Why does XMRig say huge pages are not available?

XMRig says huge pages are not available when your operating system will not let it use large blocks of memory, or cannot provide enough of them. This usually points to a permission or memory-setting problem—not a broken CPU—and mining can often continue with lower performance.

What huge pages do

Your operating system divides memory into chunks called pages. Huge pages are larger chunks that reduce the work your CPU does to keep track of memory.

This helps RandomX, the mining algorithm Monero uses. An algorithm is the set of calculations your computer performs while mining. RandomX repeatedly accesses memory, so huge pages can make a noticeable difference to mining speed.

They are not the same as extra RAM or a larger CPU cache. You can have plenty of installed memory and still get this warning.

These settings apply to the standalone XMRig program. A web browser cannot normally request the same operating-system permissions for you.

First, check what XMRig actually reports

Look at both the startup messages and the memory-allocation lines:

• “Permission granted” or “supported” means huge pages may be usable. It does not guarantee that XMRig successfully allocated them.
• A huge-pages percentage below 100% means only part of the requested memory received huge pages.
• “1GB pages unavailable” refers to a separate, optional feature. Ordinary huge pages can still work without it.

On typical PCs, ordinary huge pages are 2 MB each. XMRig’s optional 1 GB pages are a separate Linux optimization; you do not need them to mine Monero.

Also, do not confuse this warning with an MSR warning. MSRs are CPU control registers. Failure to change them is a different performance issue.

If you use Windows

The most common cause is a missing Windows permission called Lock pages in memory.

Try this order:

1. Close XMRig.
2. If you trust your XMRig download, right-click it and choose Run as administrator. XMRig can usually arrange the needed permission.
3. Restart Windows if XMRig reports that a reboot is required.
4. Start XMRig again and check the actual huge-pages allocation percentage.

On a managed PC or server, an administrator may need to grant that permission to the account running XMRig. A background service may use a different account from your desktop login.

If permission is already granted, restart the computer and launch XMRig before memory-heavy applications. Windows may struggle to find sufficiently large, continuous blocks of free memory after the machine has been running for a while.

If you use Linux or a virtual server

Linux commonly needs a pool of huge pages reserved for applications. XMRig can attempt to reserve them automatically when it has sufficient privileges; otherwise, an administrator must configure them.

Check these possibilities:

• Too few reserved pages: RandomX’s fast mode uses a 2,080 MB dataset, plus other memory.
• Memory fragmentation: Free memory exists, but not in large enough continuous blocks. Reserving pages earlier during startup can help.
• Server memory layout: On multi-CPU systems, pages may be needed near each CPU, not just in one shared total.
• Hosting restrictions: Containers and virtual servers may require host-level configuration that you cannot change yourself.

Do not reserve all your RAM. Your operating system and other applications still need room.

The bottom line

Check permissions first, then available huge-page memory. Judge success by XMRig’s allocation percentage—not just its support message—and remember that working huge pages improve performance without guaranteeing profitable mining.