Enabling AWE on SQL Server 2005 for servers with > 4GB RAM

Enabling AWE on SQL Server 2005 for servers with > 4GB RAM

Here are the steps to enable AWE so that Sql Server 2005 can use additional memory, if your physical memory is more than 4 GB on 32-bit Windows 2003 box.

1. Add /pae at the end of last line inside c:\boot.ini

2. Run gpedit.msc. On the left hand pane, expand Computer Configuration, expand Windows Settings,          expand Security Settings, expand Local Policies, select User Rights Assignment

3. On the right hand pane, find Lock pages in memory and double click, then add your Sql Server startup account into Local Security Policy Setting tab;

4. In Sql Server Management Studio, run:
    sp_configure ’show advanced’, 1
    reconfigure
    sp_configure ‘awe enabled’, 1
    reconfigure

Ignore the error message below, if you have it.

Msg 5845, Level 16, State 1, Line 1

Address Windowing Extensions (AWE) requires the ‘lock pages in memory’ privilege which is not currently present in the access token of the process.

5. Reboot.