Microsoft KB Archive/320286

= Access Violation Occurs When You Use the /MAXMEM Start Switch on 64-bit Versions of Windows Server 2003 on Computers That Have More Than 4GB of RAM =

Article ID: 320286

Article Last Modified on 3/1/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional for Itanium-based systems

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This article was previously published under Q320286



SYMPTOMS
In 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003, if you use the /maxmem start switch in a computer that contains more than 4 GB of RAM, the computer stops responding (hangs) or creates an access violation (error code c0000005 ).



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003 require a different start option switch to limit the memory that is available.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, use the Nvrboot.efi utility to change the start switch to use /burnmemory=  instead of /maxmem= .

NOTE: You can use the /burnmemory= start switch on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003.

When Windows Server 2003 is installed it creates a Msutil folder in the ESP Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) partition and copies the Nvrboot.efi utility to the Msutil folder.

To add the /burnmemory= switch:
 * 1) Start the computer, and then from the EFI Boot Manager, click to select the option to start in the EFI Shell.
 * 2) Mount the ESP (EFI) partition (FS, where   is the ESP (EFI) partition).
 * 3) Change to the MSUtil folder. To do so, type cd msutil.

NOTE: You must run this command in the root of the ESP partition.
 * 1) Type nvrboot.efi.
 * 2) Press C, and then click the Windows Server 2003 start entry to which you want to add the /burnmemory switch.
 * 3) Press M to modify a start entry.
 * 4) Click to select the original or the copy that you made in step 5.
 * 5) Click to select option 2, and then type /burnmemory= (where   is the amount of memory you want Windows Server 2003 to discard).

For example, /burnmemory=6144 instructs Windows Server 2003 to discard 6 GB of the physical memory as unavailable.
 * 1) Press Q to quit Nvrboot.
 * 2) Restart the computer, and then click to select the modified EFI Boot entry.

Additional query words: IA64 Itanium 2 NVRBoot

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB320286

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