PC very slow, pagefile.sys not created ?

[B]

I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home,
and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:\Windows directory
to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file (even
after searching other windows directories).

In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
It still didn't appear in C:\Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
available reduced.

Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again ?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Don Phillipson]

I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home,
and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:\Windows directory
to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file (even
after searching other windows directories).

In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
It still didn't appear in C:\Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
available reduced.

1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
is in C:\ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
manage it" rather than fixing a file size.

2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
malware of all types.

3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

See...

Help! My computer is slow!
http://miekiemoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/help-my-computer-is-slow.html

Troubleshooting checklist for a slow computer
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic44694.html

What to do if your Computer is running slowly
http://www.malwareremoval.com/tutorials/runningslowly.php

 

[Bert Hyman]

It still didn't appear in C:\Windows

That's not where it goes.

It's in the root directory of whatever drive you place it on.

If there's just a c: drive, look for c:\pagefile.sys

 

[B]

Sorry, I meant 'not found in' C:\, not C:\Windows.

 

[John]

Uncheck - Hide protected operating system files

or

C:\dir pagefile.sys /a

 

[Paul]

I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home,
and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:\Windows directory
to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file (even
after searching other windows directories).

In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
It still didn't appear in C:\Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
available reduced.

Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again ?

Thanks in Advance

What does CPUZ show for the speed of the hardware ?

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

If you use Task Manager, are the graph panes idle or busy looking ?
(If you can't figure out a way to get here, use control-alt-delete.
Or try Start:Run and enter taskmgr.exe )

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/img/2002/11/p4_306/task_manager_1.jpg

Does the computer have a separate video card, or is the monitor
driven by the motherboard itself ? The motherboard video option
"shares" system memory, so if you have 512MB installed, 64MB of
that could be claimed by the built-in graphics. Sometimes there
is an option in the BIOS to adjust the shared memory.

Installing more memory, isn't always an option. On one of their
motherboard chips, Intel thought it would be fun, to support up
to 512MB sized memory DIMMs, place three DIMM slots in the computer,
and then restrict the computer to have no more than 512MB total memory.
Their competitor at the time, VIA, allowed 1536MB total memory,
in other words, no restrictions. So in some cases, you have
to live with that 512MB limit, since the hardware doesn't allow
more memory to be successfully added.

If the computer has antivirus software, you might see the disk
light staying on for long periods of time. The AV software
could be scanning, or there could be malware present.
I've had my computer lock up completely, due to the
AV software getting into a fight to the finish with
some other utility. I was using some of the Sysinternals
programs when that happened.

There are plenty of weird things that happen to computers.
Which is why, it's a good idea to post the make and model
number of the computer, in case it's one of the lucky ones.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/dell-facing-massive-e6400-and-e6500-overheating-and-underclockin/

Paul

 

[B]

I had already unchecked the 'Hide protected operating system files', which
is why I'm finding it so strange that the file doesn't appear.

As for the 'C:\dir pagefile.sys /a', how do I use this instruction ? (at a
DOS prompt ?)

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Don Phillipson:

1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
is in C:\ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
manage it" rather than fixing a file size.

2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
malware of all types.

3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.

4. Check available space on C:\. Last year I saw a PC where
the backup files for system updates had eaten up C:\ and
only a few K were left. Got rid of the backup files and
the system's performance returned to normal.

 

[B]

Thanks Pete. I have cleaned off as many files and unnecessary programs, but
still have just over 5 GB available on this 30 GB drive. Can't figure out
what's hogging the space ... just a couple GBs of music, and a couple GBs of
Ipod related apps.

 

[B]

I did correct the file location as the root of C:\, not the Windows
subdirectory, and also changed folder options to not hide 'system files;,
but the file still doesn't appear.

Performed numerous scans with Malaware Bytes, MS Malicious Software Removal
Tool, Spybot and AVG, and managed to rid the PC of a few trojans a couple
weeks ago.

I think the RAM is a key factor, now I just have to determine the
Motherboard type, and see what the cost of purchasing new RAM will be. (the
machine is about 4 years old, and runs an INTEL cpu running around 1.6Ghz if
I recall correctly).

Thanks for your input

 

[John John - MVP]

At a command prompt issue this command and see what it returns:

cscript %systemroot%\system32\pagefileconfig.vbs

You can copy and paste to the command prompt. To start the command
prompt enter CMD in the Start Menu Run box.

John

 

[~*Laughingstar*~]

PAB, could it be the recent flock of updates from MS? Mine's doing that too,
and so is my Dell Mini - unusual. Everything 'checks' out all right with MS
Security Essentials, also ran a few others solidly recommended here; haven't
yet run HijackThis but . . .it's a chore for me to deal with it.

Thus, my question . ..
--
~Ciao~
Cj.·´¯`:..><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

NJ State Dept of Health Polio Warning Wallet Card
http://pnnj.org/anesthesia/Anesthesia-Warning-Card.pdf (please pass
on)

 

[John]

Yes, command prompt.

I had already unchecked the 'Hide protected operating system files', which
is why I'm finding it so strange that the file doesn't appear.

As for the 'C:\dir pagefile.sys /a', how do I use this instruction ? (at a
DOS prompt ?)

 

[Db]

what i would first do is
to execute a clean boot

by disabling all startups
and non microsoft svcs.

next i would proceed with
a disk tune up, ie

chkdsk,

removing temp files and

then a defrag

--
--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

DatabaseBen, Retired Professional

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This NNTP newsgroup is evolving to:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

I'm VERY remiss to drag this thread even further off-topic, LS. If you'd
like to begin your own, new thread, we can discuss it there. Thanks!

PAB, could it be the recent flock of updates from MS? Mine's doing that
too,
and so is my Dell Mini - unusual. Everything 'checks' out all right with
MS
Security Essentials, also ran a few others solidly recommended here;
haven't
yet run HijackThis but . . .it's a chore for me to deal with it.

<SNIP>

 

[Jose]

I did correct the file location as the root of C:\, not the Windows
subdirectory, and also changed folder options to not hide 'system files;,
but the file still doesn't appear.

Performed numerous scans with Malaware Bytes, MS Malicious Software Removal
Tool, Spybot and AVG, and managed to rid the PC of a few trojans a couple
weeks ago.

I think the RAM is a key factor, now I just have to determine the
Motherboard type, and see what the cost of purchasing new RAM will be. (the
machine is about 4 years old, and runs an INTEL cpu running around 1.6Ghzif
I recall correctly).

Thanks for your input

1.  Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
is in C:\ (root directory.)   The best policy is to "Let Windows
manage it" rather than fixing a file size.

2.  Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
malware of all types.

3.  Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.

Do this and we will know a lot about your system and the pagefile
setup, your motherboard, your RAM, etc. (there will be no guessing).

Click Start, Run and in the box enter:

msinfo32

Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select
All, Copy and then paste the information back here.

There will be some personal information (like System Name and User
Name), and whatever appears to be private information to you, just
delete it from the pasted information.

This will minimize back and forth Q&A and eliminate guesswork.