Convert a 32-bit JIRA install to 64-bit

Along with being a software developer on our project, I have also become the unofficial tools administrator. We utilize many of the Atlassian tools, among them being JIRA. When JIRA was installed, it was put an a Windows Server 2008 R2 server, but was installed with the JIRA Standalone 32-bit installer. Due to the Windows memory addressing space when processes are running 32-bit, we could only allocate ~1GB of heap space to the JVM. Any more and the JVM would fail to start. Any less and the process would throw a java.lang.OutOf Memory error before it even started fully. Even at the magical 1GB heap size, we would only run stable for 0.5-1.0 day before we would blow the heap.

I contacted Atlassian support about getting our install running as a 64-bit process on a 64-bit JVM and their response was “Create a new database schema, install the 64-bit JIRA standalone pointing at that new schema and then migrate your data from the old schema to the new schema. No, not happening. I did some digging and figured out how to get the 32-bit install to run as a 64-bit process. Once I did this, the process started as a 64-bit Windows process and I was able to allocate more memory to the heap.

  1. Put a 64-bit JVM on the system, if it does not already have one.
  2. Change the Tomcat process properties to point to the 64-bit JVM.
  3. Rename tomcat.exe to tomcat.exe.x86
  4. Rename tomcat.exe.x64 to tomcat.exe
This entry was posted in Java and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to Convert a 32-bit JIRA install to 64-bit

  1. nomi says:

    How has this been working out with you? We’re running into the same problem with a 32bit JVM and are being told to update to 64bit. Are there any detailed resources that you can link to?

  2. Elmos R. Woods says:

    “Change the Tomcat process properties to point to the 64-bit JVM.” By this, you mean the setenv.bat file?

    • asoftwareguy says:

      I achieved this by adjusting the location in the dialog presented by invoking tomcat7w //ES//JIRA Service Name
      Under the “Java” tab, there is a place to point the service to your JVM location. It needs to be adjusted to point to a 64-bit JVM.

  3. Italo Qualisoni says:

    Thanks, this saved me a lot of time :D It worked like a charm

Leave a reply to Elmos R. Woods Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.