Limited Virtual Memory Changing Drive Letter (102081)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
This article was previously published under Q102081
WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

SYMPTOMS

When the static Drive Letter in Disk Manager is changed from the logical drive that Windows NT is presently installed on, the following error message appears: 
                     "Limited Virtual Memory
   Your system is running without a properly sized paging file. Please
   use the virtual memory option of the System applet in the Control
   Panel to create a paging file, or to increase the initial size of
   your paging file."

RESOLUTION

NOTE: Although you can perform the following steps 1-5 through the User Interface, use the Registry editor to perform steps 7-14.

  1. From the System dialog box in Control Panel, choose the Virtual Memory button.
  2. Select the drive on which the Paging File is to be created.
  3. Enter Initial Size (in megabytes, MB) and Maximum Size (in megabytes), and then choose the Set button. It will return to the System dialog box.
  4. In the Users Environment Variables box, select each variable.
  5. In the boxes below it, change each Variable and Value, and then choose the Set button.
  6. Start REGEDT32. Select the HKEY_USERS on Local Machine subtree and search for the following subkey: 
          DEFAULT\Environment
  7. On the right side of the window, choose the temp:REG_SZ: value.
  8. From the Edit menu, choose String.
  9. Edit the string and replace the drive letter reference with the correct drive letter.
  10. On the right side of the window, choose the tmp:REG_SZ: value.
  11. From the Edit menu, choose String.
  12. Edit the string and replace the drive letter reference with the correct drive letter.
  13. Exit REGEDT32.

MORE INFORMATION

Although the System Environment Variables change, and the PAGEFILE.SYS file is located on the drive that you have changed the drive letter of, it never gets updated in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine subtree after restarting:

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

under the key value PagingFiles:REG_MULTI_SZ:. It also does not change the Users Environment Variables or the Default Environment Variable setting.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.1 and Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES

Changing the Environment Variables and Virtual-Memory Paging File
"Windows NT System Guide," pages 148-151
"Windows NT Advanced Server," pages 158-161
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/20/2003
Keywords:kbsetup KB102081
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.