settings (autogen, for example)

- AI traffic

- and more

 

Yup, working on reviewing all of this

 

http://forum.avsim.net/topic/413244-some-changes-ryan-made-to-my-fsx/?p=2711172

 

Thanks for the link! Will check that out

This may help, too:

 

- Virtual memory is physical memory not available as RAM, so the harddisk is used instead.

- VAS (virtual address space) is the amount of memory that can be addressed by an application. For a 32bit app (like FSX) the max. is 4 GB. So the VAS limitation for FSX is way more restrictive (and way more important!) than the virtual memory size. Whatever addons you run in FSX, a physical RAM of 8 GB can contain any data needed.

 

Interesting, probably the issues I am having are not due to virtual memory / paging file size but due to the VAS restrictions. I assume add-ons loaded externally do not contribute to the VAS unless they interact with FSX, is this correct?

 

 

 

Whatever addons you run in FSX, a physical RAM of 8 GB can contain any data needed.

 

Can you please explain what you meant here, I did not quite understand what you meant here.

The Avsim Guide has some valuable information.  NickN has most of his "FSX Bible" completed and you might want to read some of his recommendations too -  http://www.simforums.com/forums/the-fsx-computer-system-the-bible-by-nickn_topic46211.html.  Check Chapter 5, paragraph 9 regarding Virtual Memory settings.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Hello Jim,

 

Great! Thank you, I will definitely go through that.

I'm going to attempt once more to "define" just what the VAS table is in very simple terms:

 

1. loaded programs occupy physical memory

 

2. every loaded program's bits are mapped to that application's "virtual addresses" in the VAS table

 

3. when a program is swapped to virtual memory, Windows needs to read the VAS table in order to know where to put the bits back into the physical memory so it can resume execution

 

In short, VAS tables are nothing more nor less than memory addresses. They are not the actual data and/or program bits.

You're wasting your breath, Bill. It's like writing a Guide, and then watching everyone rip it to pieces.