Pagefile.sys on a USB-memory

[Guest]

Have tried to define the virtual memory(pagefile) on my Corsair voyager GT
2GB flash USB-memory by using Controlpanel/system /------.virtual memory. I
chosed no file for all my drives exept the flash memory. After restart no
pagefile was created on the flash-memory and the pagefile on the C: drive
(system) was still in use even if I earlier had chosed no file for that
drive. I both let Windows define the filesize and chosed an own size, same
negative result.
Is it not possible to use an USB-flash memory for this purpose??
Isn't there any work around for this problem?
Grateful for any hints or solutions.
/ Bjolen

 

[Ron Martell]

Have tried to define the virtual memory(pagefile) on my Corsair voyager GT
2GB flash USB-memory by using Controlpanel/system /------.virtual memory. I
chosed no file for all my drives exept the flash memory. After restart no
pagefile was created on the flash-memory and the pagefile on the C: drive
(system) was still in use even if I earlier had chosed no file for that
drive. I both let Windows define the filesize and chosed an own size, same
negative result.
Is it not possible to use an USB-flash memory for this purpose??
Isn't there any work around for this problem?
Grateful for any hints or solutions.
/ Bjolen

Windows XP does not support the use of a pagefile on any sort of
removable drive or device.

That is because of the potential consequences of doing so, such as
when the removable disk/device is removed and then Windows needs to
page back in some of the contents of the pagefile. Instant crash,
with probable data loss and possible data corruption would be the best
case result of such an incident.

Hope this explains the situation.

Good luck

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."

 

[Dennis McCunney]

Is it not possible to use an USB-flash memory for this purpose??

No. Not in XP. Why do you *want* to? This is a questionable idea, and
would be unlikely to provide any performance benefit if you *could* do it.

/ Bjolen

______
Dennis

 

[Guest]

Hi Dennis and Ron
Tanks for your kind answers.
The main reason for my question is that I want to test if the start up and
shut down of the OS will improve. I anticipated that an electronic memory had
much shorter access time than the mechanical HDD.
Of course I will se for that the USB-memory only is detached when the
computer is shut off. But it seems as Win XPdon't allow any removable
memories for the Pagefile and this can not be changed on my own
responsibility.
Regards / Bjolen

 

[Dennis McCunney]

The main reason for my question is that I want to test if the start up and
shut down of the OS will improve. I anticipated that an electronic memory had
much shorter access time than the mechanical HDD.

Startup requires that Windows load itself and core components such as
drivers tray applications from your hard drive. Shutdown requires
writing current state information back to the hard drive. The page file
isn't going to play a big part in this.

One question is how much stuff you load on startup. XP boots faster
than 2K, but as you add more stuff run on startup, it takes longer for
XP to initialize. I've been using a handy freware tool from Mike Lin
called Startup for years. It displays what Windows runs on startup in a
tabbed interface, with tabs for the current user Startup folder, the All
Users startup folder, and the HKLM and HKCU registry hives. You can add
entries, move entries from one area to another, edit what entries do,
disable entries, or delete them entirely. It's available as a Control
Panel applet and a stand-alone exe. Go here:
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

Another thing you might look at is a freeware utility called TuneXP,
which can perform a variety of optimizations. One in particular
reorganizes your drive to place the required boot files first for
fastest booting. You can find it here:
http://www.driverheaven.net/driverheaven-tools-discussion/44608-dh-tunexp-1-5-final.html

and read a comprehensive review of it here:
http://tweakhound.com/reviews/tunexp/index.htm

I have it installed here and have been pretty pleased.
______
Dennis

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi Dennis and Ron
Tanks for your kind answers.
The main reason for my question is that I want to test if the start up and
shut down of the OS will improve. I anticipated that an electronic memory had
much shorter access time than the mechanical HDD.
Of course I will se for that the USB-memory only is detached when the
computer is shut off. But it seems as Win XPdon't allow any removable
memories for the Pagefile and this can not be changed on my own
responsibility.
Regards / Bjolen

The ultimate answer to all performance related questions about the XP
Pagefile is to have sufficient physical RAM so as to eliminate, or at
least reduce to the lowest amount possible, the need for Windows XP to
actually move current memory content from RAM to the pagefile so as to
allow that RAM to be used for other, currently more important, tasks.

For many users with Windows XP that point will be reached with 512 mb
of RAM, although those who use their systems heavily or run
applications that have large RAM requirements may find that they need
1 gb and sometimes even more to reach this point.

You can check on how much actual memory content is residing in the
pagefile with a free utility written by MVP Bill James.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

Good luck

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."

 

[Bert Kinney]

The ultimate answer to all performance related questions about the XP
Pagefile is to have sufficient physical RAM so as to eliminate, or at
least reduce to the lowest amount possible, the need for Windows XP to
actually move current memory content from RAM to the pagefile so as to
allow that RAM to be used for other, currently more important, tasks.

For many users with Windows XP that point will be reached with 512 mb
of RAM, although those who use their systems heavily or run
applications that have large RAM requirements may find that they need
1 gb and sometimes even more to reach this point.

You can check on how much actual memory content is residing in the
pagefile with a free utility written by MVP Bill James.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Nicely put Ron !!!

Regards,
Bert Kinney MS-MVP Shell/User
http://bertk.mvps.org
Member: http://dts-l.org

 

[Aaron Kempf]

I don't think that it was nicely put

I think that you guys kiss MS butt and you're afraid to criticize MS

MS doesn't use memory well
and when u dorks can stop blaming all the performance problems in the world
on a memory shortage-- when your peachy YAY-MS kids hit the 3gb limit-- what
are you going to do then?

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT MS PURPOSEFULLY SLOWS DOWN WINDOWS OVER TIME

WHY DOES WINDOWS UPDATE TAKE 2 HOURS TO RUN?

WHY DO THREE VERSIONS OF VISUAL STUDIO INCLUDE 60,000 FILES AND A COPY OF
OFFICE ONLY HAS 1,000?

BECAUSE MS = BLOATWARE

 

[Joe Black]

Yes you can. The solution involves deceiving Windows into thinking the removable disk is a local disk. You will not of course find this information on any MS related site. And it could very well be against MS's EULA to doing this. But I pose this question to MS: If the user wants to do something stupid and mess up there system, why not try to support it with a 'best effort' product? One in which possibly needs a waiver to use? Simular to beta software?

 

[Joe Black]

Your answer might be nice, but it conflicts with MS's stated goal that unused memory is wasted memory. I have found 1 Gbyte of memory to be insufficient to run even some of the simplest on line MMORG's for any extended periods. And forget about tabbed web surfing into heavy graphical websites. Hence, the need for pagefile.sys to be able to load into a non-volatile solid state memory - such as USB or PCMCIA drives.

 

[Leonard Grey]

"...MS's stated goal that unused memory is wasted memory."

Can you show me anywhere where MS actually stated this?