ClearPageFileAtShutdown

[RJK]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314834

Can anyone tell me if switching this on this clears all pagefile.sys files
on all drives, or just the bootdrive / drive on which my Windows XP is
installed ?

I have a fixed size 60mb pagefile on my boot-drive C:\ and system size
managed pagefile on the first drive of my 2nd hard disk.

regards, Richard

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?_db_=B4=AF`=B7.._=3E=3C=29=29=29=BA]

one of the set backs
with clearing it at shutdown
is that the pc will take a longer
time to shut down.

also, i noticed you mentioned
that yours was 60 megs.

this doesn't seem to be an
appropriate size unless you
have 24 megabyte ram chips
installed in your computer.

we can review this issue further
if you are interesetd...

--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[RJK]

Thanks for your response, though you might care to reread my OP a little
more thoroughly, ...and what Jim Eshelman has to say about optmizing XP at
aumha.org , ( i think it was aumha.org ...years ago I spotted it), e.g. set
a small fixed swapfile on the boot-drive, because XP wouldn't like there not
being one there at all, and the bigger one on the first drive of the 2nd hd.


regards, Richard

 

[RJK]

I've just been reading through some of your posts !
Obviously, and unfortunately, you are an amateur, and should not be giving
advice to people when you don't fully understand the ramifications of what
you are advising, and indeed the damage your advice could do to other
peoples PC's and data !!!!

I also am an amateur but, the differrence I suspect is that I've loved PC's
and love/hated Windows since they were invented !!!

regards, Richard

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?_db_=B4=AF`=B7.._=3E=3C=29=29=29=BA]

yeh, i did read your posting
regarding the multiple pagefiles
you have.

i suppose that anyone can
set the pagefile as they wish.

however, you might see a
performance improvement
by having 1 pagefile located
on the system partition. but
it can can also be placed
in another partition or hd if necessary.

if it seems confusing then
setting the pagefile (virtual memory)
to automatic mode might be
a better way to go. this option was designed
into windows by the microsoft software engineers
and they know windows from the "inside out".

that being said, it is likely that if
you have one pagefile, the kb's advice
will work.



--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[RJK]

The WHOLE idea of having the main swapfile on the first drive of a 2nd hd,
is to achieve a possible small gain in performance.
Your suggestion of having just one, on the system drive, is the default.

Please don't try to be helpful, if simply to trying to demonstrate a
"superior" knowledge of Windows, you clearly don't have it !
I've already read through some of your replies to other OP's and quite
simply, you'd be better off keeping quiet.
i.e. people following some of your advice could end up in serious trouble.

regards, Richard

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?_db_=B4=AF`=B7.._=3E=3C=29=29=29=BA]

poor poor fellow,
you are miserable indeed....

hope you find company....

--

<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

..

 

[Jim]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314834

Can anyone tell me if switching this on this clears all pagefile.sys files
on all drives, or just the bootdrive / drive on which my Windows XP is
installed ?

I have a fixed size 60mb pagefile on my boot-drive C:\ and system size
managed pagefile on the first drive of my 2nd hard disk.

regards, Richard

I would expect that XP would clear the contents of all pagefiles wherever
they may be.
But, I might be wrong.

As another poster noted, the principal effect that I see is that it takes a
lot longer to shutdown.
The supposed reason for clearing the pagefile is to eliminate residual
sensitive information (such as passwords)
in the pagefile. I quite frankly see the likelihood of such items laying
around as remote.

Jim

 

[Mark F.]

poor poor fellow,
you are miserable indeed....

hope you find company....

After having read some of his other posts, it would appear he'd be better
off using his PC rather than tweaking it so much.

IMO

~J ---------------------------- (c:

Mark

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Talk about the pot and kettle. I know your history, Richard.

I've already blocked Indecipherable, now it's time to block you... Again!

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

SNIP

 

[glee]

I don't know for sure, but regarding that setting itself, the late Windows - File
Systems MVP Alex Nichol stated:

<quote>
If you are seriously concerned that someone might then get at the
machine and decipher the content of the page file in the hope of getting
at very sensitive information, then do so. Not otherwise - it may even
result in shutdown hanging and resulting problems with the page file
subsequently.
</quote>

Consequently, I suggest not using the setting in the first place unless you have
some rather compelling reason to do so.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The supposed reason for clearing the pagefile is to eliminate residual
sensitive information (such as passwords)
in the pagefile. I quite frankly see the likelihood of such items laying
around as remote.

I'm with you entirely. Even if there was any remaining sensitive
information left in the page file, finding it and accessing it would
be difficult enough that it would be very unlikely that anyone would
try.

I wonder if all these people who want to clear the page file at
shutdown ever leave their machine running while they are not sitting
at it. Whatever the risks of someone finding something sensitive in
the page file, they would be there at that time too.

 

[Mark F.]

I'm with you entirely. Even if there was any remaining sensitive
information left in the page file, finding it and accessing it would
be difficult enough that it would be very unlikely that anyone would
try.

I wonder if all these people who want to clear the page file at
shutdown ever leave their machine running while they are not sitting
at it. Whatever the risks of someone finding something sensitive in
the page file, they would be there at that time too.

If someone were to get hold of a PC that contained sensitive data on it,
clearing the pagefile would not necessarily destroy the data. I have found
files on hard drives that have been re-partitioned and reformatted. There
have been several articles the subject.

Mark

 

[Ron Martell]

I don't know for sure, but regarding that setting itself, the late Windows - File
Systems MVP Alex Nichol stated:

<quote>
If you are seriously concerned that someone might then get at the
machine and decipher the content of the page file in the hope of getting
at very sensitive information, then do so. Not otherwise - it may even
result in shutdown hanging and resulting problems with the page file
subsequently.
</quote>

Consequently, I suggest not using the setting in the first place unless you have
some rather compelling reason to do so.

Has there ever been a documented instance of someone actually
recovering usable information from the pagefile contents? I can't
recall ever hearing or reading about one.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
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."

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

If someone were to get hold of a PC that contained sensitive data on it,
clearing the pagefile would not necessarily destroy the data. I have found
files on hard drives that have been re-partitioned and reformatted. There
have been several articles the subject.

Yep! In some instances even if the entire drive has been overwritten
with zeros multiple times, data can be recovered. That's why the US
government doesn't rely on any software techniques to destroy data
when getting rid of drives that contained really sensitive data, but
instead physically melts the drive in a furnace.

 

[RJK]

....and just who pulled your chain ?

regards, Richard

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

...and just who pulled your chain ?

Looks like YOU did, idjut.

 

[RJK]

There's nothing I would really need to hide on my hard-disks, I stumbled on
http://support.microsoft.com:80/kb/314834
....and simply HAD to fiddle with it !
....now that Shutdown time increased, I've turned it off again

regards, Richard

 

[glee]

Has there ever been a documented instance of someone actually
recovering usable information from the pagefile contents? I can't
recall ever hearing or reading about one.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

I've never heard or read of it happening, though apparently it is believed to be
possible if you boot for example from a Live CD such as BartsPE or Knoppix. I
haven't tried it, and wonder if anyone other than perhaps a spy would bother.