How to limit cache in XP

Sixthofmay is apsolutely right, even with XP. I experience the same problems with the disk cache when working with large files, nowhere near 4 GB or even 1 GB but still my ram drops to 0 and as preveously mentioned, when the system needs RAM XP does not give up the cache like it is suposed to, NO it instead keeps the cache as is or makes it larger and then goes for the page file. if the page file is to small which it will always be it gives an error saying that it will enlarge the pagefile. In fact I have never seen the disk cache go down, it always gowes to above 400 MB and then still slowly goes up making usable ram almost nothig causing my slowdown. I do have it set to give cache the lowest priority but still this happens.

The RAMdisk seems like a great idea as I assume windows does not cache outside of main RAM. So basicaly, can I configure a rather small physical ram to windows (which WILL be eaten by cache) and then make the larger portion of RAM my RAMdrive with the pagefile. This theoreticaly would limit cache and still give me nearly full usage of my ram. correct me if I'm wrong. One question though, would it be possible to keep windows from forcing expantion of the pagefile. Or, can I keep it from going to the disk and making the pagefile on its own instead of using the RAMdrive, also, if I make a backup pagefile, would it be used or the one on the RAMdrive.

Thanks
 
yes, I knew you would like the idea of a ram disk

for those others that read this thread, and of course the marvelous links to where your ram is going, , of course, you would have learned that when you have ram available, you are wasting ram.

xp does a magnificent job putting your ram to use, and then releasing the ram when you need

best solution for those that believe how elkimn believes, (that being you want ram hangin around doing nothing).

you should run this os the way you would like.

if you can actually say; "a ram disc sounds like a good idea",

then go right ahead, and use this ramdisc...

use your ram as a back up for your ram...hehe...sounds like a real good idea from here doesn't it.

or better, release the ram you want released wtih one of those ram releasing programs...another fine idea...this way, the ram will be right where you can see it...perfect

have the computor run the way you want...this is your best choice.

you will be slower then had xp put the ram to best use...but never the less...

it will be more in line with what you believe should be happening with your ram, and that is the most important thing
 
Would a setting max ram to, lets say 64 MB with large system cache enabled (making 60 MB cache) and then using the leftovers as a ram drive with pagefile.

The idea is that it would force limit the cache size as I can only hope XP does not cache to the swapfile, and then majority of the ram should always be free for program use.

I know about the wased space of the RAMdrive but it's nowere close to the wasted space of the cache. Cache very quickly takes over all of physical memory on my system and DOES NOT release it for any reason like it is suposed to which is why I get hundreds of megabytes of cache and 0 free memory. Any memory requires expanding the pagefile so basicaly it is as if I have no ram at all.

The RAMdrive would work if it can work with only 64 MB or so of main memory as that would efectively become the cache and the rest will be usable RAM. Could this work as I want it to.
 
One more thing.

Would disabling disk write caching on the drive itself stop or at least limit the cache used by windows or would it still find a way to make disk cache and waste ram?
 
once again, elkinm, you are stating as facts. that which is oposite of facts...

you believe that saying it often enough will cause people to believe what you're saying.

this idea;

and then majority of the ram should always be free for program use.



is of course, opostite the best use of ram, as these papers demonstrate..

it's free ram that is wasted ram...period...when you have free ram, you are wasting your ram.

you can acomplish this wasting of ram that you want to accomplsih with this ram disc, and better yet with a memory mangement program...both will work fine...

the memory management program will perform this wasting of ram even better then this ram disc...use that first, and good luck

...
 
Yes, you can say it is wasted but it will be there when needed. XP DOES NOT and I repeat DOES NOT for practicly any reason DOES NOT surrender ANY ram. It should surrender the ram which should alow for quick and efficient use but it DOES NOT. The ram fills up with cache quickly and then the system enlarges the pagefile and use it as ram and use only it, so the system goes very slowly. In the rare event that it dos free up the cache, it is also very slow as nearly all the contents of ram have to be writen to disk which is were the my previeous statement of disabling disk caching come in as it would mostly remove the long wait. Sometimes cache is freed when I run a big game: UT2003, MOHAA, and such as when I disable them my free ram is very high but it dissapears entierly in a matter of minutes. A lot of the times the ram is NOT given up causing the pagefile to be used as ram which causes some severe slowdowns, if the game does not crash anyways. (silent crash) And as far as this caching activity goes, dew to the large cache exchanges with the hard drive this is only mathematicaly benificial when the cache can be maintained and no large disk writes or accesses occur. In all other cases you will always incurr a preformance penalty and a very large one. Some systems may benefit from pure XP management but for a wide non server aplications it is extremely slow. If you know of a good memory management program plese tell me about it, not one that cleans up ram but one that keeps it from ever being wasted. (for cache that is)

Please excuse the caps but that seems to be the case with my system practicaly all that I have encountered. General light use system work nicely with XP maangment but good user limitation and intervention has always given a good performance boost on all serious systems I have enountered, that is just my experience.
 
incorrect.

and we are truly going in circles.

you've made your points

let's move on


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