Server 2008 Memory Issues - Memory Leak?
Running Server 2008,I'm having problems with the memory usage in Server 2008 x64.The longer I leave the server on, the more memory is used up.On a clean boot, 23% of 6GB is used. If I leave it on for about a week, 50% of 6GB is used.Overall, all the Microsoft processes take up more and more memory the longer the machine is on.The biggest memory hogs are: SVCHost, SVCHost, and DNS.The first SCVHost is carrying:
AeLookupSvc
AppMgmt
BITS
CertPropSvc
EapHost
IAS
IKEEXT
iphlpsvc
LanmanServer
MMCSS
ProfSvc
RasMan
RemoteAccess
Schedule
seclogon
SENS
SessionEnv
ShellHWDetection
Winmgmt
wuauserv
I tried shutting down the services, one by one, to see the memory come back but I could kill them all.The "Schedule" service was the only services that I couldn't stop but I can't see why that would be taking up 650MB.The second SVCHost is carrying:
gpsvc
DNS is self explainatory...The server is carrying these roles:
ADDS
App Server
DHCP
DNS
File Services
Hyper-V
NPS
WMS
TS
IIS
This is quite a serious issue becuase I could do everything I'm running now, in Server 2003, no problems.Why is Server 2008 Leaking memory?
August 2nd, 2009 12:04am
Hi,
I suspect what you are talking about is the usage of Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista has a radically different approach to memory management. The following blog maybe helpful for you, you can refer to:
Why Does Vista Use All My Memory?
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000688.html
Important Note: This response contains a reference to a third party World Wide Web site. Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. Microsoft does not control these sites and has not tested any software or information found on these sites; therefore, Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. There are inherent dangers in the use of any software found on the Internet, and Microsoft cautions you to make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any software from the Internet.
Best Regards,
Vincent Hu
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August 5th, 2009 5:41am
Thanks for the info...Unfortunately, that information only applies to SuperFetch, as far as I can tell, and in Windows Server 2008, SuperFetch is disabled by default (it is disabled for me as well).Trying to isolate the problem a little better I separated theindividual services in the main SVCHost process to individual SVCHost processes to better determine the hog.Over a 2 & 1/2 day study, so far, the main hogs are:GPSvc (SvcHost) & IPHlpSvc (SvcHost)Those two processes almost double in size every day or so.I will continue to monitor my processes/services this way for a week to confirm, but it looks like these two have a problem.
August 6th, 2009 2:43am
After about 4 days of monitoring I can say, pretty confidently,that it is these two services:IPHlpSvc (SvcHost)GPSvc (SvcHost)I started keep tabs of the memory usage about 2 Days in and here's the skinny:
9:10 PM 8/4/2009
Run Time: 1 Day, 23 Hrs
IPHlpSvc (SvcHost): ~69,000K
GPSvc (SvcHost): ~58,500K
==========================================
7:31 PM 8/5/2009
Run Time: 2 Days, 22Hrs
IPHlpSvc (SvcHost): ~103,500K
GPSvc (SvcHost): ~81,500K
==========================================
6:55 PM 8/6/2009
Run Time: 3 Days, 21Hrs
IPHlpSvc (SvcHost): ~139,000K
GPSvc (SvcHost): ~105,500K
All the rest of the processes seem to level out or at least do not continually grow.
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August 7th, 2009 2:03am
This thread has not been solved.As you can see by my last post, I have pinpointed the problem services with my configuration.The post about SuperFetch does not apply here becuase it is disabled.There is still a problem here.
August 11th, 2009 5:07pm
Vincent, As DJXMMX said, that information specifically references SuperFetch which is disabled by default in server 2008. I'm experiencing the same thing with server 2008 enterprise x64. Do you have any documents that clearly spell out memory utilization in 2008? Thanks
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August 14th, 2009 8:44pm
Thanks for confirming drplunk.What roles are you running? Maybe we can find some common ground or something.I'm also running x64; Datacenter at that....machine has been on for 4 days and it's back up to 41% of 6 GB used...this is a major problem still.Still same two processes that I mentioned earlier.
August 17th, 2009 7:10pm
I keep hearing a lot about how 2008 manages memory differently and that's fine, but there are two problems with the approach. If my 4GB goes from 1.6GB on a cold start to 3.8 GB after four days of usage, how is one possibly supposed to troubleshoot the situation
if this is "by design". If it is normal for Windows to consume 3.8 GB even though there is nothing running (which by the way when I reach that peak I close out EVERYTHING and memory does not go down), then the performance monitor or task manager needs to have
an easy way of indicating it. As it currently stands, Windows changed memory management but didn't really change the tools (like task manager) to clearly indicate such a new memory profile and when you are seeing "bad" things.
Aside from this usage flaw. I do see a leak although like I said above I'm finding it impossible to troubleshoot. When I hit the 3.8 GB my machine starts swapping to disk and everything of course slows down.
I am using Server 2008 as a development platform and not as a traditional server. I run things like Outlook, Word, and Visual Studio 2010 frequently. I don't really run services and only run IIS for development. When my memory increases using these applications it
never gets reclaimed. An like I said, when it reaches ~3.8GB I notice performance degradation and my only recourse is to reboot. Many of my developers are using Server 2008 R2 and they see this exact same behavior so I find it hard to believe others aren't
seeing it and that a resolution hasn't been identified. I am rebooting anywhere between three days and a week.
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June 15th, 2010 4:20pm
I am having the same issue and stumbled upon this. Going to try the hotfix tonight. Won't be able to see the results for a few days though.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/983457
Steve
July 2nd, 2010 9:19pm
Wow, thanks for keeping this thread active guys.
Nice find, SteveJFrank.
I like how Microsoft is very slow to discover and fix (or attempt to fix) problems.
Tring out the hotfix now.
After three days, it expanded a bit but seems to be holding steady at 4.0~4.1GB of 8 GB RAM usage total.
If it continues to hold looks like we finally can mark this solved.
Thanks again to everyone who kept this thread alive.
Maybe Microsoft actually heard us ;)
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July 7th, 2010 12:48am
Hello,
Guys, this might be the required hotfix for fixing this behavior in windows 2008/vista wise but going through with 2008 R2 with no luck in finding related articles !
I heard something about new dynamic cache management but I believe this new feature might be quite annoying when it comes to hosting situations (except than exchange with its fantastic memory caching) and might cause a trouble with swapping pagefiles on
disk which slows down the performance of clients applications and connection wise troubles (sql - mail server - control panel - etc.)
Is there anything out yet for SAME issue mentioned in this topic BUT for R2 edition of 2k8 ?
Aria
August 1st, 2010 1:16am
This didn't fully fix the issue in 2008 either...
Mine still leaks from: GPSvc (SvcHost)
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August 1st, 2010 2:20am
Check out this post and hotfix for gpsvc:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverGP/thread/76931dd2-6262-49be-b8bd-5e0a594c78ae
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958089Jeff Graves, ORCS Web, Inc.
October 7th, 2010 5:59pm
Hi,
I have the same issue at my customer and currently no answer
Full Story
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/pl/winserverGP/thread/57710454-4f27-4e46-a878-0d8fd163c7a3
Rgds
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November 9th, 2011 6:04am