key_buffer_size question

MySQL & MariaDB Other MySQL® Questions
1

Hello,

Please tell me if I’m wrong, but I thought that one increases the ‘key_buffer_size’ so that the system doesn’t page, because this physical memory is now reserved for the buffers.
So why is it when I increase the key_buffer_size my VM Size in Windows Xp grows proportionally?

2

The key_buffer is part of the VM size. Obviously, if you make it bigger, the VM size will be bigger.

Remember that MyISAM relies on the OS to cache its data (external to MySQL). The key_buffer only holds indexes.

Windows likes to page a lot to make room for the filesystem cache. It’s kind of a blackbox that only Microsoft knows…

3

Thank you for the reply Mark.

I found my answer, I should have posted it.

VM Size in windows doesn’t not equal virtual memory.
It’s the amount of memory the system has requested, not using.