System Is Running Low on Registry Quota

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When the Registry Size Limit is set too low, the following popup error message will be displayed on the screen:

{Low on Registry Quota}
Your system is running low on registry quota.
Start the System option in the Control Panel and choose
the Virtual Memory button to increase the registry quota.

CAUSE

When applications such as Rdisk.exe and other Backup software are used to backup the registry, the amount of paged pool memory used by these applications are charged towards the registry's quota. If the amount consumed reaches 95 percent of the Registry Size Limit then the warning popup mentioned above will be displayed. The warning is displayed only once for each boot cycle; which means that the popup will not be displayed until the system is rebooted, and the threshold reached again.

WORKAROUND

On Windows NT 4.0 systems, in Performance Monitor, "Percent Registry size used counter" under the System object can be used to monitor this setting. The rule of thumb to follow is to double the current registry size, and add 20 percent to that value.

MORE INFORMATION

"Maximum Registry Size" also known as "Registry Size Limit" can be specified in the Virtual Memory dialog box in the System/performance section of Control Panel.

This value enables one to specify the maximum size of the registry, and also limit the use of paged pool memory used by applications calling registry APIs.

Additional query words: RSL

Keywords : kbenv ntregistry NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb