XP ignores Pagefile settings

From: srn1120 (srn1120_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 12/20/04 

Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 15:57:03 -0800

I installed a second HD and am trying to move the page file

to its own volume on the 2nd drive.The 1st drive has 2 basic

partitions,C:and an OEM hidden partition(both NTFS).The 2nd

disk has 3 dynamic volumes, E:Pagefile, F:Data, G: backup (All

NTFS). I have 512MB of RAM installed.

XP has been ignoring all the settings I have tried to set

for it.

 With a lot of help from the performance and maintenance

newsgroup, this is what we have tied so far. (BTW I have

read Alex Nichols excellent article)

1)Set using the system properties GUI. Have tried

combinations of small pagefile on C:10-50MB, none, system

managed. On E:I have been able to create a pagefile of any

size I have chosen, Windows just doesn't use it.

2)Set by editing the registry key with the same combos

listed above. As an example;

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session

Manager\Memory Management
ab Pagingfiles REG_MULTI_SZ C:\pagefile.sys 0 0

E:\pagefile.sys 1536 1536

windows ignores these settings and creates a pagefile on

C:of 764MB. This is the setting that appears on the 'total

paging file size of all drives' under Virtual memory

3) Using safe mode repeated 1) & 2)
In safe mode the settings I specified in the registry and in

the GUI appear in the 'tot paging...' correctly. Safe mode

also allows me to delete the pagefile on C:(It does use the

one on E:) When I log on normally (under my user acct or

admin) I can never delete the file on C: because it is

always in use.

This of course makes sense because XP is ignoring any

settings I select and always creating\reusing the pagefile

it placed on C:(764MB) And no, the settings in safe mode do

not transfer over when I reboot.Yes I am always prompted to

restart when I change settings ( I do click the set button)

4) I also went so far as to download hijackthis to try to

delete the C:\pagefile.sys using that utility. Nothing has

worked so far.

I do not belong to a workgroup or domain, use dial-up to

connect to internet. I have not seen anything in event

viewer besides some networking services not being available

when I was in safe mode and the registry being used by

hijackthis when I used it to delete C:\pagefile.sys on

reboot.

I am about ready to give up and say 'XP Wins' unless someone
has anything else to try.
Anybody with any ideas?

Much appreciated,
-Scott

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