Pagefile problems

[Walt G]

I have several partitions on my hard drive, and I have put my pagefile on
drive F:\. Fairly frequently when starting up, my computer will put an extra
pagefile on the C:\ drive, although the pagefile on the F:\ drive, being
system managed, is already big enough. Today it ignored my instructions to
put the pagefile on drive F:\ and put the only pagefile on drive C:\. I have
no idea what is causing this behavior. Has anyone any idea how to stop it?

 

[John John]

I assume that these partitions are all on one physical hard disk? Why
are you placing the pagefile on a different partition? Regardless of
where you place the pagefile you should keep at least a small memory
dump pagefile on the Windows partition.

For all it's worth, on a single hard disk or on a hard disk sharing the
same controller, placing the pagefile on a different partition than the
Windows partition will negatively impact performance.

John

 

[db]

most of the time windows
is much smarter than it's
owners.

if it is ignoring your commandments
then it likely has a good reason.

otherwise, i do not find an issue
regarding a degradation in the
functionality of your o.s.

I have several partitions on my hard drive, and I have put my pagefile on
drive F:\. Fairly frequently when starting up, my computer will put an extra
pagefile on the C:\ drive, although the pagefile on the F:\ drive, being
system managed, is already big enough. Today it ignored my instructions to
put the pagefile on drive F:\ and put the only pagefile on drive C:\. I have
no idea what is causing this behavior. Has anyone any idea how to stop it?

 

[Gordon]

For all it's worth, on a single hard disk or on a hard disk sharing the
same controller, placing the pagefile on a different partition than the
Windows partition will negatively impact performance.

No it won't negatively affect performance, but it won't enhance it either...

 

[John John]

No it won't negatively affect performance, but it won't enhance it either...

It will on a busy disk!

John

 

[JS]

Since the pagefile is now on C:, check to see if there is an unused pagefile
on F:, if so delete it and then try moving the location of the active
pagefile back to F:

JS

 

[John John]

No it won't negatively affect performance, but it won't enhance it either...

How to configure paging files for optimization and recovery in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/

John

 

[Gordon]

How to configure paging files for optimization and recovery in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314482/

John

Interestingly it says to put the pagefile on a separate partition......that
has no affect on performance at all, unless it's on a very-little used fast
HDD all on it's own....
This is a much better page:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

 

[John John]

Interestingly it says to put the pagefile on a separate partition......that
has no affect on performance at all, unless it's on a very-little used fast
HDD all on it's own....

It says to put the pagefile on a separate partition on a *different*
hard disk! The whole point is that you *cannot* have multiple I/O
request on a disk or controller at the same time. Those who understand
this will understand why it is generally a bad idea to move the pagefile
to a different partition on the same hard disk to where Windows is
installed or to move it to a disk that is in a slave relationship to the
Windows disk. If you want to argue and propagate false information
that's fine by me, readers can inform themselves as to the facts and
make their own conclusions.

John

 

[Gordon]

It says to put the pagefile on a separate partition on a *different* hard
disk! The whole point is that you *cannot* have multiple I/O request on a
disk or controller at the same time. Those who understand this will
understand why it is generally a bad idea to move the pagefile to a
different partition on the same hard disk to where Windows is installed or
to move it to a disk that is in a slave relationship to the Windows disk.
If you want to argue and propagate false information that's fine by me,
readers can inform themselves as to the facts and make their own
conclusions.

John

I was replying to YOUR false statement and I quote "For all it's worth, on a
single hard disk or on a hard disk sharing the
same controller, placing the pagefile on a different partition than the
Windows partition will negatively impact performance."

It will NOT "negatively impact on performance" for the normal user. the
resultant "slowdown" will be SO SMALL as to be unidentifiable. I think you
need to take a course in comprehension skills before you start accusing
people of spreading false information....

 

[John John]

I was replying to YOUR false statement and I quote "For all it's worth, on a
single hard disk or on a hard disk sharing the
same controller, placing the pagefile on a different partition than the
Windows partition will negatively impact performance."

It will NOT "negatively impact on performance" for the normal user. the
resultant "slowdown" will be SO SMALL as to be unidentifiable. I think you
need to take a course in comprehension skills before you start accusing
people of spreading false information....

Moving the pagefile to a different partition on the same disk as Windows
is bad advice. Period! It should only be done if you have no other
choice or have an otherwise compelling reason to do so.

John

 

[Walt G]

Thanks for getting back to the point!
Most of the time I can simply delete the extra pagefile on C:\. But why does
my machine keep putting one there and how can I stop it doing this?
To address the other issue: C:\ is my Windows partition, I have my
applications on E:/ (D:\ being my DVD ROM drive) and the pagefile is on F:\.
So it is pretty much in the same physical place -- the disk heads have to
move more or less the same distance as they would if I had one large
partition with Windows plus applications plus pagefile, except that it is
sitting in its own partition and doesn't get fragmented ever.
Sorry that's my 10 cents worth.

 

[JS]

It does puzzle me as I've had a pagefile located on the same disk but a
different partition and currently my pagefile is on a separate disk on it's
own small partition (the first partition on the third hard drive in my PC).
Have never seen the problem you have, but I'm going to dig deeper to see if
there is anything out there on this issue.

JS

 

[JS]

Almost forgot, if for some reason that partition (F) is not available
(visible to Windows) it will default back to the C: partition. I don't know
what's on your F: partition but it I would run checkdisk on it.

JS

 

[Ron Martell]

Thanks for getting back to the point!
Most of the time I can simply delete the extra pagefile on C:\. But why does
my machine keep putting one there and how can I stop it doing this?
To address the other issue: C:\ is my Windows partition, I have my
applications on E:/ (D:\ being my DVD ROM drive) and the pagefile is on F:\.
So it is pretty much in the same physical place -- the disk heads have to
move more or less the same distance as they would if I had one large
partition with Windows plus applications plus pagefile, except that it is
sitting in its own partition and doesn't get fragmented ever.
Sorry that's my 10 cents worth.

Is your computer infested with any Norton/Symantec products? Some
versions of that shoddily programmed scumware have been known to
arbitrarily change pagefile settings.

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

 

[JS]

Mine is, but it hasn't caused this particular problem.

JS