Stubborn Pagefile.sys

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

From: srn1120 (srn1120_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 12/18/04


Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 13:03:03 -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 NTSF).I have 512MB of RAM installed. OS is XP Pro.

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 article)

Set using the system properties GUI. Have tried combinations of small
pagefile on C:10-50MB,none,system managed, etc. multiple times. On E:I have
been able to create a pagefile of any size I have chosen, Windows just
doesn't use it.

Set by editing the registry key with the same combos listed above.

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

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: 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)

I also went so far as to download hijackthis and 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.

Any ideas?
-Scott


Quantcast