Re: Pagefile.sys corrupted

From: Art Farmer (art.farmer_at_ntlworldcom.com)
Date: 05/26/04 

Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 15:41:36 +0100

"*Vanguard*" <no-email@reply-to-newsgroup.invalid> wrote in message
news:l8mdnWv8jpJbXC7dRVn-hQ@comcast.com...
> Art Farmer said in news:hKMsc.313$3s5.119@newsfe4-win:
> > No. as far as I know I have not set any rights or log-on passwords.
> >
> > I think I have it set to any user.
> >
> > Art
> >
> > "Gordon" <me6@privacy.net> wrote in message
> > news:uaXYTFoQEHA.3532@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> "Art Farmer" <art.farmer@ntlworldcom.com> wrote in message
> >> news:CrMsc.311$3s5.159@newsfe4-win...
> >>> I am having serious problems with the size of my Pagefile.sys.
> >>>
> >>> It remains doggedly at 1.5gb no matter what I do. Rightly or
> >>> wrongly the size of my C: drive is 4.19 gb so this file is causing
> >>> difficulties with lack of space.
> >>>
> >>> I have changed the parameters in Virtual memory, including 'no page
> >>> file', 'system managed file' 'moving it to a different drive' etc.
> >>> None of these has any effect.
> >>>
> >>> I have also tried different settings in Regedit.
> >>>
> >>> I cannot delete it in XP and as it is on an NTFS drive I have not
> >>> found a way to delete it outside WinXP.
> >>>
> >>> When I look at the file with a Hex editor it seems to be 'empty' ie
> >>> not data appears.
> >>>
> >>> I received some stick lately for asking for help in another
> >>> newsgroup so I have done my best to solve the problem myself but I
> >>> am getting nowhere.
> >>>
> >>> TIA
> >>>
> >>> Art
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> You are trying this logged on as an Administrator, aren't you?
>
> So, what are you running, Windows XP *Home* or *Pro*? If Pro, you need
> to be logged in under an admin-level account. In Home, you need to
> reboot to Safe mode and login as Administrator.
>
> One way of deleting the pagefile is to reboot into Recovery Console mode
> (see Start -> Help for instructions on how to install it from the
> installation CD). You can then delete the pagefile.sys file. However,
> you won't see it and, I believe, the 'attrib' command might not work on
> it to eliminate the system and hidden file attributes or you are
> restricted from it somehow. So Microsoft's trick is to copy a normal
> file, like autoexec.bat, atop the pagefile.sys file, like running "copy
> autoexec.bat pagefile.sys" and then you can see and delete the
> pagefile.sys. When you reboot into normal mode, the pagefile will get
> rebuilt. Go read:
>
> How to Delete the Pagefile.sys File in Recovery Console
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255205
>
> However, before deleting the pagefile, configure virtual memory to set
> the min and max size the same (this reduces fragmentation) on the same
> drive as wherever Windows is installed. Set it to the same size of your
> memory plus 64KB. You need to have a pagefile there but minimize it.
> From your description where you mention moving the pagefile to another
> drive (you really don't move but instead just define another segment
> there), it sounds like you have a second drive. Windows will use the
> pagefile on the 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th, or other drive) first to minimize
> thrashing when reading the files on the drive where it runs. On the
> second drive, configure the pagefile to be 1.5 to 2.0 times the size of
> your physical memory. Don't bother doing this if the 2nd "drive" is
> really just another partition on the same physical disk as where your
> Windows partition exists. The point is to move the reads/writes for the
> pagefile to a different IDE controller and drive than for the
> reads/writes used to load and run the operating system. After you setup
> the min=max settings for virtual memory (on both drives), set its size
> on C: to RAM+64KB, and set its size on D: to, say, RAM x 2 then reboot,
> use Recovery Console, and delete the pagefiles on both C: and D: as
> noted above. You will need to login as Administrator when you boot into
> Recovery Console mode.

Vanguard

Thanks very much for your advice, it gets me a little nearer to solving my
problem.

If you can spare the time I will try to explain my predicament.

I am using WinXP Pro, with no administration settings. My RAM size is 2 x
512mb. When installing WinXP, following someone's (unknown, I wish I could
meet him now) advice I created a 4.12gb C:\ partition on a 80gb drive as it
was suggested this would speed up things. As you can imagine overtime this
C:\ partition gets fuller and fuller. Where possible I have moved
files/programs to other partitions.

I followed your advice plus the link to MS fiddled around adding Boot.ini to
the Pagefile.sys and was able to delete it.

I then found that any attempt to opt for a custom size paging file, a system
set paging file or a paging file on another drive (not on the same IDE
connection) simply resulted in the swapfile going onto C:\ with the size of
1.5gb.

The only way to not have it on the C drive is to select 'no paging file'.

Any suggestions you might have would be gratefully received. Is it possible
that I have a Trojan lurking. ?? I use Zonealarm, and I have EZ antivirus
software which shows no problems.

I don't want to carry out a complete new install. Does using Partition Magic
create genuine new partition sizes or does it work in the background using
pseudo partitions.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, I hope the details explain my problem.

Many thanks

Art

Relevant Pages

  • Re: help with pagefile
    ... The pagefile on the second drive should be 1.5 times the RAM. ... I would not partition the rest of the second drive ... goes below 60% free disk space. ... the impact of pagefile fragmentation for the life of your drives. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: What are the benefits of Partitioning HDs and having a dedicated drive partiton for the Swap fil
    ... partitions on each of the 2 drives. ... dedicated partition, would that be a performance booster or not? ... With regard to your RAID setup I think you should reconsider your ... Windows uses the paging file on the system drive for other ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: help with pagefile
    ... The pagefile on the second drive should be 1.5 times the RAM. ... Adding further RAM to your system would be pointless as you would exceed the address space limit,which applies to 32 bit systems.Make the partition on the second drive 5,100 mb. ... goes below 60% free disk space. ... the impact of pagefile fragmentation for the life of your drives. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: partioning HD w/NTFS
    ... Even if we serialize access between the pagefile and non-pagefile files/folders, ... Obviously having the pagefile on a separate IDE controller is potentially better (i.e. ... The time is split between the two drives. ... what % of the time is your paging file PHYSICALLY being written ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Creating Partition for virtual memory
    ... most used partition of the least used *physical* drive ... creating a separate partition for the pagefile on the *same* physical drive ... partition transitions during normal Windows operation, ... however, if you have two or more physical drives in your system, then you ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize)
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