pagefile refuses to reset

[Bruce J. Weiers]

On a Windows XP Home PC, with a PIII, 256 MB RAM, and more than 10 GB of
free space on the C:\ drive,

I have been experiencing sometimes extremely sluggish performance.

I found the paging file (swapfile) set to 382 MB. I have reset the
paging file to a larger size, but upon reboot, it reverts to 382 MB. I
have tried setting it to a system-managed size; the system-managed size
turns out to be 382 MB, upon reboot, and the system doesn't behave as if
it could increase the paging file size.

Does anyone have any suggestions for repairing this function, or
persuading WinXP to set and keep a larger paging file?

I am going to add 256 MB of RAM, but fear that the system may continue
to trip over this oddly inelastic paging file.

Once the system has 512 MB of RAM, would it make any sense to eliminate
the paging file temporarily, defragment and set the paging file again?

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Take a look at Alex Nichol's info. He has a Problem section at the bottom of
the page http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bruce,

Use one of the three options.

Right Click the My Computer Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/
Settings/Advanced/Change. Set Page File to 0, ok your way out and reboot.
Then follow the same procedure and reset the Page File to System Managed
File.

Right Click the My Computer Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/
Advanced/Virtual Memory/Change/No Page File. Reboot. Then delete
C:\Pagefil.Sys then revert the page file setting.

Right Click the My Computer Icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/
Advanced/Virtual Memory/Change. Set the swap file size to zero, reboot.
Re-set to System Managed, reboot. Reset the Custom setting, reboot.

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Bruce J. Weiers" said in news:usc%[email protected]:

On a Windows XP Home PC, with a PIII, 256 MB RAM, and more than 10 GB
of free space on the C:\ drive,

I have been experiencing sometimes extremely sluggish performance.

I found the paging file (swapfile) set to 382 MB. I have reset the
paging file to a larger size, but upon reboot, it reverts to 382 MB.
I have tried setting it to a system-managed size; the system-managed
size turns out to be 382 MB, upon reboot, and the system doesn't
behave as if it could increase the paging file size.

Does anyone have any suggestions for repairing this function, or
persuading WinXP to set and keep a larger paging file?

I am going to add 256 MB of RAM, but fear that the system may continue
to trip over this oddly inelastic paging file.

Once the system has 512 MB of RAM, would it make any sense to
eliminate the paging file temporarily, defragment and set the paging
file again?

Once you change the pagefile size on the selected drive, do you hit the Set
button before leaving that dialog window? Entering a new value and clicking
on the OK button with *not* retain your changed setting. Enter the new
value, click Set, then click OK. You will then have to reboot before the
settings are obeyed.

If you still end up with the same size for the pagefile as before (i.e.,
your settings are not obeyed), delete the pagefile and force Windows to
create a new one:

How to Delete the Pagefile.sys File in Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=255205

By the way, to reduce fragmentation of the pagefile, set min and max size to
the same value. Also slice up the pagefile across partitions if you have
more than one. Set the pagefile on the boot partition to about 64KB larger
than your memory size or whatever you like. Create another pagefile on the
other partition that is 1.5 times your memory size. For both pagefiles, set
the min and max the same. I wouldn't bother creating a whole separate
partition just for the pagefile as the following KB article mentions. It's
even better if the other partition where you create another pagefile is on a
different physical drive.

How to Configure Paging Files for Optimization and Recovery in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314482

 

[Bruce J. Weiers]

"Bruce J. Weiers" said in news:usc%[email protected]:

Once you change the pagefile size on the selected drive, do you hit the Set
button before leaving that dialog window? Entering a new value and clicking
on the OK button with *not* retain your changed setting. Enter the new
value, click Set, then click OK. You will then have to reboot before the
settings are obeyed.

Yes, I know about the need to click "Set."

The weird thing is that if I choose a custom pagefile, Windows will
create it. I can see the larger pagefile in the defragmenter's visual
analysis. But, it will be gone again, when I reboot.

If you still end up with the same size for the pagefile as before (i.e.,
your settings are not obeyed), delete the pagefile and force Windows to
create a new one:

How to Delete the Pagefile.sys File in Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=255205

Appreciate the links.

 

[Bruce J. Weiers]

Thank you for the help. I will tackle this on Monday, and expect
success.

 

[Bruce J. Weiers]

Thank you.

I feel I received three good replies, and am learning a lot.

Take a look at Alex Nichol's info. He has a Problem section at the bottom of
the page http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp

On a Windows XP Home PC, with a PIII, 256 MB RAM, and more than 10 GB of
free space on the C:\ drive,

I have been experiencing sometimes extremely sluggish performance.

I found the paging file (swapfile) set to 382 MB. I have reset the
paging file to a larger size, but upon reboot, it reverts to 382 MB. I
have tried setting it to a system-managed size; the system-managed size
turns out to be 382 MB, upon reboot, and the system doesn't behave as if
it could increase the paging file size.

Does anyone have any suggestions for repairing this function, or
persuading WinXP to set and keep a larger paging file?

I am going to add 256 MB of RAM, but fear that the system may continue
to trip over this oddly inelastic paging file.

Once the system has 512 MB of RAM, would it make any sense to eliminate
the paging file temporarily, defragment and set the paging file again?

 

[Alex Nichol]

I found the paging file (swapfile) set to 382 MB. I have reset the
paging file to a larger size, but upon reboot, it reverts to 382 MB. I
have tried setting it to a system-managed size; the system-managed size
turns out to be 382 MB, upon reboot, and the system doesn't behave as if
it could increase the paging file size.

Does anyone have any suggestions for repairing this function, or
persuading WinXP to set and keep a larger paging file?

I am going to add 256 MB of RAM, but fear that the system may continue
to trip over this oddly inelastic paging file.

Once the system has 512 MB of RAM, would it make any sense to eliminate
the paging file temporarily, defragment and set the paging file again?

Read up at www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

The most probably causes of your not seeing the change stick are a: not
clicking Set after adjusting any drives settings before doing anything
else and b: having attempted to put it on a different drive without
leaving a notional amount on C:

 

[*Vanguard*]

"Bruce J. Weiers" said in news:%[email protected]:

Yes, I know about the need to click "Set."

The weird thing is that if I choose a custom pagefile, Windows will
create it. I can see the larger pagefile in the defragmenter's visual
analysis. But, it will be gone again, when I reboot.


Appreciate the links.

Do you have the option enabled to clear the pagefile on shutdown?

How to Clear the Windows Paging File at Shutdown
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314834

I don't know why they have you doing it via the Registry. You can set the
option in your local policies:

- Run secpol.msc.
- Navigate to the Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options
node in the tree.
- Enable the "Clear virutal memory pagefile [on shutdown]" option.

 

[Kelly]

Most welcome and good luck, Bruce!

Thank you for the help. I will tackle this on Monday, and expect
success.