Pagefile.sys file

[ilyaz]

On my C drive, there is a Pagefile.sys file more than 1 GB. What this file
is for? Looks like it's growing...How large could it grow? Should I control
its growth somehow?
Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Sharon F]

On my C drive, there is a Pagefile.sys file more than 1 GB. What this file
is for? Looks like it's growing...How large could it grow? Should I control
its growth somehow?
Thanks for your suggestions.

Normal file. Used for virtual memory. Default size is 1.5x amount of
installed RAM. File will grow if your applications demand it but will
shrink back down again. Since ~1GB is pretty huge, you shouldn't see too
much change in the file's size unless you do a lot of memory intensive
processing. And if you do that kind of processing, you will want the file
to grow so that the application doing the processing doesn't crash. In
other words, leave the file as is.

 

[Nepatsfan]

On my C drive, there is a Pagefile.sys file more than 1 GB.
What this file
is for? Looks like it's growing...How large could it grow?
Should I control
its growth somehow?
Thanks for your suggestions.

You might want to take a look at this article:

Courtesy of the late Alex Nichol (MS-MVP)
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

Nepatsfan

 

[ilyaz]

Thanks Sharon and Nepatsfan for a quick and helpful reply to both my
questions! I appreciate your assistance.
Ilya

 

[Ron Martell]

On my C drive, there is a Pagefile.sys file more than 1 GB. What this file
is for? Looks like it's growing...How large could it grow? Should I control
its growth somehow?
Thanks for your suggestions.

If your pagefile has grown to more than 1 gb and you have not
configured Windows for a large minimum size for the pagefile then
there is either something amiss or your computer would benefit from
the installation of more RAM.

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."

 

[ilyaz]

Ron, I have 768 MB RAM. However, Windows is configured for a Small memory
dump (64 KB). Are you saying that I should change it to a Complete memory
dump or Kernel memory dump? Will it improve the performance?
Thanks for your suggestion.
Ilya

 

[Sharon F]

Ron, I have 768 MB RAM. However, Windows is configured for a Small memory
dump (64 KB). Are you saying that I should change it to a Complete memory
dump or Kernel memory dump? Will it improve the performance?
Thanks for your suggestion.
Ilya

The memory dump setting is separate from the pagefile.sys setting. Small
memory dump is fine. The large memory dump is useful to developers and tech
support folks. You shouldn't ever need the large memory dump setting unless
tech support specifically requests you to capture one.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Ilya

How large is your hard disk and how much free space?

Try Ctrl+Alt+Delete to select Task Manager and click the Performance Tab.
What is the Total, the Commit Charge and the Peak?

You may check on pagefile (virtual memory) usage with Page File Monitor for
XP:
http://www.dougknox.com/

Make sure you study the readme.txt file carefully to ensure
you get the utility to work as it should.

Are you carrying out photo and / or video editing?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Ron Martell]

Ron, I have 768 MB RAM. However, Windows is configured for a Small memory
dump (64 KB). Are you saying that I should change it to a Complete memory
dump or Kernel memory dump? Will it improve the performance?
Thanks for your suggestion.
Ilya

No. Memory dump size is not relevant in this case. It would be if
you wanted to get a "full memory dump" for some reason, as that
requires that the pagefile be at least equal in size to the total
amount of RAM in the computer.

What I am expressing concern about is the underlying reason why your
pagefile has a physical size of 1 gb. At some point, and probably
quite recently, you appear to have done something that required
Windows to actually use a tremendous amount of pagefile space. Do you
run large memory intensive applications such as video editing, or high
definition graphics work with multiple undo levels?

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."

 

[Sharon F]

What I am expressing concern about is the underlying reason why your
pagefile has a physical size of 1 gb.

That's about right for 768MB of RAM under XP's default settings:
(768+384=1152MB)