Paging Files

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Is it possible for Windows XP (Pro) to work with two paging files
simultaneously, one on two different drives? The idea being to improve
system performance by having two paging files to work with versus just one.
Thanks in advance.
 
No - unless you're on Raid0 and there's only one swap file anyway.
To improve performance, disable the swap file for 1GB RAM or more - or set
it on a RAM Drive if you have to have one.
Forget what those MS documents say :)
Michael
 
Baloney.

Phillips said:
No - unless you're on Raid0 and there's only one swap file anyway.
To improve performance, disable the swap file for 1GB RAM or more - or set
it on a RAM Drive if you have to have one.
Forget what those MS documents say :)
Michael
Click to expand...
 
Ouch!!

You want to constrain performance and hit the brick wall rather early don't
you? Anyone making the recommendations you just did is simply begging for
the machine to come crashing down around their ears.

Then again, you know what they say about horses and water. ;-)

BTW: I've 2G real and 6G of pagefile across 2 drives none of which are in a
RAID 0 config and I'm currently running a couple of VMs with 512M between
them and a boat load of apps running concurrently most of which are *not*
lightweight including IIS, SQL Server and a few other ends and odds.

Better rethink what you think you know since it's just below the level of
drivel.
 
Sorry, but that didn't help me. I already know what paging files are and how
they work, and the link you gave me does not address two paging files.

What I don't know is: Can I have *two* of them running simultaneously, on
two different drive, for added performance?
 
Yes you can, but keep in mind, it's *potential* added performance. Whether
or not you'll notice anything is dependant on how heavily you're currently
paging and if you're paging heavily then adding more real is a better
solution. If you're paging heavily then added additional pagefiles does
nothing except allow for a larger possible VM foot print.

control panel->system->advanced tab->performance settings->advanced tab. Hit
the change button. For each drive on which you wish to place a pagefile hit
the 'system managed size' option, then set (if you don't hit set, it doesn't
take). Make sure that each drive you set is a physically different drive and
not a different partition on the same drive. OK and apply out and allow the
system to reboot.
 
Thank you for taking the time to read my question thoroughly, and offering a
personalized response instead of a link. That was a very helpful and
informative. Much abliged, Walter!
 
You seem to have missed the point of the article in the link I sent you.
Perhaps I should have just quoted the relevant parts, instead of making you
read the whole thing. Here's what I was getting at:

1. Performance is increased when the paging file is on a separate hard disk.

2. Windows will use the paging file on the partition that is least accessed.

You should be able to take it from there. As a practical matter, for most
users, moving or splitting the page file has an imperceptible affect on
performance. It's a geek thing to do, but it doesn't amount to anything most
users can actually notice.

If you do decide to experiment, be sure to leave enough of a page file (at
least 2MB) on your system partition for Windows to write a dump file. Enjoy!

Modem Ani
 
DRoberts777 said:
Is it possible for Windows XP (Pro) to work with two paging files
simultaneously, one on two different drives? The idea being to improve
system performance by having two paging files to work with versus just one.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Yes.

Doing so will provide some performance benefits, although whether or
not the benefit will be enough to make a noticeable difference is
doubtful.

If there are multiple paging files then Windows will choose whichever
one is most efficient for each specific paging operation.

Multiple paging files will not work if you just have multiple
partitions on the same physical drive. Each pagefile must be on a
different physical drive from the others.

And if you have multiple drives always ensure that there is at least a
small paging file configured on the boot drive (normally C:). There
are certain special usages, such as system failure memory dumps, that
require the use of the paging file on the boot drive.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP"
 
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