Re: Optimal place for pagefile.sys

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: perris (perris.1kh5e4_at_no-mx.forum.osnn.net)
Date: 02/15/05 

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 20:39:37 -0600

> The only reason to have 1.5-2X*Mem, Pagefile is to perform
> a Full memory dump,

no...this not a correct assumption mcCary...there are plenty of users
that need MORE then 1.5...a large protion of these people that need
more have over two gigs of memory...just recently on one of these
threads you saw a user with 1 gig who's pagefile was too small at the
default 1.5

this is true so much,, microsoft even wrote a hack that allows users as
these to surpass the four gig limit on the size of the pagefile.

R. McCarty Wrote:
> I think you'll find the overall performance difference between Fat32 &
> NTFS is at best 1-2%. I've tested both IDE & SCSI drives in both of
> those formats and the difference is negligible. The key to NTFS is
> that
> it is the NT,2000,XP's native disk format and the Operating System
> is tuned for use with NTFS.
>
> Cluster size is sometimes more relative to speed than the format type.
> (Just ask someone who converted to NTFS and ended up with 512
> Byte Cluster Size - instead of the 4K "Standard".)
>
> Regarding the Pagefile - You can move it, Tweak it, port it to another
> physical drive..... In the end, if you have 256 or greater memory,
> the
> usage of the Pagefile is minimal. The only advice is don't turn the
> thing
> off - XP needs it, if just to "Park" the average 30-45 Megabytes that
> my system keeps in mine (128 Minimum Size) during normal use. You
> can discuss all the nuances about it, but when the former DEC coders
> wrote the original NT 3.51, they brought all their knowledge from the
> creation of the OS for VAX Computers, called VMS (Virtual Memory
> System). The only reason to have 1.5-2X*Mem, Pagefile is to perform
> a Full memory dump, hardly a common occurrence outside of running
> down BSOD's.
>
> Since disk space isn't a big concern, it's probably O.K, to let XP
> handle
> the Pagefile. I would agree that putting the Pagefile on a separate
> disk
> is a good change, in my own case because I use a SCSI drive system.
>
> "Alex52" <Alex52@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6196BA29-3439-4222-A26B-60A33E08C4C7@microsoft.com...
> >
> > P.S. I run Prime5 benchmark tests for both cases without big
> differences
> > in
> > results. But as i said, programs and windows move visiblely faster
> from
> > FAT32.
> > On 3 GB FAT32 partition i keep winxp, 350 MB pagefile, MathCAD,
> AuthoCAD,
> > AOL, Natural Speaker, big dictionaries, and have at least, 1 GB free,
> that
> > guarantee system performance. All rest is on storage partition. My
> winxp
> > runs
> > OK.
> > But may be somebody gives me a hitch about my question.
> >
> >
> > "Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> Windows XP performs best when installed on a NTFS partition
> >> and the virtual memory is managed by the system and the page
> >> file remains on the same Windows XP partition.
> >>
> >> Actually, 4-5 GB size is NOT optimal for the first Win XP
> partition.
> >> You should use at least a 10GB partition.
> >>
> >> Benchmarking on Windows XP
> >> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/benchmark.mspx
> >>
> >> NTFS Preinstallation and Windows XP
> >>
> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/winpreinst/ntfs-preinstall.mspx
> >>
> >> Virtual Memory in Windows XP
> >> http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php
> >>
> >> [Courtesy of MS-MVP Alex Nichol]
> >>
> >> --
> >> Carey Frisch
> >> Microsoft MVP
> >> Windows XP - Shell/User
> >> Microsoft Newsgroups
> >>
> >> Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
> >> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx
> >>
> >>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> "Alex52" wrote:
> >>
> >> | There are controversial recommendations about pagefile.sys
> location.
> >> | It's clear, that hard drive is the slowest part in the pc chain
> and
> >> | determines optimal system performance.
> >> |
> >> | Actually, ntfs slow down performance, and majority users don't
> need
> >> ntfs.
> >> | FAT32 file system is simpler, and windows run faster from FAT32.
> Down
> >> side is
> >> | loosing indexing searching and file encryption. Do you need they
> >> ???????
> >> |
> >> | Actually 4-5 GB size is optimal for the first winxp partition,
> enough
> >> to
> >> | keep winxp and Program Files, but easy to keep system partition
> clean,
> >> in
> >> | good condition, incl., faster defragmenting. All rest would better
> to
> >> place
> >> | on other storage partition, especially Encyclopedia and games with
> a
> >> lot of
> >> | small files. I keep winxp, pagefile.sys, and Program Files on 3
> GB
> >> partition.
> >> | Also I keep pagefile.sys as a single fragment in optimal position
> >> between
> >> | winxp system files and all other.
> >> |
> >> | After fresh winxp installation I set at system partition
> pagefile.sys =
> >> No,
> >> | and reboot. I prefer to reboot to Linux, from where remove
> pagefile.sys
> >> and
> >> | use simple Linux script to delete a huge amount never used small
> files
> >> such
> >> | as pictures, .html (do this periodically, you also may do this
> less
> >> effective
> >> | using winxp "Search"). Next, reboot to winxp and run disk
> defragmenter
> >> to
> >> | move all remain files to the partition beginning. When all files
> will
> >> be at
> >> | the beginning, set pagefile.sys; it should be placed as a single
> >> unmovable
> >> | fragment next after winxp file; if not, repeat operation again
> several
> >> times.
> >> | All rest installation will be placed after pagefile.sys.
> Eventually,
> >> winxp
> >> | will move less frequently used files to partition end, incl.,
> winxp
> >> files
> >> | replacing they by frequently used program files, but unmovable
> >> pagefile.sys
> >> | will stay in optimal position in close to frequently used system
> files
> >> that
> >> | reduce hard disk magnetic head tossing and improve system
> performance.
> >> Of
> >> | course, in the case of several hard drives, it would be better to
> place
> >> | pagefile.sys on other drive allowing simultaneously reading from
> one
> >> drive
> >> | and write to another.
> >> |
> >> | I have one hard drive, and do as said above, but I'm not sure that
> it's
> >> | correct, as I'm not sure how modern hard drive work. May be,
> somebody
> >> | explain???
> >> |
> >> | I visited several manufacture websites, but found only promotion
> >> | information. My concern is as follow. How many magnetic disks
> inside a
> >> modern
> >> | (40-120 GB) hard drive; if one, one or two sided; if two sided,
> how
> >> magnetic
> >> | heads work? Independently, or not, i.e., if disk two sided with
> two
> >> magnetic
> >> | heads, can one head reads on one side, and simultaneously, second
> head
> >> writes
> >> | on another????? If so, it would be better to place pagefile.sys
> on the
> >> | partition on the end of the disk, in not, my method is the best.
> >> |
> >> | I'll appreciate any information.
> >> | Best, Alex
> >>
> >> 

-- 
perris
------------------------------------------------------------------------
perris's Profile: http://forum.osnn.net/member.php?userid=17
View this thread: http://forum.osnn.net/showthread.php?t=56830

Relevant Pages

  • Re: defragmentation issues in XP
    ... The problem could be the fragmented pagefile. ... This is probably scattered across the drive causing the free space to be equally fragmented. ... You need to maximise the free disk space before running disk defragmenter again. ... You do not want Windows to manage the pagefile as using that setting causes the pagefile file to fragment. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: :: Pagefile improvement & a question
    ... You do not need Defraggler to create a contiguous pagefile and the ... Using the Microsoft Disk ... the monitoring by System Restore on all drives and partitions. ... Now run Disk Defragmenter and when this has completed restart your ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)
  • Re: Pagefile and dual boot
    ... Try increasing the size of the static file 1MB at a time until you see the pagefile appear on the drive, then keep it set to that size and see if it sticks. ... If the only reason to have a small page file on the boot volume is to allow a small memory dump we really don't need it. ... The small pagefile on the other partition can be as small as 2MB, if Windows doesn't like that it may resize it to a bit bigger size. ... There is actually only 1 "large" page file on E which both operating system use. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: Hard drive setup...
    ... programs install files to the windows system directories including ini, ... you have the risk of a fragmented pagefile being ... created on the fastest 10GB or so of the hard disk, and, otoh, using ...
    (uk.comp.homebuilt)
  • Re: Some file on this volume could not be defragmented
    ... disable the pagefile & system restore settings. ... Then i run Disk Defragmenter ... my pc & run Disk Defragmenter again, but also the same thing happened. ... off the monitoring by System Restore on all drives and partitions. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain)