I’m running SQL Server 2005 on a dev VM with other apps. The other apps are super slow. I found out SQL Server is taking up all the memory. Apparently it does this by default to cache data but doesn’t give it back fast enough when other apps need it.
I heard there’s a way to limit SQL Server’s memory use. But I’m not sure how to set this limit. Is there a minimum amount it needs? Any tips?
My dev machines have 2GB RAM and I want to run the VM on 768MB or less if possible. It’s just for local dev and testing so the load is pretty light. Once code passes local tests it goes to a different setup with a dedicated SQL server.
What I really want to know is: What’s the lowest memory I can give SQL Server and still have it work okay?
Thanks for any advice!
From my experience managing SQL Server 2005 on resource-constrained VMs, you can significantly reduce its memory footprint while maintaining functionality for light dev work. I’ve successfully run it with as little as 256MB RAM allocated, though 384MB-512MB is generally more stable.
To configure this, use SQL Server Management Studio to set both minimum and maximum server memory. Navigate to Server Properties > Memory and adjust these values. Start conservative - perhaps 384MB max - and lower if needed.
Remember to monitor performance closely after changes. If you notice excessive paging or query timeouts, gradually increase the limit. Also, disable unnecessary services and features to further reduce memory usage.
For your 768MB VM, allocating about half to SQL Server should provide a good balance for dev purposes while leaving room for other applications.
hey, i’ve dealt with this before. u can totally limit SQL’s memory usage. go into SQL Server Management Studio, hit server properties, then memory tab. set max server memory to like 384MB. that should work fine for light dev stuff. if it’s buggy, bump it up a bit. good luck!