Version 20251015 : large-page allocations

[v77]

This release brings the support of large-page memory allocations for dynamic ramdisks. This means that Windows uses 2MB memory blocks instead of the usual 4KB blocks. The main advantage is that these blocks cannot be written to the pagefile, like AWE, but with a speed close to the virtual memory.
2 warnings though:
- Like a hard drive, RAM can be fragmented. Therefore, finding a new 2MB block can be difficult and may require memory moves from the system, which can lead to a general slowdown. However, this would occur only when new blocks are allocated.
- Some Windows versions have a bug for the use of large-page allocations. These are all Windows 10 versions up to 1809 included. The version 1903 (build 18323) fixes this issue. The GUI disables the option for the affected versions.

As AWE with dynamic ramdisks, it requires the privilege to lock pages in memory ("SeLockMemoryPrivilege") in the group policy. The GUI activates the option, if required, after a confirmation and will ask to logout.

Of course, RamDyn will automatically use memory blocks of at least 2MB for large-page even if the user asks for smaller blocks.
⠀

The driver and the .NET command line tool aim_cli.exe have been updated. aim_cli.exe is now somewhat bigger but brings several new features. For instance, you can now use it to create new image files of any supported format (such as a dynamic sized VDI).
aim_cli is already used by MountImg and AIMtk-Dlg ("Save disk contents as image file"), and I will try to use it more in the GUIs.

Don't know what it could fix, but there are also additions in the ramdisk creation procedure to take care of some unlikely cases.

[Takano nanitaro]

Hi.

I have a question.
I understand that the Toolkit automatically adds the “SeLockMemoryPrivilege” permission as needed,
but specifically, to which account is the “SeLockMemoryPrivilege” permission granted?
I want to know how to revert to the original state after trying “large-page”.

Also, if using the Home Edition, how can I check and restore this?
As you know, the Home Edition does not include the Group Policy Editor.

[v77]

The permission is granted to the administrators group.

Without the group policy editor, it is indeed difficult to revert the change, but not impossible, with secedit.exe, or a PowerShell script such as that.

I could add something to remove the permission, but if another software needs it, this can break it.
And even you are not necessarily aware of that. For instance, 7-Zip does not ask you before changing this permission...

So I would say, you should not worry too much about that.

[Olof Lagerkvist]

I have a tool I call "accrights" that can do this if you like. To show assigned rights to Administrators group:

accrights Administrators

To remove “SeLockMemoryPrivilege”:

accrights /remove Administrators SeLockMemoryPrivilege

It is on my website https://ltr-data.se/opencode.html

[v77]

I cannot find it.

Edit: It is in the archive files just below the line (not obvious):
"Big ZIP files with compiled stand-alone exe-files for most of the utilities listed here and some more:"

[Olof Lagerkvist]

Sorry, there was a mistake on the website so it had not shown up separately as it should have done. Fixed that now!

[Takano nanitaro]

Thank you both for your responses.
“accrights” is a great tool too.
I'd been struggling with secedit.exe's behavior, but it solved the problem in one go.