VMware 10 shows memory module error

[kriemer]

Host Machine: Windows 8 Enterprise, 2 sticks 4GB Ram = 8GB Ram

Virtual Machine: VMware 10 Windows 8

When I run a Virtual machine with 2GB memory System>Device Manager>Memory Modules show one memory device no error.  When I increase the VM memory to 4GB Memory Module shows 2 devices and one of the the devices shows an error:

"This device cannot start. (Code 10)

An invalid parameter was passed to a service or function as the first argument.".

Looking at Windows Control Panel>System Installed Memory Ram  I see 4GB Ram installed (3GB useable)

Any thoughts?

Thanks and regards

k

[bababab]

Same error here. Only differences are

1) Host is Win8 Pro (also 64 bit), and

2) Host ram is 32GB total (4ea 8GB).

3) Guest is Win7 Pro.

2) Guest ram chosen is 3GB.

???

[bababab]

I just ran Win7's mdsched.exe . No problems detected.

Win7's Resource Monitor shows 3GB ram in play.

Then what's the Device Manager error all about? False error?

Humm . . .

[kriemer]

bababab,

It's a 2 part mystery, 1st that VM's seem to be limited to 3GB RAM; 2nd that no one notices or comments on this, even to the extent that it is normal.

k

[continuum · Accepted solution]

> 1st that VM's seem to be limited to 3GB RAM;

? - VMs are not limited to 3 GB RAM !!!
Only 32bit guest operating systems like XP are not able to use more RAM than 3 GB + a bit.
A Windows 2003 32bit VM for example can use about 3500 MB - assigning more RAM would be a waste

[bababab]

Just for clarity, I manually select 3GB for this VM.

Btw, I don't want this post and threads to get off topic, however . . . . since my Win7 VM is 32bit, I checked the BCD database via Visual Bcdedit and I don't see any references to PAE, AWE or 4GT. If you like you can review here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366796(v=vs.85).aspx

Regards . . .

[kriemer]

Now I feel like the South-end of a horse facing North.  Of course that's the answer.

Many thanks

[bababab]

Just for fun, I shut down the Win7 VM, changed the memory from 3004 down to 2996, and restarted the VM.

I go to System>Device Manager>Memory Modules. Now I see only one (not 2 as before)Memory Module, and it has no error on it.

So the "fix" apparently is to not set the Win7 32bit VM to more than 2996 MB.

Regards . . .

[bababab]

A little refinement to my last thread:

In the VM setup, size the VM to 3072 MB (ie. 3072MB = 3GB exactly)

Note that if you set the VM to 3072 or lower, you don't see the 2nd Memory Module in Device Manager with the error condition.

Now . . . Resize the VM above 3072 for a test:

Then look at the Properties | Resources of the Memory Module *without* the error state, you'll see the Resources tab shows Memory Range 10000000 - BFFFFFFF .

Hex BFFFFFFF = 32112254471 decimal.

32112254471 decimal = 3,071.999990463257 MB.

3,071.999990463257 MB = 2.9999999990686774 GB .

Call it 3GB of memory resource.

If you look at the Properties | Resources of the Memory Module *with* the error state, you'll see

Hex 0000000100000000 - 0000000101FFFFFF

That's decimal 4,294,967,296  - 4,328,521,727 .

That's exactly 4096 MB (or 4GB) through 4127.9999 MB, or 4.0312499999 GB .

I have no idea why that range shows up on the error Memory Module.

Humm . . .

[javely]

Hi,

I decrease the RAM and it did solve one of my unknown device.
I also left one unknown device with the device instance/id of ACSI\pnp0c80\2.

How did u solve it?