How to configure virtual memory page file size using PowerShell DSC 

Introduction

This script shows how to configure virtual memory page file size using PowerShell DSC.

This DSC resource is provided AS IS, and is not supported through any Microsoft standard support program or service. The ""x" in xSystemVirtualMemory stands for experimental, which means that these resources will be fix forward and monitored by the module owner(s).

Scenarios

During deployment, system administrators will almost always adjust the virtual memory automatically when building machines first. This script can help admins to leverage PowerShell DSC feature to achieve unified management.

 

Script

Step1: To install DSC Resource Module, you need to unzip the content under $env:ProgramFiles\WindowsPowerShell\Modules folder

 

Then, you can confirm installation to run Get-DSCResource and to see that all the resources on this page are among the DSC Resources list.

 

Details

The properties of xSystemVirtualMemory resource include:

• ConfigureOption: Specifies the option you want to configure.
• InitialSize: Setting the paging file's initial size.
• MaximumSize: Setting the paging file's maximum size.
• DriveLetter: Specifies the drive letter you want to configure.

Renaming Requirements

When making changes to these resources, we suggest the following practice:

1.     Update the following names by prefixing your company/community name and replacing the "x" with "c" (short for "Community") or another prefix of your choice:

• Module name (ex: xSystemVirtualMemory becomes cSystemVirtualMemory)
• Resource folder (ex: xSystemVirtualMemory becomes cSystemVirtualMemory)

2.      Update module and metadata information in the module manifest

3.      Update any configuration that uses these resources

• We reserve resource and module names without prefixes ("x" or "c") for future use (e.g. " xSystemVirtualMemory"). If the next version of Windows Server ships with a " SystemVirtualMemory" resource, we don't want to break any configurations that use any community modifications. Please keep a prefix such as "c" on all community modifications.

Versions

1.0.0.0

• Initial release with the following resources
  • xSystemVirtualMemory

Example

Example: Set the virtual memory paging file on drive letter “C”.

This configuration will set the custom size of virtual memory paging file on drive letter “C”.

PowerShell
Edit|Remove
powershell
Configuration AdjustVirtualMemory
{
    Param
    (
        #Target nodes to apply the configuration  
        [String[]]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
    )
    
    Import-DSCResource -ModuleName xSystemVirtualMemory
 
    Node $ComputerName
    {
        xSystemVirtualMemory AdjustVirtualMemoryExample
        {
            ConfigureOption = "CustomSize"
            InitialSize = 1000
            MaximumSize = 2000
            DriveLetter = "C:"
        }
    }
}
 
AdjustVirtualMemory
Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\AdjustVirtualMemory  -Wait -Force -Verbose
 

Configuration AdjustVirtualMemory 
{ 
    Param 
    ( 
        #Target nodes to apply the configuration   
        [String[]]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME 
    ) 
     
    Import-DSCResource -ModuleName xSystemVirtualMemory 
  
    Node $ComputerName 
    { 
        xSystemVirtualMemory AdjustVirtualMemoryExample 
        { 
            ConfigureOption = "CustomSize" 
            InitialSize = 1000 
            MaximumSize = 2000 
            DriveLetter = "C:" 
        } 
    } 
} 
  
AdjustVirtualMemory 
Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\AdjustVirtualMemory  -Wait -Force -Verbose 
 



 

 

Example: Set the virtual memory paging file to system managed size.

This configuration will set the virtual memory paging file to system managed size on drive letter “C”.

PowerShell
Edit|Remove
powershell
Configuration AdjustVirtualMemory
{
    Param
    (
        #Target nodes to apply the configuration  
        [String[]]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
    )
    
    Import-DSCResource -ModuleName xSystemVirtualMemory
 
    Node $ComputerName
    {
        xSystemVirtualMemory AdjustVirtualMemoryExample
        {
            ConfigureOption = "SystemManagedSize"
            DriveLetter = "C:"
        }
    }
}
 
AdjustVirtualMemory
Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\AdjustVirtualMemory  -Wait -Force -Verbose
 

Configuration AdjustVirtualMemory 
{ 
    Param 
    ( 
        #Target nodes to apply the configuration   
        [String[]]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME 
    ) 
     
    Import-DSCResource -ModuleName xSystemVirtualMemory 
  
    Node $ComputerName 
    { 
        xSystemVirtualMemory AdjustVirtualMemoryExample 
        { 
            ConfigureOption = "SystemManagedSize" 
            DriveLetter = "C:" 
        } 
    } 
} 
  
AdjustVirtualMemory 
Start-DscConfiguration -Path .\AdjustVirtualMemory  -Wait -Force -Verbose 
 



 

 

Prerequisite

This DSC resource requires the latest version of PowerShell (v4.0, which ships in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012R2). To easily use PowerShell 4.0 on older operating systems, install WMF 4.0 .  Please read the installation instructions that are present on both the download page and the release notes for WMF 4.0.