Virtual Memory

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eric
  • Start date Start date
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Eric

I was just wondering what the latest is on Virtual Memory? I have always
heard a variey of things... The latest I heard was that the 'initail size'
and 'maximum size' should be equal amounts that are roughly 3x the amount of
physical ram installed on the system. Is this still the optimum setting?

Thanks

Eric Fehlhaber
(e-mail address removed)
 
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

[Courtesy of Alex Nichol, MS-MVP]


--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I was just wondering what the latest is on Virtual Memory? I have always
| heard a variey of things... The latest I heard was that the 'initail size'
| and 'maximum size' should be equal amounts that are roughly 3x the amount of
| physical ram installed on the system. Is this still the optimum setting?
|
| Thanks
|
| Eric Fehlhaber
 
There is NO optimum setting. People have different programs installed and
use computers in different ways!
 
Just a suggestion to your site... provide a printable version??

Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

[Courtesy of Alex Nichol, MS-MVP]


--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------


| I was just wondering what the latest is on Virtual Memory? I have always
| heard a variey of things... The latest I heard was that the 'initail size'
| and 'maximum size' should be equal amounts that are roughly 3x the amount
of
| physical ram installed on the system. Is this still the optimum setting?
|
| Thanks
|
| Eric Fehlhaber
 
Windows XP requires the use of a Paging File
regardless of the amount of physical RAM installed.
You'll indeed have problems by turning-off virtual
memory!

--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| So, what your saying is that if you have enought physical RAM... Virtual RAM
| should be turned off for optimum performance? I guess that makes sense...
| but how do you know if you have enough physical RAM?
|
| | > | >
| > > I was just wondering what the latest is on Virtual Memory? I
| > have always
| > > heard a variey of things... The latest I heard was that the
| > 'initail size'
| > > and 'maximum size' should be equal amounts that are roughly 3x
| > the amount of
| > > physical ram installed on the system. Is this still the
| > optimum setting?
| >
| >
| >
| > It never was. It was always terrible advice in any version of
| > Windows. There is no multiple-of-RAM rule that's correct. In
| > fact, in general, the more RAM you have, the *less* page file you
| > need.
| >
| > How much you need depends more than anything else on what apps
| > *you* run. That's why all rules of thumb are necessarily wrong.
| >
| > --
| > Ken Blake
| > Please reply to the newsgroup
| >
| >
|
|
 
Well, at least setting it to the 2mb minimum??

Windows XP requires the use of a Paging File
regardless of the amount of physical RAM installed.
You'll indeed have problems by turning-off virtual
memory!

--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------


| So, what your saying is that if you have enought physical RAM... Virtual
RAM
| should be turned off for optimum performance? I guess that makes sense...
| but how do you know if you have enough physical RAM?
|
| | > | >
| > > I was just wondering what the latest is on Virtual Memory? I
| > have always
| > > heard a variey of things... The latest I heard was that the
| > 'initail size'
| > > and 'maximum size' should be equal amounts that are roughly 3x
| > the amount of
| > > physical ram installed on the system. Is this still the
| > optimum setting?
| >
| >
| >
| > It never was. It was always terrible advice in any version of
| > Windows. There is no multiple-of-RAM rule that's correct. In
| > fact, in general, the more RAM you have, the *less* page file you
| > need.
| >
| > How much you need depends more than anything else on what apps
| > *you* run. That's why all rules of thumb are necessarily wrong.
| >
| > --
| > Ken Blake
| > Please reply to the newsgroup
| >
| >
|
|
 
So, what your saying is that if you have enought physical RAM... Virtual RAM
should be turned off for optimum performance?
Click to expand...


No, although it might seem that I meant that, I did not. It is
never a good idea to do so. In fact turning it off means that you
won't be able to use all the real RAM you have. That's because
Windows preallocates memory in anticipation of a possible need
for it. In many cases that *possible* need is never realized. If
there is no page file, that preallocation has to take place in
real RAM, and that just ties up the RAM, making it unavailable
for use.

I guess that makes sense...
but how do you know if you have enough physical RAM?
Click to expand...


You never do. Even if you did, there would be no advantage to
turning it off. Performance couldn't be improved by turning off
the possibility of using the page file. It's only actual use
(*use*, not just allocation) of it that can slow you down.
 
Set your minimum Virtual Memory to one-half of the RAM
installed, and maximum at 100% of RAM installed.
 
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