REQ:Possible explaination of too much disk swapping

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G

Guest

What is the usual culprit when there is entirely too much disk
swapping even with 1gb of ram and when the computer is idle?
 
What is the usual culprit when there is entirely too much disk
swapping even with 1gb of ram and when the computer is idle?
Click to expand...

Are you sure that it is actual disk swapping (= moving active memory
content back and forth between RAM and the paging file) or is it
possible that there is some other type of disk activity occurring.

Possiblities include:
- Indexing service
- Antivirus and/or antispyware software
- Automatic software and/or driver update utilities.
- Instant messaging software

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
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."
 
Ron Martell said:
Are you sure that it is actual disk swapping (= moving active memory
content back and forth between RAM and the paging file) or is it
possible that there is some other type of disk activity occurring.

Possiblities include:
- Indexing service
- Antivirus and/or antispyware software
- Automatic software and/or driver update utilities.
- Instant messaging software
Click to expand...

I'd like to get to the bottom of this, too. I have a used IBM T40 laptop I
bought recently with 512MB, reinstalled XP since I didn't trust the existing
install, and with a fresh install and nothing apparently running other than
the OS I hear the harddrive churning away. Of the above possibilities the
only thing I haven't checked is the indexing service.

Greg
 
G.T. said:
I'd like to get to the bottom of this, too. I have a used IBM T40 laptop I
bought recently with 512MB, reinstalled XP since I didn't trust the existing
install, and with a fresh install and nothing apparently running other than
the OS I hear the harddrive churning away. Of the above possibilities the
only thing I haven't checked is the indexing service.

Greg
Click to expand...

"Indexing" and "prefetch optimization" are a couple of "idle time disk
jobs".
 
G.T. said:
I'd like to get to the bottom of this, too. I have a used IBM T40 laptop I
bought recently with 512MB, reinstalled XP since I didn't trust the existing
install, and with a fresh install and nothing apparently running other than
the OS I hear the harddrive churning away. Of the above possibilities the
only thing I haven't checked is the indexing service.

Greg
Click to expand...

Use Start - Run - SERVICES.MSC and change the Indexing Service to
disabled.

Note: Be very very careful when reconfiguring services as a wrong
choice can leave you with an unusable system. Here is a guide that
may be useful.

http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
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."
 
Curt Christianson said:
Hi Ron,

Could one accomplish essentially the same by setting Indexing to "Manual" ?
Are there instances where Manual and Disabled have distinct advantages over
one another?

TIA again,
Click to expand...

Setting it to Manual means that the service will not be loaded when
the computer starts up but will be loaded (automatically, without user
notification or intervention) when it is required by Windows. Loading
of the Indexing Service could be triggered by any number of things,
including using the Search utility or launching an application program
such as Microsoft Word or other Office component.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
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."
 
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