To use or not to use virtual mem?

Hy Guys .... maybe this topic has just been discussed before.... but, based in each OS and the amount of Ram... Is there any benefit disabling virtual mem or it´s worse.... (Considering the fragmentation, HD access, performance in general apps) when you use:

-WIN98 SE and:
128 megs of ram?
256 megs of ram?
>512 megs of ram?

-WIN2K:
128 megs of ram?
256 megs of ram?
>512 megs of ram?

-WINXP:
128 megs of ram?
256 megs of ram?
>512 megs of ram?

(Personaly I think Windows is a clogging resource eater ... Pay attention to the resourcemeter when you open microsoft apps...)

Any one using this OS and that have tryed to disable the virtual mem please feel free to write your impressions or what you have readed about it...

I've run Win2K without a swapfile for a while using 768MB of memory. Ran fine for quite a while but every once in a while I would get a warning that I was running low on virtual memory. Wasn't that often but I did end up setting up at least a small one. You'll need to go into the registry and disable paging of the kernel if you do this, however ([HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management]
"DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001).

XP I would assume is the same as Win2K and Win98, well, I would rather not use my PC at all :]

If you run 512+, no matter what Windows OS you run, you don't really need Virtual Memory.

I am running XP on a system with 512MB without a swap file without any probs. Never even had a warning that I was running low.

Not to steal the topic, but what's the advantage of *not* using a pagefile in w2K? (or is that different that the swap file)

Not to steal the topic, but what's the advantage of *not* using a pagefile in w2K? (or is that different that the swap file)

Click to expand...

Pagefiles and Swapfiles are the same.

Windows uses the swapfile or pagefile to increase the amount of RAM available to the OS. It turns part of your harddrive to memory so to speak. Wow: "a sheer infite amount of RAM, why would I ever buy sticks?" you might think. Well, the swapped or paged memory soooooo much slower.This brings us to the reason why it is sometimes beneficial to turn off "paging" of memory to the page- or swapfile. No matter what amount of RAM you have in your system, Windows always seems to want to write an amount of memory to disk, no matter how much of you REAL RAM is actually being used. This ofcourse decreases performance, because of the longer access times to the memory that was written to disk. By turning OFF your pagefile or swapfile, you FORCE windows to always use your REAL RAM. However, you can only do that when you have a very large amount of RAM (512MB minimum in my opinion), otherwise you run the risk of your applications running out of memory. That would REALLY slow your system down.

Hope this helps you

Cool, I've got 512 pc100 right now. What about that annoying "low on virtual memory, windows will now be retarded and up the amount for you"... I know that message always popped up on systems we just imaged (96-128mb of ram) and had the swap set to only 20mb

Viele danke!

If you specify the upper and lower amount of Swap space yourself (0 lower and 0 upper if you want no swapfile at all), windows will not have the ability to up the amount itself

Pimp!

I'll give it a shot tonight!

I've got 256MB of PC133 SDRAM (I know, so STFU), and right now I've got about 184MB of mem used up.

That's with Win2kPro, two IE windows, notepad, and Nero.

Is it safe to give turning off the pagefile a shot?

ThePerfectCore said:

I've got 256MB of PC133 SDRAM (I know, so STFU), and right now I've got about 184MB of mem used up.

That's with Win2kPro, two IE windows, notepad, and Nero.

Is it safe to give turning off the pagefile a shot?

Click to expand...

SDRAM is still faster than virtual mem

but as I said: I only recommend turning off the virtual mem when you have more than 512MB. You could try it (you can always enable it again), but you will probably see that your system will get terribly so if you do. But hell, we're are experimenting around here

speaking of RAM... how much better is DDR them SDRAM? Working with 512 of pc100 is cool, but i can only afford to jump to 256 DDR for starters.

and does your suggestiong for disabing the VR go the same for DDR as it does for SDRAM?

DDR has a Double (that's what the D is for) data rate compared to SDRAM (Single -> S). So pc266 DDR is roughly twice as fast as pc133 SDRAM. Your chipset also influences your memory datarate, but that's roughly how it is.

It doesn't matter what speed your memory is running at when you're deciding whether or not to disable your swapfile. I myself run PC800 RDRAM. Just the AMOUNT of memory that you have matters.

Ram

Yeah, if it slow down just turn it on again

I currently use 256mb of ram and use virtual cache in the ram becouse even when you hare still lot´s of meg´s in the ram free, windows like to create a "swap file" (or, crep file? ... But I´ve listened that´s better seting the same size for minimum and maximum amont of vcache so that windows doesn´t need to keep resizing.... On the Tweaking guide thread it´s said to use 8mb... Well... I use a bit more....... But I´ve noticed that when I run out of resources is generaly when I´m with many programs opened an with 8, 10, 12 IE windows... I´ve listened that oppera doesn´t eat resources and now is "improoved" from what it used to be... Will give him a try too.... This IE is too hungry!!!! I can listen MP3 work with corel and Photoshop open and winword, Ok but, when I start to navigate with too many windows things goo down... (that´s becouse I´m currently using a creepy 56k conection... Providing ADSL fo soon... So you open too many windows so that you always have what to read while something is still downloading.... You probably don´t have this prob
anymore in USA

Well, if 512 is already Ok to go without swap.... 256 may work Ok with a small amount of swap limit.... Like... another 256 ?instead of using the traditional 3 times amount or more or less 600-700mb total... ? Well, stupid question...: Just test it Humberto...!

Any one have a comment on VCache settings I´m currently using:
minfilecache=4096
maxfilecache=65536
chunksize=512

at system.ini Vcache line.... Will try a same sized max/min size and, smaller too... Couse if you set it too high you run out of ram and go back to the swap again, what makes no sense... Just want win to use better the amount of ram before slowing down into the swapfile....

Jon said:

I've run Win2K without a swapfile for a while using 768MB of memory. Ran fine for quite a while but every once in a while I would get a warning that I was running low on virtual memory. Wasn't that often but I did end up setting up at least a small one. You'll need to go into the registry and disable paging of the kernel if you do this, however ([HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management]
"DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001).

XP I would assume is the same as Win2K and Win98, well, I would rather not use my PC at all :]

Click to expand...

Hmmm it stops paging specificaly the kenel code?!!!? And use the swap for other things, less important off course?

IMHO, it depends on how intensively you use your sys. I personally managed to overload 512 megs of RAM during heavy design sessions (100Mb Photoshop files + CorelDraw + Illustrator, all in the same time). That's why I do NOT turn swap off. However, this may not be applicable to home/gaming rigs. Besides, disabling kernel paging is absolutely a must.

RZA said:

IMHO, it depends on how intensively you use your sys. I personally managed to overload 512 megs of RAM during heavy design sessions (100Mb Photoshop files + CorelDraw + Illustrator, all in the same time). That's why I do NOT turn swap off. However, this may not be applicable to home/gaming rigs. Besides, disabling kernel paging is absolutely a must.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm by by paging Kernell......!

I´m currently using 256 mram and set page file for only 100mb max and min, fixed, Vcache on 32mb for max and min too.... Still testing... Ok for Now....
I´m currently downloading new set of drivers and latest version of some programs to format this thing and make it how it should since from the beginning.... All day today and All day tomorrow.... After i reinstal win, I´ll install drivers, defrag, drivers, defrag.... Blá blá, install office, make the Internet connections, atualizate the antivirus and then, make a copy with norton ghost and burn it in a CD... so that next time I have a problem, just put it back in minutes.... Until then.... Oh my god.... So much mods to do again...

Thanks guys...!

cant´do it to the kernel!

OOOps, my reg doesn´t show exactlçy that path!!!! Must be the Portuguese win98SSE... but there should be somelthing similar... I´vc searche twice manualy....