XP Paging File - Virtual Mory Query

[Paddy]

Confused about XP Prof using USB stick for paging file.

I inserted 4GB USB stick; Right-click My Computer - System Properties -
Advanced tab - Performance (.... virtual memory) - Settings - Advanced
tab - Virtual Memory - Change button.

Selected USB stick drive "I:" - set custom size to min 2000MB and max to
3726MB (the free capacity). Clicked "Set" button.

USB stick remains in machine.

Subsequent boot, look at virtual memory settings. It is showing for C:
720-1440MB (Space available on C: shows on virtual memory page as 5520MB).
USB stick Drive I: shows as 2000-3726MB. However, "Total paging file size
for all drives" at bottom of virtual memory page shows Min allowed: 2MB;
Recommended: 1102MB; Currently allocated: 720MB.

The USB stick shows no paging file - just folder etc that came on new USB
stick.

Does this mean it does not use the 4GB USB stick for paging file virtual
memory????

Or am I missing something?

Thanks

Paddy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Confused about XP Prof using USB stick for paging file.

I inserted 4GB USB stick; Right-click My Computer - System Properties -
Advanced tab - Performance (.... virtual memory) - Settings - Advanced
tab - Virtual Memory - Change button.

Not a good idea, for at least two reasons:

1. A USB drive will be slower than an internal hard drive, and doing
this will impact your performance negatively.

2. USB Sticks have a limited number of write cycles they can go
through before they die. When used in normal fashion, that limit isn't
usually a significant one, but considering the possible number of
writes it will quickly get as a paging device, you would wear it out
very quickly.

 

[Paddy]

Not a good idea, for at least two reasons:

1. A USB drive will be slower than an internal hard drive, and doing
this will impact your performance negatively.

2. USB Sticks have a limited number of write cycles they can go
through before they die. When used in normal fashion, that limit isn't
usually a significant one, but considering the possible number of
writes it will quickly get as a paging device, you would wear it out
very quickly.

Thanks, Ken. I had seen from MS regarding Vista "ReadyBoost":

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/readyboost.mspx

**********************
Windows Vista introduces Windows ReadyBoost, a new concept in adding memory
to a system. You can use non-volatile flash memory, such as that on a
universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, to improve performance without
having to add additional memory "under the hood."
The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache-that is, memory
that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on
the hard drive. Windows ReadyBoost relies on the intelligent memory
management of Windows SuperFetch and can significantly improve system
responsiveness.
****************************
It appeared similar to XP's paging file, so I tried it on both Vista laptop
and XP Desktop, as I described. Neither XP nor Vista appeared to ultilise
it - both still showed to be using the C: paging file. I gave up on it.

Paddy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks, Ken. I had seen from MS regarding Vista "ReadyBoost":

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/readyboost.mspx

**********************
Windows Vista introduces Windows ReadyBoost, a new concept in adding memory
to a system. You can use non-volatile flash memory, such as that on a
universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, to improve performance without
having to add additional memory "under the hood."
The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache-that is, memory
that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on
the hard drive. Windows ReadyBoost relies on the intelligent memory
management of Windows SuperFetch and can significantly improve system
responsiveness.
****************************
It appeared similar to XP's paging file, so I tried it on both Vista laptop
and XP Desktop, as I described. Neither XP nor Vista appeared to ultilise
it - both still showed to be using the C: paging file. I gave up on it.

ReadyBoost is not at all the same as the Page file. It's disk caching.
Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Readyboost

Also, only Vista can use ReadyBoost, not XP.

In my experience, ReadyBoost is useful only on computers with a small
amounts of RAM---512MB to 1GB. And on such computers, the money spent
for the thumb drive would be better spent on additional RAM. So in my
view, ReadyBoost should be avoided.

I think many people devote too much attention to improving paging.
Most modern computers have enough RAM so that the page file is hardly
ever used at all (don't confuse page file *allocation* with use). If
you fall into that category, page file settings hardly matter.

So, let me ask, how much RAM do you have, and what apps do you run?
Answer for both your XP and Vista machines.

 

[Paddy]

I think many people devote too much attention to improving paging.
Most modern computers have enough RAM so that the page file is hardly
ever used at all (don't confuse page file *allocation* with use). If
you fall into that category, page file settings hardly matter.

I had read about ReadyBoost and also XP's page filing - the implementation
of both is similar/same, so I thought I'd suck-it-and-see.
Speed is not a huge issue - I was mainly playing.

So, let me ask, how much RAM do you have, and what apps do you run?
Answer for both your XP and Vista machines.

Desktop XP SP2 1GB RAM; Laptop Vista Home Basic 512MB RAM.

Both are (since 2 weeks ago) running Office 2007 Ultimate (special offer to
verified Australian University/College faculty/staff for $75 Australian,
versus $A1150 retail), plus Visio 2007 & sundry other programs.

Love Office 2007!! Actually, I would not normally have bought Office
Ultimate - but $75 was an offer too good to knock back!

Thanks for your suggestions.

Paddy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I had read about ReadyBoost and also XP's page filing - the implementation
of both is similar/same, so I thought I'd suck-it-and-see.
Speed is not a huge issue - I was mainly playing.


Desktop XP SP2 1GB RAM; Laptop Vista Home Basic 512MB RAM.

Both are (since 2 weeks ago) running Office 2007 Ultimate (special offer to
verified Australian University/College faculty/staff for $75 Australian,
versus $A1150 retail), plus Visio 2007 & sundry other programs.

1GB of RAM is substantially more than most people running just Office
programs under Windows XP can make effective use of. Unless you do
things like edit large graphic images, you'll probably never use the
page file at all with that much RAM.

On the other hand, 512MB is much too little for almost everyone
running Vista (any version) and you are probably paging a lot on your
laptop. My recommendation is that almost everyone running Vista should
have at least 2GB.

 

[Paddy]

On the other hand, 512MB is much too little for almost everyone
running Vista (any version) and you are probably paging a lot on your
laptop. My recommendation is that almost everyone running Vista should
have at least 2GB.

Yes - I would agree. Just bought the laptop at Christmas - specvial Acer
deal: $(Aust)499 with cash-back.

Paddy