Virtual Memory

[Guest]

As the virtual memory on my computer was low, I decided to upgrade the memory
from 512MB to 1.49GB RAM. However, I would like to increase the virtual
memory initial size (presently 1600MB) and maximum size (presently 1800MB).
The maximum allowed is 2MB; recommended 2289MB; currently allocated 1600MB.
What numbers should I enter in the initial and maximum sizes now that I have
increased the memory to 1.49GB? I know that it is recommended to 1.5 time the
total memory but what are the numbers?
Thanks!
Jose.-

 

[jmatt]

As the virtual memory on my computer was low, I decided to upgrade the memory
from 512MB to 1.49GB RAM. However, I would like to increase the virtual
memory initial size (presently 1600MB) and maximum size (presently 1800MB).
The maximum allowed is 2MB; recommended 2289MB; currently allocated 1600MB.

If you can spread it over your drives.

Windows XP has code built-in which will stripe the swap file across
two drives when you assign sizes to more than one partition. In order
to take advantage of this, you need to have two or more hard drives in
your system and place the swap file across the two separate drives,
not simply two separate partitions on the same drive.
Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance / Settings. Hit
the Advanced tab and go down to the virtual memory section and hit
Change. Choose your first partition where you want the swap file, then
select Custom Size and enter the size you want. If you set the initial
size and max size to the same value, the swap will not be resized on
the fly and can lead to better performance. Then choose another
partition on a separate drive and do the same.Windows will then split
the swap file among the two drives.
Try to avoid having a paging file on the same drive as the system
files.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308417

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

As the virtual memory on my computer was low,

What does that mean? How do you know?

I decided to upgrade
the memory from 512MB to 1.49GB RAM.

Very few people running Windows XP can make effective use of that much RAM.
It's way overkill for almost everyone, unless you are editing large graphic
images or video files. Here's my standard message on how much RAM you should
have:

How much RAM you should have is *not* a one-size-fits-all situation. You get
good performance if the amount of RAM you have keeps you from using the page
file, and that depends on what apps you run. Most people running a typical
range of business applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB works
well, others need 512MB. Almost anyone will see poor performance with less
than 256MB. Some people, particularly those doing things like editing large
photographic images, can see a performance boost by adding even more than
512MB--sometimes much more.

If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory will
decrease or eliminate that usage, and improve your performance. If you are
not using the page file significantly, more memory will do nothing for you.
Go to http://billsway.com/notes_public/winxp_tweaks/ and download
WinXP-2K_Pagefile.zip and monitor your pagefile usage. That should give you
a good idea of whether more memory can help, and if so, how much more.

However, I would like to
increase the virtual memory initial size (presently 1600MB)

That's already more than necessary, and just wastes disk space. Page file
*substitutes* for RAM when there isn't enough RAM. The more RAM you have,
the *less* page file you need.

and
maximum size (presently 1800MB).

Making the maximum large can never hurt you and is good to do.

The maximum allowed is 2MB;
recommended 2289MB; currently allocated 1600MB. What numbers should I
enter in the initial and maximum sizes now that I have increased the
memory to 1.49GB? I know that it is recommended to 1.5 time the total
memory

That's the Windows XP default, but it's a poor one. If you want to manage
the page file yourself, I would ignore that poor recommendation.

but what are the numbers?

Make the initial value very low--200MB or so--and the maximum as high as it
will go.

Read this excellent article by the late MVP Alex Nichol: "Virtual Memory in
Windows XP" at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm