How to Fix the Multiple Terminal Limit for MetaTrader (MT5/MT4) on Windows VPS

If you’re running multiple MetaTrader (MT5/MT4) terminals on your Windows VPS and cannot open more than multiple instances, even though CPU and RAM usage are low, you may be hitting a Windows limitation known as Desktop Heap Allocation.

Each MT4/MT5 terminal uses Windows graphical resources to display charts, market data, indicators, and terminal windows. When the available desktop heap for a Windows user session becomes exhausted, new terminals may fail to launch correctly even though the VPS still has available CPU and memory.

Common symptoms include:

• Additional terminals fail to open
• Blank or partially rendered windows
• Missing charts or interface elements
• Terminals that immediately close after launch
• “Out of memory” style errors despite low RAM usage

Up to approximately 5-8 terminals

• Desktop heap adjustment is often sufficient.
• Monitor CPU, RAM, and VPS responsiveness.

Approximately 8-12 terminals

• Desktop heap adjustment may help.
• Consider separating terminals across multiple Windows user accounts for improved stability.

10+ terminals or large deployments

• We strongly recommend distributing terminals across multiple Windows user accounts.
• Each user account runs in its own Windows session with its own desktop resources.
• This reduces the likelihood of GUI resource exhaustion and improves long-term stability.

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Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that each MT5/MT4 terminal is installed in its own unique directory. For example:

• C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5/4 - Terminal 1
• C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5/4 - Terminal 2
• C:\Program Files\MetaTrader 5/4 - Terminal 3

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

1. Press Windows Key + R.
2. Type regedit.
3. Click OK or press Enter.
   
   

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Step 2: Navigate to the Desktop Heap Configuration

In the Registry Editor, browse to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\SubSystems

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Step 3: Modify the Windows Value

1. In the right-hand pane, locate the Windows entry.
2. Double-click Windows to edit it.
3. Find the parameter that begins with:

SharedSection=

By default, it typically appears as:

SharedSection=1024,20480,768

4. Change the second value from 20480 to 40960.

Example:

SharedSection=1024,40960,768

This increases the desktop heap allocation available for graphical applications such as MT5/MT4.

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Step 4: Save the Changes

1. Click OK to save the updated value.
2. Close the Registry Editor.

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Step 5: Restart the VPS

A server reboot is required for the changes to take effect.

Important: Restarting the VPS will close all running MT5/MT4 terminals, Expert Advisors (EAs), scripts, and active trading sessions. We recommend performing this change during non-trading hours or when it is safe to temporarily stop your trading activities.

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Verify the Fix

After the VPS has restarted:

1. Open your existing MT5/MT4 terminals.
2. Launch multiple MT5/MT4 terminals.
3. Additional terminals should now open successfully without graphical errors or silent failures.

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When to Use Multiple Windows User Accounts

For larger MT4/MT5 deployments, separating terminals across multiple Windows user accounts is often more effective than continually increasing desktop heap values.

With this approach:

• Each Windows user account runs its own session.
• Each session receives its own desktop resources.
• GUI resource usage is distributed more evenly.
• Stability improves when running a large number of terminals.

This is the preferred approach for customers running many terminals on higher-capacity VPS plans.

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Need Help?

If you continue experiencing issues after applying this change, please contact the ChartVPS Support team and provide the following:

• Number of MT5/MT4 terminals running
• VPS plan name
• Screenshot of any error messages
• Current CPU and RAM usage

Our team will be happy to assist you further.