My Pagefile.sys is Out of Control!

[KLHT]

I have two 80GB hard drives on my WinXP MCE service pack 2 system. It
is set up pretty much just like my last computer (now mys
husband's)--Lots of partitions, with the OS on one and a 2.8GB
partition (S) on the second drive set aside especially for the
pagefile.

No matter what Virtual Memory settings I use, my system insists on
creating a GIANT pagefile.sys on either the C or L partition (both on
same hard disk). I blocked that by copying some large files into L to
reduce available space. Since then, the huge pagefile gets recreated on
C after each reboot.

Right now, I have been bequeathed a 1,569,932 KB pagefile on C, and a
658,496 KB pagefile on my L drive (leaving only 38.8 MB free on L). The
partition I have set to be the only place with a pagefile, the 2.8GB S
drive, is empty.

After searching forever to find anything that didn't just tell me to
reset virtual memory settings (which I've done about 32 million times
with no change), I finally came across this and thought for sure I'd
have my solution.

No such luck. I don't have any Norton AV on this machine. I did try to
reset, and reboot with my ZoneAlarm security suite set not to start at
all, but I still had a 1.6 GB pagefile on C!

Does anyone know of anything else I can try. This is drving me batty!

Karen

 

[Ron Martell]

I have two 80GB hard drives on my WinXP MCE service pack 2 system. It
is set up pretty much just like my last computer (now mys
husband's)--Lots of partitions, with the OS on one and a 2.8GB
partition (S) on the second drive set aside especially for the
pagefile.

No matter what Virtual Memory settings I use, my system insists on
creating a GIANT pagefile.sys on either the C or L partition (both on
same hard disk). I blocked that by copying some large files into L to
reduce available space. Since then, the huge pagefile gets recreated on
C after each reboot.

Right now, I have been bequeathed a 1,569,932 KB pagefile on C, and a
658,496 KB pagefile on my L drive (leaving only 38.8 MB free on L). The
partition I have set to be the only place with a pagefile, the 2.8GB S
drive, is empty.

After searching forever to find anything that didn't just tell me to
reset virtual memory settings (which I've done about 32 million times
with no change), I finally came across this and thought for sure I'd
have my solution.

No such luck. I don't have any Norton AV on this machine. I did try to
reset, and reboot with my ZoneAlarm security suite set not to start at
all, but I still had a 1.6 GB pagefile on C!

Does anyone know of anything else I can try. This is drving me batty!

Karen

To start with you should never attempt to create multiple pagefiles on
the same physical hard drive.

Multiple pagefiles are supported in Windows XP but only if each
pagefile is on a different physical hard drive.

As for your pagefile settings being reset each time you reboot that
may be because of insufficient free space on the designated pagefile
drive.

Contrary to the opinions expressed by some, optimal performance with
Windows is normally achieved with the pagefile on the same partition
as the operating system (C: in your case). There are a number of
additional uses for the pagefile, such as system failure memory dumps,
which require the pagefile to be located on the boot drive. And if
you have a second physical hard drive then you can also configure a
second pagefile on one of the partitions on that drive. Windows XP
will then use whichever pagefile is optimal for each individual paging
activity.

Good luck

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

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

 

[KLHT]

To start with you should never attempt to create multiple pagefiles on the same physical hard drive. Multiple pagefiles are supported in Windows XP but only if each pagefile is on a different physical hard drive.

I have only ever set virtual memory to put a pagefile on the 2.8GB
partition(S) that's on a different hard disk than the OS, or a large
one on S and a small one on C. Those settings are ignored.

It's the OS itself that put two pagefile.sys files, both on the same
hard drive. (vm settings don't even allow you to set a page file as
big--1.6GB--as the one the system keep recreating for itself.)

As for your pagefile settings being reset each time you reboot that may be because of insufficient free space on the designated pagefile drive.

I guess, but that partition is 2.8GB. If I were to resize, how big
would it need to be to accommodate the 1.6GB file that the system
insists on having?

Contrary to the opinions expressed by some, optimal performance with Windows is normally achieved with the pagefile on the same partition as the operating system (snip) And if you have a second physical hard drive then you can also configure a second pagefile on one of the partitions on that drive. Windows XP will then use whichever pagefile is optimal for each individual paging activity.

Well, again, the problem is that my system won't let me configure
anything. It ignores any virtual memory settings I put in place. It
just keeps makeing its own monstrously huge pagefile (or two) no matter
what I tell it to do. It's very bizzare!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Karen

 

[Ron Martell]

Well, again, the problem is that my system won't let me configure
anything. It ignores any virtual memory settings I put in place. It
just keeps makeing its own monstrously huge pagefile (or two) no matter
what I tell it to do. It's very bizzare!

Any other suggestions?

That is bizarre, and the first thing that comes to mind is Norton,
which I believe you stated previously is not installed on your
computer.

What other security/protective software of any kind do you have
installed?

Have you tried rebooting your computer into Safe Mode and then
changing your virtual memory settings? That may avoid whatever
software is causing your settings to revert.

Good luck

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

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

 

[KLHT]

Hi Ron,

No Norton here (although the WinXP SP2 computer with Norton happily
puts my pagefile on The dedicated S partition on 2nd drive.)

I've got Zone Alarm security suite, Spybpt S&D, AdAware, Windows
Defender, but I"ve alrady tried shutting them down and the problem is
the same.

I haven't tried Safe Mode, but others have reported that settings that
change for Safe Mode revert when booting normally. (I have actually
found a way to change the size of the giant file on C. I followed this
advice:
***************
1 Click Start, Click Run, type Regedit. Go to
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro
l\SessionManager\MemoryManagement
2 Double click the PagingFiles in right panel. Change the minimum and
maximum values to what you want, say
C:\Pagefile.sys 766 1024

Make this change in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001, ControlSet002,ControlSet003
branches,.......00n if they exist.

Delete the existing pagefile in C:\ using a boot utility or going to
Safe mode to do it.

Reboot normally and check actual pagefiles equals values set in Control
Panel\Advanced\Performance\Settings
From: http://forums.rojakpot.com/showthread.php?p=268553
****************
This actually worked to allow me to shrink the giant pagefile on C.
However, I still want to move the pagefile to the S partition that I
set aside for it on the 2nd hard disk. No matter how small or large I
set the size, it will not put a pagefile on S.

What is up with that?!

Oh, and I love your sig quote! Mosqiutoes love me. It's not mutual.

Karen