Check memory usage under Virtual Server

Under Virtual Server you can configure the amount of memory that your virtual machine will have. However - when this virtual machine is actually running it will use slightly more memory than what you specified (to deal with information the Virtual Server needs to store as part of running the virtual machine). Seeing how much memory is in use by Virtual Server is not exactly intuitive. You actually do this under the Windows performance monitor. You can do this by selecting to 'Run...' off of the start menu and running 'perfmon'.

This will give you a default performance monitor set. You will need to add the performance counter for memory usage by Virtual Server. To do this - hit the 'add counter' button (a '+' button). You will now need to close this dialog and re-open it (I do not know why - but we do not appear in the counter list the first time). Now you can select to look at 'Virtual Machines' and then 'Allocated MB'. This will allow you to determine exactly how much memory is being used by your virtual machines.

Cheers,
Ben

Comments

• Anonymous
  April 20, 2006
  Ben,
  
  Rob Caron from the Visual Studio Team System has weighed in on some differences between Virtual Server and Virtual PC.
  
  http://blogs.msdn.com/robcaron/archive/2006/04/19/579499.aspx
  
  I know you have pointed out that Virtual Server does not have sound support, but does have SCSI support. Rob added a few more things: Folders and Remote control.
  
  Why is XP Pro the only supported OS for Virtual PC? (It does work on Windows 2003, I have tried it. But there are warnings.)
  
  I would be interested in a comprehensive list of differences.
  
  Thanks,
  BB
  
  
  
  
• Anonymous
  April 20, 2006
  Checkout:
  
  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/techinfo/vsvsvpc.mspx
  
  Cheers,
  Ben