"your system has no page file, or page file too small, error"

[Guest]

I get the error "your system has no page file, or page
file too small" when starting up win2k pro. The prompt
directs me to change the page file size and then click on
the ok button of the prompt.

while the propmt is up no contents on my desktop is shown
( including startmenu bar) and hence i cant go to control
pannel and set page file size. Any work arounds

Note : i saw http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=257758 but
it does not help me

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

What is the history of the machine? What did you change
before you started having this problem?

You can edit the registry of the problem machine via a network
connection to point the paging file back to where it belongs:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Session Manager\Memory Management

 

[Linh]

I and many other people had this problem a few months
back. After much searching, I finally found a fix that
worked and it is relatively easy. Yes I tried to assign
the rights through safe mode but that solution does not
work.

This is what I did. Remove the Intel Application
Accelerator using Add/Remove programs. For some reason,
this sometimes interferes with windows ability to manage
the paging file. After this, reboot your box and set your
page file again. It may take more than 1 try but you
should be able to set it now. After this is successful,
reinstall the IAA from the intel website and you should no
longer have any issues. Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Some possibilities (in no particular order):

It may let you log in and get a desktop as the local user "administrator",
even if you cannot do so as another administrator.

If you can connect to the machine remotely as an administrator, check the
permissions set on the root directory - I have seen people deny access to
everyone (including the system), which causes this sort of problem.

"Safe Mode" or "VGA mode" may let you get in and set the pagefile correctly.

Ctrl-Alt-Del to get the taskmanager up, then you can perhaps start a new task
"cmd" to give you a commandline window to check/set things, or start the task
"control" to get the control panel, or compmgmt.msc for computer management,
or SYSDM.CPL for system properties (includes the place where you set page file
size). You may have to give the full path to these, if your environment is
not set correctly.

|I get the error "your system has no page file, or page
|file too small" when starting up win2k pro. The prompt
|directs me to change the page file size and then click on
|the ok button of the prompt.
|
|while the propmt is up no contents on my desktop is shown
|( including startmenu bar) and hence i cant go to control
|pannel and set page file size. Any work arounds
|
|Note : i saw http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=257758 but
|it does not help me

 

[dcdon]

***Virtual Memory 101
======================
My computer for "no good reason" belched a pop-up with "Low Virtual Memory".
(Well, mine has always been less than I wanted) Let's see about that.

Find RAM location -Right click My Computer >General[tab](Jot down amount)


To set pagefile size:
Right click My Computer >click Properties >Advanced[tab] >Performance Options(note Total
Pagefile size now)>click Change...
Change the initial and maximum size to 2.5 times RAM.
(*Note: Entering both values the same will stop Windows from fragmenting)
(*Note: Rule of thumb for pagefile is 2 to 2 1/2 times RAM)
Restart computer. If all is well, GREAT! But, if-


After restart, an Alert like "Total paging file is low or no existent","Paging file has been
set to 20MB", or "a temporary pagefile has been created". Read on; we will get there.
=========

First, let's see which files we have:GoTo...
Start >Search >"type" pagefile.sys, temppf.sys (If both show up, delete "pagefile.sys" and
goto ***Virtual Memory 201.
If only pagefile.sys shows up go to ***Virtual Memory 301
======================
======================




***Virtual Memory 201
======================
We getting serious now. Here's what we gonna do:

Give the "System" account (NT Authority) full control of the %SystemDrive% (and the drive
where pagefile is located)
(In my case the %SystemDrive% is the %SystemRoot% and the pagefile.sys is located in the
%SystemRoot%)
System(NTAUTHORITY) gets full control:
Click Start >Settings >Control Panel >Administrative Tools >Computer Management >click Logical
Drive >right click %SystemDrive%(usually C:\)> click Properties >Advanced[tab] >Security[tab]

click Add >scroll to and click SYSTEM >click Add >check all boxes in lower pane >click Apply
click OK >click Ok all the way out. Now that part's done.

Need to see all files necessary:
If we can't see all of our files we are changing some settings. Goto...
Start >Settings >Control Panel > Folder Options >View[tab] >check Show "Hidden File and
Folders" >uncheck "Hide file extensions of known file types" >uncheck "Hide protected
operating system files"


Now let's create a brand new "pagefile.sys"this involves editing the
registry[regedt32.exe])GoTo:
Start >Run... >"type" regedt32 >click OK (now in the registry)
Click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE >d/c CurrentControlSet >d/c Control >d/c Session Manager >Memory
Management >d/c "PagingFile..." and enter two times your RAM in both places(be sure to have a
space in between)>click OK and eXit.
======================
======================



***Virtual Memory 301
======================
In the Virtual memory settings, set to have no page file, exit, shut down the machine and
reboot. Delete PAGEFILE.SYS (on each drive if more than just C:\, set the page file up again
and reboot to bring it into use.

If this didn't workout, you'll need to go to the registry and creat another pagefile.sys
(***Virtual Memory 201)
======================
======================
======================
======================
======================
======================



F A C T O I D S
===================================
Always make any pagefile changes through Control Panel >System, not through Computer
Management.

Enter numbers equal to at least "RAM+32MB" in initial and a max. of 4092MB in maximum size.

If the "Maximum size (MB):" is already set to the "Recommended:" value, and you are not
running any applications like graphics programs and movie editing applications that use a
large amount of virtual memory, then perhaps the actual problem is that the available hard
disk space is less than the initial size of the paging file setting. For more information see
the following Microsoft Knowledge Base Article:

KB257758 - FIX: "Limited Virtual Memory" Error Message When You Start Your Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=257758

And if the above is not the problem I recommend that you monitor the actual usage of the page
file instead of trying to guess what the values should be. For more information see the
following Web Page. Although it is written for Windows XP most of it applies to Windows 2000.
I suggest that you use it along with the information in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base
Articles on the subject.


Problems with Virtual Memory

It may sometimes happen that the system give 'out of memory' messages on trying to load a
program, or give a message about Virtual memory space being low. Possible causes of this are:

1.) The setting for maximum size of the page file is too low, or there is not enough disk
space free to expand it to that size.

2.)The page file has become corrupt, possibly at a bad shut-down. Set both to blank (same as
zero), reboot and go back to set values, Reboot.


The page file has been put on a different drive without leaving a minimal amount on C:.

1.)There is trouble with third party software. In particular, if the message happens at
shutdown, suspect a problem with Symantec's Norton Live update, for which there is a fix
posted HERE.

2.)If it happens at boot and the machine has an Intel chipset, the message may be caused by an
early version (before version 2.1) of Intel's 'Application Accelerator'. Uninstall this and
then get an up-to-date version from Intel's site.

3.)Possibly there is trouble with the drivers for IDE hard disks; in Device Manager, remove
the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers (main controller) and reboot for Plug and Play to start over.

NOTICE: With an NTFS file system, the permissions for the root directory of the drive where
the pagefile is must give 'Full Control' to SYSTEM. If not, there is likely to be a message at
boot that the system is 'unable to create a pagefile'.
======================

======================
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

KB140472 - PRB: Limited Virtual Memory Error When Starting Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=140472

KB259151 - Paging File Functionality Requires System Account Permissions and
Proper Size
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=259151

KB242447 - Changes to Paging File Settings Are Not Retained
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=242447

RE: "the area to change it is grayed out"

The Set button will be grayed out if you are not logged in as a user in the Administrators
group.
======================

======================
How to -Restore Default NTFS Permissions -Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q266/1/18.ASP
======================

======================
See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255205.
(Note steps 4 and 5 should be reversed.)
======================
Thanks to Dave Patrick and others for materials added to teh original yo better help you.


good computing,
don
---------------



I get the error "your system has no page file, or page
file too small" when starting up win2k pro. The prompt
directs me to change the page file size and then click on
the ok button of the prompt.

while the propmt is up no contents on my desktop is shown
( including startmenu bar) and hence i cant go to control
pannel and set page file size. Any work arounds

Note : i saw http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=257758 but
it does not help me