Cannot allocate large vectors (running out of memory?)
See ?"Memory-limits" and rw-FAQ Q2.9. Since you have already used more than 1Gb of what is presumably a 2Gb address space (we don't know your Windows version), it is not surprising that there is no 285Mb hole left.
On Mon, 24 Mar 2008, Ronnen Levinson wrote:
Hi. As shown in the simplified example below, I'm having trouble allocating memory for large vectors, even though it would appear that there is more than enough memory available. That is, even with a memory limit of 1500 MB, R 2.6.1 (Win) will allocate memory for a first vector of 285 MB, but not for a second vector of the same size. Forcing garbage collection does not seem to solve the problem. Can anyone explain why is this happening, and how to fix it? Thanks, Ronnen. P.S. E-mailed CCs of posted replies would be appreciated.
> rm(list=ls(all=TRUE)) > gc()
used (Mb) gc trigger (Mb) max used (Mb) Ncells 143465 3.9 350000 9.4 350000 9.4 Vcells 88573 0.7 50380943 384.4 131023877 999.7
> memory.limit()
[1] 1535.875
> n <- 8640 * 4320 > x=rep(1/3, n) > memory.size()
[1] 578.8543
> gc()
used (Mb) gc trigger (Mb) max used (Mb) Ncells 143471 3.9 350000 9.4 350000 9.4 Vcells 37413375 285.5 78720219 600.6 131023877 999.7
> y=rep(1/7, n)
Error: cannot allocate vector of size 284.8 Mb
> memory.size()
[1] 578.8543
> gc()
used (Mb) gc trigger (Mb) max used (Mb) Ncells 143471 3.9 350000 9.4 350000 9.4 Vcells 37413375 285.5 78720219 600.6 131023877 999.7
> version
_ platform i386-pc-mingw32 arch i386 os mingw32 system i386, mingw32 status major 2 minor 6.1 year 2007 month 11 day 26 svn rev 43537 language R version.string R version 2.6.1 (2007-11-26) -- Ronnen Levinson, Ph.D. scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab The Onion horoscope: Pisces February 19 - March 20 You will soon be unwillingly forced into a flurry of activity when you are chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympiad.
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