Pagefile Size

[Dch48]

After reading extensively about RAM vs pagefile size, I came to the conclusion that if you have enough RAM, the page file does not have to be anywhere near 1 1/2 times the RAM size. I read one expert's posting saying that he had set his page file to only 200 megs with 2 gigs of RAM. I tried that and occasionally got an error saying it was too small. I now have it set to 512megs min and max and have yet to have a problem. I run many large game programs, usually with Info pages for those games open at the same time and never have a problem. In my opinion, the 1 1/2 times RAM formula is outdated in these days of machines with 2 gigs or more of memory installed.

[enoskype]

Hi Dch48,

 

Outdated? Yes and no.:lol:

Even fixed Page file size is questioned nowadays with huge amounts of RAM.

 

That will depend on the use of the computer, specially with relatively smaller RAM.

Fx.,if you have a lot of users for a PC, than fast switching will need larger Page file, however big the RAM is, in XP.

 

Here is a good article about RAM and Page file correlation, worths reading if you have missed it.

 

Cheers.

[Dch48]

Interesting

 

Thanks for that link. I didn't know that the pagefile usage box in task manager showed potential usage and not actual. Mine just said potential of 432 mb, so I think my 512mb file should still be okay. Nobody else ever uses this machine so I don't have to worry about that aspect.

[JustDave]

Is there a drawback to having too large a pagefile? If the OS will only use what it needs, what's an extra few hundred megabytes or so? HDD space is so cheap these days. Is it worth worrying about?

[sunny staines]

if you have a large hard drive with plenty of space leave windows to manage pagefile

[Dch48]

You can do that

 

I just don't like any resources in my system being used needlessly. Plus the fact that this machine is a laptop with only a 60gb main partition and XP Media Center installed which takes up about 20 gb by itself. I do a lot of DVD creation and also like to play large games like World of Warcraft and the Steam offerings. To preserve my HD space, I have decreased the page file, decreased the space that system restore can use and disabled hibernation. By doing those things , I have gained at least 10gb of available HD space. System restore is the biggest culprit. It reserves 12% of the hard drive for itself which is totally unnecessary. A few hundred megs is plenty for it.

[JustDave]

Dch48 - Gotcha. Makes sense when you're managing resources.

[detailer]

Hi Dch48-ah, a real miser-man after my own heart-as long as you're scraping for every megabit,and all the space you can find, have you reduced your recycle bin size? run mine at @ 2%- I'm sure you have done this,but figured I throw it out there-great day and God bless

[Dch48]

Yep

 

Did that too :-D I hardly ever let anything go into the recycle bin anyway. When I delete something, I want it gone. Well, at least as close to gone as Windows will allow.

[solbjerg]

Hi Dch

If one has enough RAM for the programs to function well without the pagefile, I think it works.

About deleting, I have once tried writing a macro that put in zeroes in every available space - and then deleting them. It cleaned the harddisk of all leftovers. It took some time though.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

Did that too :-D I hardly ever let anything go into the recycle bin anyway. When I delete something, I want it gone. Well, at least as close to gone as Windows will allow.