reducing the "total memory" figure

NTDEV
1

For cosmetic reasons, is there a way to change the figure that the
typical ‘user accessible’ calls return that represents the total amount
of memory installed? This is for a virtual machine where it is possible
to give memory back to the hypervisor and then increase it later.

Currently I just show the memory given back to the hypervisor as used,
but a user has asked if it could be shown as a reduction of total memory
instead, for apps like ‘Windows Task Manager’ etc.

I’m guessing that the answer is no but thought I’d ask.

Thanks

James

2

I don’t think total memory can shrink. Besides, it didn’t shrink, it is ‘on
loan’, which is effectively ‘in use’.

Mark Roddy

On Sun, May 23, 2010 at 5:36 AM, James Harper > wrote:

> For cosmetic reasons, is there a way to change the figure that the
> typical ‘user accessible’ calls return that represents the total amount
> of memory installed? This is for a virtual machine where it is possible
> to give memory back to the hypervisor and then increase it later.
>
> Currently I just show the memory given back to the hypervisor as used,
> but a user has asked if it could be shown as a reduction of total memory
> instead, for apps like ‘Windows Task Manager’ etc.
>
> I’m guessing that the answer is no but thought I’d ask.
>
> Thanks
>
> James
>
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3

>I don’t think total memory can shrink.

Technically, it’s possible if memory is hot-removed, but currently the API
to do that (MmRemovePhysicalMemory) is not officially supported.
It would also be less efficient than simply allocating pages and holding
onto them.

–
Pavel Lebedinsky/Windows Fundamentals Test
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.

4

>

I don’t think total memory can shrink. Besides, it didn’t shrink, it
is ‘on
loan’, which is effectively ‘in use’.

Yep. One user asked if Windows could report the loan memory as a
reduction in total memory, so I said I’d ask on the ntdev list, just in
case there was a straightforward way to do it.

Thanks

James