Pagefile.sys

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neoterixx

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I was looking through my system and I came accross the pagefile.sys which is 768 MB on disk , what is this all about?
 
Pagefile.sys is the swap file for the system (aka "virutal memory"). It is utilized by windows to move lesser-used data out of RAM and onto the hard disk thereby giving more frequently accessed information a speed boost. The default size for pagefile.sys is 1.5x the amount of phyical memory in the machine. This is the size Microsoft recommends.

The amount of space that is used can be altered by right-clicking "My Computer" and clicking Properties then Advanced => Performance Options.

One recomendation is that the minimum and maximum size be set to the same amount. This keeps the operating system from managing the swap file size, however, it can also help reduce fragmentation of the hard drive in some cases.

If you lower the size of pagefile.sys below the amount of physical memory you have in the computer, you will not get any information from memory dumps (a notice to that effect will display if you try). Also, it contains memory contents (including clear-text passwords) so if you are worried about security, you might want to set your local security policy to clear the pagefile on shutdown.
 
So if my sys has 512 MB Ram my page file sys should be 1.5X512

Which is 768 and the max should be ? the same or higher?
 
You can set it to as large or as small as you wish, provided you have sufficient RAM for your applications. The swap file is a throw back to when RAM was really expensive. The swap file's whole point of being is to trick your operating system into thinking it has more physical memory to work with than it actually does. It was of great value if you had 16MB of memory installed and just loading windows took that up. In that case, you would not be able to run any other application aside from windows.

While others may argue reasons for and against, I set mine (both initial and maximum) to 1.5x my RAM amount. Personally, too, I would never set the size below the amount of RAM you have installed.

In theory, you could make the swap file as large as you have hard drive space to spare. In practice, however, the default setting is usually sufficient. Any larger than 1.5x (especially with 512MB of RAM installed in the machine) begins to verge on a waste of hard drive space that you could be filling with MP3's or something useful.
 
Swapping file cause your disk to be badly fragmanted. Everytime you start your app, page size change if more space required, which causing the next app you install or document write into location after your page file. However, than your page file will later change or reduce causing a fragmanted space..

My advice is set a 2 gig partition to use as your paging drive as well as your spooler page (for your printer) this will reduce fragmentation and improve performance :) :D
 
Where's that spooler page? I'd like to take a look at it. :p And how do I move that spooler page?
 
Originally posted by XtremeMorph
Swapping file cause your disk to be badly fragmanted.

this is an obsolete notion, and has been definattively proven incorrect...do not lower your page file, do not set your page file to a static size, do not alter the default.

as has been discussed, windows is an excellant manager of all memory, this is most important with the page file.

The page file does not fragment... an old notion... well proven incorrect...the page file does not prevent the usage of ram...the page file simply makes disc space available, it doesn't use the space it makes available unless it needs to, and then it's ready and speeds your os.

Skip that old notion of static page file...it's a wives tail in xp. Some experts actually know it's a wives tail, but continue to endorce the tweak for pridefull reasons.

Here's what most people don't understand...xp is under the impression that if you have a bunch of ram, you will need a bunch of ram...now that's true, otherwise why did you get a bunch of ram?...it therefore expects that the day will come, when you are going to need xp to put this ram somewhere, so it is always ready for that day...if you tryto circumvent the effort, xp will say "tough luck" , and it will page somewhere else besides the page file, and that'll be a performance hit...if you are not short on disc space, let the os decide what's best for the os

the page file will be defaulted at the recomended 1.5 of the ram, and will not change, unless you are in need of a bigger page file, so why on earth would you change that very usefull safety net, it will not become dynamic, unless it needs to, in order to keep you from freezing or crashing...all discussed here
 
Maybe someone can help me here...

...I've recently noticed that my C drive (I have two drives, C & D) is running out of space (64Mb free of 4,7Gb) but all the files in it only takes up 3,6Gb of space.

I located the problem to be the pagefile. But I know for shure that I only have a pagefile on D (37Gb) so I went in and checked the settings for the pagefile.

I was right. I only had a pagefile on D, but there is one on C too! How can that be, and how can I get rid of it?
 
ya, it's hard to find...I have highlighted the page file info, understand, that's an obsolete tweak...and I no longer endorse it, but dissableing the second page file is a good idea, and how to do it is in the text on the link at the end of this post...what you want'll be highlighted only if you click on the link on this post(I'm so good it scares me:p )go here...
 
You mean that my pagefile is to small?

I'll try to increase it...
 
seet the page file to the default. which is to let xp manage the page file...simple
 
Simple or not, I can't get rid of the pagefile on my C drive... It won't go away!
 
if you have specified no page file on c\drive chances are its a dead file & safe to delete.
 
Originally posted by Skwowwy
Where's that spooler page? I'd like to take a look at it. :p And how do I move that spooler page?

Print spooler is located at your printer properties. There will be a sectionn where you can set you spooler size and directory, set those to the paging drive you created.

The idea of paging drive is to put non physical disk usage programs or files to use it. So your actual working hard drive will not be effected and become defragmented
 
Originally posted by TwoZigzagColt45
if you have specified no page file on c\drive chances are its a dead file & safe to delete.

i change my page file and system is working file and disk usage has been change from c drive to my paging drive.

It don't left any trace after you reconfigure it. Remember you have to set it to 0 for the drive you want to set no paging memory.

Windows will confirm that and ask you to reboot
 
not from my experience, if you set it at zero is that not a setting in itself. ???
 
Originally posted by TwoZigzagColt45
not from my experience, if you set it at zero is that not a setting in itself. ???

Sorry for my mistake. You are right. The configuration is based on Win2k. Well, the theory still works.

The allocation of paging files to a seperate drive is done on UNIX system long time ago. And 1.5x size formula is from UNIX as well.

:D
 

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