Re: virtual memory paging file size less than system ram amount?

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

"JoeyPruett" <joeypruett@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

allo!

on a couple of our servers and desktops, i've noticed that the virtual
memory paging file size is actually set at less than the installed
system ram. for example, we have a 16GB RAM server and the paging file
size is at 4GB. does this negatively affect performance?


Not necessarily.

The relationship between pagefile size and memory size is something
that originates with Unix/Linux and should remain there.

Windows uses the pagefile to compensate for the *lack* of sufficient
physical RAM to satisfy the total memory requirements of the computer.
Therefore the relationship between pagefile and RAM is an inverse one
- more RAM means less pagefile and less pagefile means more RAM,
provided all other factors are held constant.

Caveat: There is one circumstance where there is a direct
relationship between RAM amount and pagefile size and that is in
regards to the "system failure memory dump" If you want to use the
"full memory dump" option for this then the pagefile size must be at
least equal to the amount of RAM because Windows XP uses the pagefile
on the boot drive to receive the memory dump contents and then renames
the file when the dump is complete. This is not, however, a
performance issue.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Slow to open files
    ... Current Pagefile Usage: 80 MB ... Current Pagefile Usage: 1130 MB ... If you already have 1GB of RAM, ... If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Slow to open files
    ... Current Pagefile Usage: 80 MB ... Current Pagefile Usage: 1130 MB ... If you already have 1GB of RAM, ... If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Vista x64 RAM usage?
    ... 32MB is the recommended minimum pagefile size for the OS partition IF you ... This can result in faster read/writes since the drives can operate ... the amount of memory available for other processes. ... in RAM then memory will ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.performance_maintenance)
  • Re: memory
    ... establish what it is that is using so much memory. ... RAM is a card installed in the computer, ... memory through a pagefile. ... I would be interested in seeing a Disk Defragmenter report. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: RAM and Virtual Memory
    ... > respect, you do NOT need a paging file *if* you have sufficient RAM, ... I have a question about the use of RAM by Windows XP, ... > (virtual memory) subsystem, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)