Page file location and size?

[Guest Terry Pinnell]

I have two 750 GB drives on this Quad Core (2.66 GHz), 4 GB PC

(running under XP Pro). I have just one Page file, on the non-OS

drive. Its Properties are currently:

Recommended: 4989 MB

Currently allocated: 4080 MB

 

Does that look OK please? Am I right that

- performance might be marginally better by keeping the page file off

the OS drive?

- 4 GB is more than generous for the size, despite the recommendation

of 5 GB?

- a fixed size is probably better than a varying one?

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Guest LVTravel]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

Here is a good read on Paging Files

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/EN-US/ and

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307886/EN-US/

 

IMHO, MS does "somewhat" recommend a 128 MB paging file on the system boot

drive in case of a Stop error for the debugging file otherwise no problem

with your setup unless you are running a lot of programs at the same time

then you should increase your page file to the maximum recommended. If you

had created the page file with a fixed size on the second drive before

putting any data on the drive it will remain unfragmented which should

increase response time if it is being used extensively.

 

 

Hope this helps, let us know.

 

 

 

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

news:cvm464p7lab2rqjffrk5gme0csnaereatv@4ax.com...

>I have two 750 GB drives on this Quad Core (2.66 GHz), 4 GB PC

> (running under XP Pro). I have just one Page file, on the non-OS

> drive. Its Properties are currently:

> Recommended: 4989 MB

> Currently allocated: 4080 MB

>

> Does that look OK please? Am I right that

> - performance might be marginally better by keeping the page file off

> the OS drive?

> - 4 GB is more than generous for the size, despite the recommendation

> of 5 GB?

> - a fixed size is probably better than a varying one?

>

> --

> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Guest JS]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

How to configure paging files for optimization and recovery in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/en-us

 

Make note of the dump file limitations with a single page file like yours is

configured.

That said, I have a single page file on a second drive (first partition of

the second drive) and it is a fixed size.

Because I have it located on it's own dedicated partition there is no

fragmentation.

 

JS

 

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

news:cvm464p7lab2rqjffrk5gme0csnaereatv@4ax.com...

>I have two 750 GB drives on this Quad Core (2.66 GHz), 4 GB PC

> (running under XP Pro). I have just one Page file, on the non-OS

> drive. Its Properties are currently:

> Recommended: 4989 MB

> Currently allocated: 4080 MB

>

> Does that look OK please? Am I right that

> - performance might be marginally better by keeping the page file off

> the OS drive?

> - 4 GB is more than generous for the size, despite the recommendation

> of 5 GB?

> - a fixed size is probably better than a varying one?

>

> --

> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Guest RJK]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

 

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

news:cvm464p7lab2rqjffrk5gme0csnaereatv@4ax.com...

>I have two 750 GB drives on this Quad Core (2.66 GHz), 4 GB PC

> (running under XP Pro). I have just one Page file, on the non-OS

> drive. Its Properties are currently:

> Recommended: 4989 MB

> Currently allocated: 4080 MB

>

> Does that look OK please? Am I right that

> - performance might be marginally better by keeping the page file off

> the OS drive?

> - 4 GB is more than generous for the size, despite the recommendation

> of 5 GB?

> - a fixed size is probably better than a varying one?

>

> --

> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

I think it was, (quite a few years ago), on Jim Eshelman's site

http://www.aumha.org, who advised setting a minimum 60mb swap file on the boot

drive, (oooh!...I wonder if that was W98se advice?), and a full size, (1.5

times RAM size), system managed swap file on the first partition of another

hd, (e.g. 2nd hd). I've used this arrangement for many years. Makes for

several improvements in hd responsiveness and performance under quite a

range of conditions. I gave up trying to make the larger pagefile.sys on

my 2nd hd stay in the same place, (by setting it as fixed size = 1.5 times

the size of available RAM), ...several offline defrag's during that

particular fight !!

....or that could have been me switching on, or off, then on again

hibernation !! ...perhaps it was hiberfil.sys that was moving around !

 

regards, Richard

[Guest RJK]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

> "Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

> news:cvm464p7lab2rqjffrk5gme0csnaereatv@4ax.com...

>>I have two 750 GB drives on this Quad Core (2.66 GHz), 4 GB PC

>> (running under XP Pro). I have just one Page file, on the non-OS

>> drive. Its Properties are currently:

>> Recommended: 4989 MB

>> Currently allocated: 4080 MB

>>

>> Does that look OK please? Am I right that

>> - performance might be marginally better by keeping the page file off

>> the OS drive?

>> - 4 GB is more than generous for the size, despite the recommendation

>> of 5 GB?

>> - a fixed size is probably better than a varying one?

>>

>> --

>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

>

> I think it was, (quite a few years ago), on Jim Eshelman's site

> http://www.aumha.org, who advised setting a minimum 60mb swap file on the boot

> drive, (oooh!...I wonder if that was W98se advice?), and a full size, (1.5

> times RAM size), system managed swap file on the first partition of

> another hd, (e.g. 2nd hd). I've used this arrangement for many years.

> Makes for several improvements in hd responsiveness and performance under

> quite a range of conditions. I gave up trying to make the larger

> pagefile.sys on my 2nd hd stay in the same place, (by setting it as fixed

> size = 1.5 times the size of available RAM), ...several offline defrag's

> during that particular fight !!

> ...or that could have been me switching on, or off, then on again

> hibernation !! ...perhaps it was hiberfil.sys that was moving around !

>

> regards, Richard

>

>

 

Oooh ! ...after checking, ...just had to increase boot drive swap file to

128mb, and also discovered that my "full size" swap file on 1st drive, on

"next" hd was fixed at 1536 mb's min and max. ....a few days ago I replaced

my 1gb RAM with 4xCorsair XMS-512-3200LL modules (2gb) !!

 

regards, Richard

 

"There's FAR TOO much to rememoryber, in this XP machine !"

[Guest Terry Pinnell]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

"LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>Here is a good read on Paging Files

>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/EN-US/ and

>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307886/EN-US/

>

>IMHO, MS does "somewhat" recommend a 128 MB paging file on the system boot

>drive in case of a Stop error for the debugging file otherwise no problem

>with your setup unless you are running a lot of programs at the same time

>then you should increase your page file to the maximum recommended. If you

>had created the page file with a fixed size on the second drive before

>putting any data on the drive it will remain unfragmented which should

>increase response time if it is being used extensively.

>

>

>Hope this helps, let us know.

 

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll pass on the small dump file. But

I'll try to make a new partition on my non-OS drive and place the 4/5

GB pagefile there, to get the no-fragmentation advantage which the

article describes. Can I split my 750 MB drive into separate 740 GB

and 10 GB partitions with XP Pro's own disk management tools? Or do I

need something like PowerQuest PM or Paragon please?

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Guest LVTravel]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

 

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

news:g18664lfqrqcpk8taaanqgefkjrsb7khce@4ax.com...

> "LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>

>>Here is a good read on Paging Files

>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/EN-US/ and

>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307886/EN-US/

>>

>>IMHO, MS does "somewhat" recommend a 128 MB paging file on the system boot

>>drive in case of a Stop error for the debugging file otherwise no problem

>>with your setup unless you are running a lot of programs at the same time

>>then you should increase your page file to the maximum recommended. If

>>you

>>had created the page file with a fixed size on the second drive before

>>putting any data on the drive it will remain unfragmented which should

>>increase response time if it is being used extensively.

>>

>>

>>Hope this helps, let us know.

>

> Thanks for the replies. I think I'll pass on the small dump file. But

> I'll try to make a new partition on my non-OS drive and place the 4/5

> GB pagefile there, to get the no-fragmentation advantage which the

> article describes. Can I split my 750 MB drive into separate 740 GB

> and 10 GB partitions with XP Pro's own disk management tools? Or do I

> need something like PowerQuest PM or Paragon please?

>

> --

> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

If the non-OS drive has no data on it or has data that can be copied off the

drive until partitioning has been done, yes you can use Windows partitioning

feature to do it.

 

Once the drive has nothing of value on it, right click My Computer, left

click Manage, left click Disk Management (under Storage) then find your

non-OS drive. Right click on it and then click on Delete Partition. Once

that has been done, Right click again and click on create partition. Create

your 10 GB partition first and then format it NTFS. Once that is done

create your second partition of the remaining drive space and format. I

would recommend setting the drive letter for your 10 GB partition (during

partition or format) to drive Z (unless some other drive uses that letter)

to keep it at the bottom of your drive list and "out of the way" when using

Explorer.

 

To prepare the 10 GB drive for the one file that will be there (page file)

turn off System Restore and Recycle bin on that drive then My computer on

the drive and delete the Recycle folder and then run Windows's defrag before

doing anything else to the 10 GB partition. Copy any of your data back to

the larger partition and also set your page file on the new partition.

 

To turn off Recycle bin on the drive, Right click Recycle Bin. Left click

Properties. Click Configure drives independently. Click tab for your 10 GB

drive and turn on the Do not move files....button. Click OK.

 

To turn off System Restore on the 10 GB drive. Right Click My Computer.

Left click Properties, left click System Restore tab. Select the 10 GB

drive, click Settings and put check box in Turn off System Restore for that

drive. OK

 

As an aside, if you set the page file to the same minimum and maximum file

size before any other data is placed on the drive you should always have a

non-fragmented drive even if data is saved on the same drive letter in the

future. I have a computer with a 250 GB second drive and it is my page file

drive. It is always non-fragmented since I turned off the recycle bin and

the system restore on the drive, created the min/max page file on it then

turned the restore and recycle bin back on. Kept me from having to

partition the drive.

 

Hope this helps, let us know.

[Guest Terry Pinnell]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

"LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>

>"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

>news:g18664lfqrqcpk8taaanqgefkjrsb7khce@4ax.com...

>> "LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>>

>>>Here is a good read on Paging Files

>>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/EN-US/ and

>>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307886/EN-US/

>>>

>>>IMHO, MS does "somewhat" recommend a 128 MB paging file on the system boot

>>>drive in case of a Stop error for the debugging file otherwise no problem

>>>with your setup unless you are running a lot of programs at the same time

>>>then you should increase your page file to the maximum recommended. If

>>>you

>>>had created the page file with a fixed size on the second drive before

>>>putting any data on the drive it will remain unfragmented which should

>>>increase response time if it is being used extensively.

>>>

>>>

>>>Hope this helps, let us know.

>>

>> Thanks for the replies. I think I'll pass on the small dump file. But

>> I'll try to make a new partition on my non-OS drive and place the 4/5

>> GB pagefile there, to get the no-fragmentation advantage which the

>> article describes. Can I split my 750 MB drive into separate 740 GB

>> and 10 GB partitions with XP Pro's own disk management tools? Or do I

>> need something like PowerQuest PM or Paragon please?

>>

>> --

>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

>

>If the non-OS drive has no data on it or has data that can be copied off the

>drive until partitioning has been done, yes you can use Windows partitioning

>feature to do it.

>

>Once the drive has nothing of value on it, right click My Computer, left

>click Manage, left click Disk Management (under Storage) then find your

>non-OS drive. Right click on it and then click on Delete Partition. Once

>that has been done, Right click again and click on create partition. Create

>your 10 GB partition first and then format it NTFS. Once that is done

>create your second partition of the remaining drive space and format. I

>would recommend setting the drive letter for your 10 GB partition (during

>partition or format) to drive Z (unless some other drive uses that letter)

>to keep it at the bottom of your drive list and "out of the way" when using

>Explorer.

>

>To prepare the 10 GB drive for the one file that will be there (page file)

>turn off System Restore and Recycle bin on that drive then My computer on

>the drive and delete the Recycle folder and then run Windows's defrag before

>doing anything else to the 10 GB partition. Copy any of your data back to

>the larger partition and also set your page file on the new partition.

>

>To turn off Recycle bin on the drive, Right click Recycle Bin. Left click

>Properties. Click Configure drives independently. Click tab for your 10 GB

>drive and turn on the Do not move files....button. Click OK.

>

>To turn off System Restore on the 10 GB drive. Right Click My Computer.

>Left click Properties, left click System Restore tab. Select the 10 GB

>drive, click Settings and put check box in Turn off System Restore for that

>drive. OK

>

>As an aside, if you set the page file to the same minimum and maximum file

>size before any other data is placed on the drive you should always have a

>non-fragmented drive even if data is saved on the same drive letter in the

>future. I have a computer with a 250 GB second drive and it is my page file

>drive. It is always non-fragmented since I turned off the recycle bin and

>the system restore on the drive, created the min/max page file on it then

>turned the restore and recycle bin back on. Kept me from having to

>partition the drive.

>

>Hope this helps, let us know.

>

 

Many thanks, sure does! Appreciate the clear and detailed

instructions. I'm prepared to tackle that, although it will take some

planning as there's 210 GB on that drive at present. Most of it is

backup from C:, plus temporary stuff from my old PC (until I'm 99%

sure I have this new one running the way I want it). And I do have

another old external 120 GB drive I could use.

 

I do have PowerQuest Partition Magic 7.0, although it's been years

since I last used it. Am I right in recalling that can split a drive

containing data into partitions, apparently unlike XP?

 

And I also have Paragon Drive Backup, so far unlearned and unused.

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Guest LVTravel]

Re: Page file location and size?

 

 

"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

news:gs8964lm3brh24ehtfgjefq48p5efubd9g@4ax.com...

> "LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>

>>

>>"Terry Pinnell" <terrypinDELETE@THESEdial.pipex.com> wrote in message

>>news:g18664lfqrqcpk8taaanqgefkjrsb7khce@4ax.com...

>>> "LVTravel" <noone@nothere.com> wrote:

>>>

>>>>Here is a good read on Paging Files

>>>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/EN-US/ and

>>>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307886/EN-US/

>>>>

>>>>IMHO, MS does "somewhat" recommend a 128 MB paging file on the system

>>>>boot

>>>>drive in case of a Stop error for the debugging file otherwise no

>>>>problem

>>>>with your setup unless you are running a lot of programs at the same

>>>>time

>>>>then you should increase your page file to the maximum recommended. If

>>>>you

>>>>had created the page file with a fixed size on the second drive before

>>>>putting any data on the drive it will remain unfragmented which should

>>>>increase response time if it is being used extensively.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>Hope this helps, let us know.

>>>

>>> Thanks for the replies. I think I'll pass on the small dump file. But

>>> I'll try to make a new partition on my non-OS drive and place the 4/5

>>> GB pagefile there, to get the no-fragmentation advantage which the

>>> article describes. Can I split my 750 MB drive into separate 740 GB

>>> and 10 GB partitions with XP Pro's own disk management tools? Or do I

>>> need something like PowerQuest PM or Paragon please?

>>>

>>> --

>>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

>>

>>If the non-OS drive has no data on it or has data that can be copied off

>>the

>>drive until partitioning has been done, yes you can use Windows

>>partitioning

>>feature to do it.

>>

>>Once the drive has nothing of value on it, right click My Computer, left

>>click Manage, left click Disk Management (under Storage) then find your

>>non-OS drive. Right click on it and then click on Delete Partition. Once

>>that has been done, Right click again and click on create partition.

>>Create

>>your 10 GB partition first and then format it NTFS. Once that is done

>>create your second partition of the remaining drive space and format. I

>>would recommend setting the drive letter for your 10 GB partition (during

>>partition or format) to drive Z (unless some other drive uses that letter)

>>to keep it at the bottom of your drive list and "out of the way" when

>>using

>>Explorer.

>>

>>To prepare the 10 GB drive for the one file that will be there (page file)

>>turn off System Restore and Recycle bin on that drive then My computer on

>>the drive and delete the Recycle folder and then run Windows's defrag

>>before

>>doing anything else to the 10 GB partition. Copy any of your data back to

>>the larger partition and also set your page file on the new partition.

>>

>>To turn off Recycle bin on the drive, Right click Recycle Bin. Left click

>>Properties. Click Configure drives independently. Click tab for your 10 GB

>>drive and turn on the Do not move files....button. Click OK.

>>

>>To turn off System Restore on the 10 GB drive. Right Click My Computer.

>>Left click Properties, left click System Restore tab. Select the 10 GB

>>drive, click Settings and put check box in Turn off System Restore for

>>that

>>drive. OK

>>

>>As an aside, if you set the page file to the same minimum and maximum file

>>size before any other data is placed on the drive you should always have a

>>non-fragmented drive even if data is saved on the same drive letter in the

>>future. I have a computer with a 250 GB second drive and it is my page

>>file

>>drive. It is always non-fragmented since I turned off the recycle bin and

>>the system restore on the drive, created the min/max page file on it then

>>turned the restore and recycle bin back on. Kept me from having to

>>partition the drive.

>>

>>Hope this helps, let us know.

>>

>

> Many thanks, sure does! Appreciate the clear and detailed

> instructions. I'm prepared to tackle that, although it will take some

> planning as there's 210 GB on that drive at present. Most of it is

> backup from C:, plus temporary stuff from my old PC (until I'm 99%

> sure I have this new one running the way I want it). And I do have

> another old external 120 GB drive I could use.

>

> I do have PowerQuest Partition Magic 7.0, although it's been years

> since I last used it. Am I right in recalling that can split a drive

> containing data into partitions, apparently unlike XP?

>

> And I also have Paragon Drive Backup, so far unlearned and unused.

>

> --

> Terry, East Grinstead, UK

>

PQPM 7 will split the drive with data on it and this (or a program like it)

is the only method of splitting the drive while data is still on it without

destroying the data. The data should be backed up to another device when

the attempt to split is made since things can and, unfortunately, often do

go wrong.

 

Haven't used PDB before so I can't comment on that program.

 

Have a great day!