FileInstall size limit

[willichan]

Ok. I am half expecting someone to respond back with "You can't do that. What where you thinking?"

I have been using AutoIt to build self burning CDs to make deployments to remote users easier (let them download, burn, and boot). This time around, the files for deployment come to around 4.3Gig (barely fits on a DVD). There are an additional 140K from three other files, for a total of four included using FileInstall(), the ISO image being the last.

I started compiling (Compile with Options) using the wrapper, and was watching the temp files growing. Everything seemed to be fine, until the actual .exe file started to be built. Some point after it hit 4Gig in size, it (I assume the wrapper) gave me a memory allocation error, and bombed out.

I am running Win XP Pro SP3 on an Intel Core2 Duo system, with 4Gig RAM, and over 100Gig available disk space on an NTFS drive. So I don't think the memory, swapfile, or temp file space are at issue.

I am compiling with Production version 3.3.6.1 of AutoIt3, with the accompanying version of AutoIt3Wrapper.

I checked the help file, and did some searching to see if there was a documented limit, but could not find one.

Any thoughts?

[MHz]

Hi willichan.

I am not sure how you can claim that your memory is not at issue when you get a memory allocation error. This does not mean that your memory is faulty but that you are limited to 32 bit addressing on a Windows XP Pro 32 bit OS. Lets look at a possible solution first. Compilation is not a single tool job so I would attempt to do it without UPX as UPX is perhaps trying to insert the whole file to memory which your OS may get the memory allocation error shown. AutoIt3Wrapper has a directive for such as not using UPX as shown below. See if that helps avoid error.

#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseUpx=n

Now about memory addressing in your Windows OS. Some links I found to present information available below. Windows XP Pro 32 bit is mentioned as being limited to 4GB memory addressing even with use of PAE. Apparently, Windows Server 2003+ 32 bit can use PAE and has support to do 36 bit memory addressing which may extend the memory addressing to above 4GB.

Memory Support and Windows Operating Systems

Operating Systems and PAE Support

Physical Address Extension - PAE Memory and Windows

And something here about zip files exceeding 2GB. Perhaps unrelated to AutoIt3 compression method but worth a look.

Compressed folder becomes corrupted when larger than 2 gigabytes

[willichan]

I am not sure how you can claim that your memory is not at issue when you get a memory allocation error.

I was really more referring to hardware limitations not being at issue.

This does not mean that your memory is faulty but that you are limited to 32 bit addressing on a Windows XP Pro 32 bit OS.

I took a look at the links you provided. That makes perfect sense. I guess we went from "who will use more than 640K?" to "who will use more than 4G?".

I'll give it a try without UPX when I get back into the office.