Re: Pagefile and dual boot

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Hi John:
Setting the pagefile to a static 5MB size did not help.
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 last time I look at a
memory dump was over 3 decades ago. However, if this is a system problem
that might cause problems we probably should figure out what is happening.
Here is the output or pagefileconfig.vbs:

Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


Host Name: Q38
Drive/Volume: D:
Volume Label: DSK1_VOL2
Location\File Name: D:\pagefile.sys
Initial Size: 5 MB
Maximum Size: 5 MB
Current Size: N/A
Total Free Space: N/A

Host Name: Q38
Drive/Volume: E:
Volume Label: DSK1_VOL3
Location\File Name: E:\pagefile.sys
Initial Size: 1512 MB
Maximum Size: 3024 MB
Current Size: 1512 MB
Total Free Space: 22139 MB


Host Name: Q38
Total (All Drives): Minimum Size: 2 MB
Total (All Drives): Recommended Size: 3045 MB
Total (All Drives): Currently Allocated: 1512 MB
....ralph


"John John - MVP" <audetweld@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:efvqd4azJHA.3872@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Run the following at a Command Prompt:

cscript %systemroot%\system32\pagefileconfig.vbs

What does it return?

(You can send the output of the command to a file then copy the
information from the file and paste it in your next post, for example:

cscript %systemroot%\system32\pagefileconfig.vbs >C:\pageset.txt

Try setting the pagefile on the boot volumes to a static 5MB size, select
the Custom option and set the file to the same initial and Maximum size,
if it sticks you should see the pagefile appear on the volume almost as
soon as you click on the Set and OK buttons. Don't forget to click on the
"Apply" button when you close the screens.

John

ralph wrote:
Hi John:
Still a problem.
I tried setting the page file's Inital size on D to 5MB and the Maximum
size to 10MB. I also tried 10 and 20 with the same result. Doing so
generally creates a 5 or 10 MB pagefil.sys on D. However, when I re-boot
the page file always disappears. The settings in the Virtual Memory
window continue to show the "custom" parameters. The large page file
created on E does not appear to have any problems.
BTW: The small memory dump is set to 64 KB- appears to be the default.
......ralph

"John John (MVP)" <audetweld@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uQs4B7XzJHA.480@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I put a test setup together and it looks like (on my test box) the
system doesn't create any pagefiles on the boot volumes if the size is
set to less than 5MB. If you set your System Properties Startup and
Recovery option to write a Small memory dump (64 KB) this 5MB pagefile
should capture it.

John

John John - MVP wrote:
I think that the installation on D may use the pagefile on C for memory
dump. I'm not sure about this, it's been a while since I've run a dual
boot setup. I'm going to throw a test setup together tomorrow and see
what I can find out.

If all runs fine I wouldn't worry too much about it for now, if Windows
isn't happy with the pagefile setup it will let you know! Or it will
adjust things to its likings! The small pagefile on the boot volume is
only needed for memory dumps, when the computer crashes and gets a BSOD
it needs a pagefile to dump the information, in any case hardly no one
knows how to properly read a memory dump file and fewer even bother
with them, so it will probably not be a big deal if you don't have one
in the event of a BSOD, you will just get the information from the
screen and take it from there.

John

ralph wrote:
Hi John:
Need some more assistance.
I booted up from partition 2 (D).
I set the page file on E to an initial size of 1512 MB and a maximum
size of 3024 MB. I set the page file on D (the boot volume) to 2 and 2
or 2 and 3. This reuslted in a pagefile.sys on E of a resonable size.
However, either no page file resulted on D or it disappeared after
booting. Otherwise the computer appears to be functioning normally.
....ralph


"John John (MVP)" <audetweld@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23SEAzyOzJHA.3896@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You're welcome.

ralph wrote:
John:
Thanks for your very clear directions.
................ralph


"John John (MVP)" <audetweld@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OeF6QIOzJHA.436@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You have plenty of RAM so you shouldn't see much of a performance
hit, you probably won't notice any difference.

There will only be one large pagefile on E:. You can set the
pagefile to the same size in both operating system... or to
different sizes, it doesn't really matter, when you boot the
operating system the Session Manager reads the pagefile settings
information from the registry and creates the pagefile according to
the information held in the registry so it doesn't matter what the
other system in your multi-boot setup does, the other one will do
its own thing when it boots. 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.

John


ralph wrote:
Hi John:
Thank you for your help.
I have only one hard drive but I have 2 GB memory. How large is
the "small " page file that should be kept on the each system
partition?

Just to make sure I understand what to do:
The OS on C will have a small page file on C and a "large" page
file on E.
The OS on D will have a small page file on D and a "large" page
file on E.
The small page files should have the same size parameters.
There is actually only 1 "large" page file on E which both
operating system use.
Both operating system Virtual Memory pages should specify the same
size parameters for the page file on E.
??Correct
....ralph


"John John - MVP" <audetweld@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OqRGqiMzJHA.3872@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
See in-line below.

ralph wrote:
This is a dual boot system with Windows XP Pro installed on both
bootable partitions. There is one hard drive with five
partitions. Both operating systems use the same letter
designations. The two operating systems use volumes C and D.
Volumes E, F and G contain data. Volume E is seldom accessed.

Currently volumes C and D have their own page files (on the same
volume as each opeating systems). In order to save some space on
C and D, I I would like to remove the page files from C and D
and create a page file on E.

If I do this, may I use the same page file for both operating
systems?
Yes.


I find this to a bit confusing and I would very much appreciate
detailed instructions for doing this.
Just set the pagefile for each operating system in the usual
manner: System Properties>Advanced>Performance>Advanced>Virtual
Memory. It's usually best to keep a small pagefile on the system
partition, this pagefile is needed to capture memory dumps on
system failure. Having the pagefile on a partition other than
the system partition on the same disk is usually not a
recommended practice, it would be best to move it to a different
hard disk. You may see a performance hit when you do this, how
much of a hit you see will depend on how much memory you have in
the computer and how you use your computer. If you have lots of
RAM or if you only do light work with the computer the hit may
not be noticeable or hardly noticeable at all.

John



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