Can you suggest a way to estimate of how much memory is required to safely and efficiently run large data sets, say 2500 or more issues in one data set? Is there a rule of thumb: x-gigs of ram/1000 data items? I am running large sets and the system keeps crashing.

Sure, the formula for reqired RAM is pretty simple and can be found in the Wealth-Lab 5 Wiki FAQ--as well as some tips and workarounds:
Out of memory problems.

Wow, I ran that NTCore utility, and it made a HUGE difference. Before I ran it, WL5 was running out of memory (on Vista x64 with 8 GB of RAM) running the Nasdaq 100 with 1 minute bars for any time period longer than 5 months. Now I can run two years without it running out of memory. It also appears to be using less memory than before, although I can't be sure.

Nice to know, thank you.

I found the link you mentioned, and if I understand correctly:
For 2500 stocks
Tested over 3500 bars
with 6 items in the data series
and 8 bytes
Memory required = 2500*3500*6*8=420,000,000 bytes of RAM which seems to be well below the 1.7GB that the native WL5 and Windows setup allows.

I also had the same experience as DaveAronow. After running the NT Core utility and changing the boot.ini file on my NT Home version with 4 GB RAM the system stopped crashing. Since the base allocation of 1.7 GB is less than the required memory .420 GB (for the data series I am running), it seems like the extra memory space opened by the NTcore fix is doing something special. Any ideas about what might be going on?

I will also try the NTCore fix on my office machine later this morning. I had to uninstall/re-install WL5.3.44 on that machine four times last week (including 2 re-installs that required trashing the entire 1.0.0.0 folder.) Fortunately I had backups of my data sets and strategies.

Also, it might be worth giving the Fidelity people a heads up on this and possibly including the NTCore utility in future versions.

Thanks

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Memory required = 2500*3500*6*8=420,000,000 bytes of RAM

Actually, you can have more than 6 data series if you use indicators, create your own data series etc. In addition, memory is subject to fragmentation--like a hard disk.

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(including 2 re-installs that required trashing the entire 1.0.0.0 folder.)

Although it's slightly off-topic here, but trashing the entire folder is neither required nor recommended.

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Also, it might be worth giving the Fidelity people a heads up on this and possibly including the NTCore utility in future versions.

Thanks, the developers are already aware of the situation. A truly 64-bit version of Wealth-Lab Pro would not require patching with the 4Gb patch to consume more memory, but it could become reality only if Fidelity Server would be rewritten as a managed application (now it's an unmanaged C++ program). On the other hand, this limitation will not apply to the new build of Developer (once released).

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Although it's slightly off-topic here, but trashing the entire folder is neither required nor recommended.

Trashing the entire folder was recommended by Fidelity after a previous re-install failed to open. I'm going to have to do the same thing later this morning when I get to the office on that machine since the last re-install there also won't open.. If you would like more details of the problem I will start a new post.

Please create a support ticket when you get to the office. Most likely, we'll find that failing file and save your work and the accumulated data.

Thanks.

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Sure, the formula for reqired RAM is pretty simple and can be found in the Wealth-Lab 5 Wiki FAQ--as well as some tips and workarounds:
Out of memory problems.

I enabled the 3/GB switch and ran the NTCore utility. When selecting Wealthlabpro.exe, a messagebox displays saying "Cannot open Executable !".

I am running WL Pro 5.4 with windows Vista 32 and 3G ram.

Is there something different with WL 5.4, to prevent the utility from running ?

thx.

QUOTE:


Sure, the formula for reqired RAM is pretty simple and can be found in the Wealth-Lab 5 Wiki FAQ--as well as some tips and workarounds:
Out of memory problems.



I enabled the 3/GB switch and ran the NTCore utility. When selecting Wealthlabpro.exe, a messagebox displays saying "Cannot open Executable !".

I am running WL Pro 5.4 with windows Vista 32 and 3G ram.

Is there something different with WL 5.4, to prevent the utility from running ?

thx.

nevermind.. :) I had WL Pro open in the background which is why it couldn't open the executable..

Note: the /3GB switch requires you to reboot the PC.

How did you get 5.4 when it hasn't even been finalized for release yet?

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How did you get 5.4 when it hasn't even been finalized for release yet?

Correction. It's 5.3. Hopefully in a couple of weeks it will be 5.4 :)

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Note: the /3GB switch requires you to reboot the PC.

BTW.. this patch works great. No more "out of memory errors" so far... I hope it works on 5.4 exe as well.

If 5.4 exe is compiled with /LARGEADDRESSAWARE flag as we hope, then the need to patch will go away.