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whole partition for swapfile
- Thread starter creepy
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2003
creepy said:
That is not really a good idea because it will cause excessive head movement and slow down your system if you head has to access the swap files and also access any system or program files. Optimum is place the swap file on it's own partition on a SEPARATE hard drive on a SEPERATE IDE channel. That is where you will see an advantage. One thing you should do though is make your swap file size static. In other words, make the minimum and maximum size the same size.
Hammer
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Location
- Indiana University, USA
Re: Re: whole partition for swapfile
what swap file size would you reccomend for a xp pro system w/ only 160mb RAM (yeah...nees more I know....but my mom just uses it for internet/email/word processing/mp3's/WATCHING digital movies)....xp reccomends 1.5x the amount of system ram....but isnt that too low?
-TriX
the hammer said:
what swap file size would you reccomend for a xp pro system w/ only 160mb RAM (yeah...nees more I know....but my mom just uses it for internet/email/word processing/mp3's/WATCHING digital movies)....xp reccomends 1.5x the amount of system ram....but isnt that too low?
-TriX
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2003
Re: Re: Re: whole partition for swapfile
You know, I've seen so many suggestions for what is the correct swap file size. I think it comes down to personal preference. I like to use a swap file that when you add up system ram plus swap file size, it equals at least 1024MB total. With yours, I would run 864MB. If it is too small, Windows XP will automatically resize it for you anyway. If you actually had a full gig of system ram, I'd run just a small 128MB swap file just because some programs require some type of swap file to run.
Hammer
-=TriX-R4-KidS= said:
You know, I've seen so many suggestions for what is the correct swap file size. I think it comes down to personal preference. I like to use a swap file that when you add up system ram plus swap file size, it equals at least 1024MB total. With yours, I would run 864MB. If it is too small, Windows XP will automatically resize it for you anyway. If you actually had a full gig of system ram, I'd run just a small 128MB swap file just because some programs require some type of swap file to run.
Hammer
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2001
Re: Re: whole partition for swapfile
One massive improvement to Windows XP's performance is the page file which is also often known as a swap file or virtual memory (VM). The page file is a cache of data on the hard disk.
The page file cache is used to support the system memory (RAM). When your system memory is exceptionally low, it reverts to using the page file.
Its worth remembering that data accessed on a hard disk (no matter how fast) is very slow when compared to accessing system memory and as such your PC performance reduces when using the page file over RAM.
The more system memory your have, the less the page file is used, so installing more system memory (RAM) will also improve page file performance.
It is worth pointing out however that no matter how much memory you have in your system there will still be times when the system must use the swap file and as such you can obtain performace gains by optimizing it
You can improve your page file performance by making a partition on your hard drive for it or better yet, a separate partition on a drive other than the one that has WinXP installed on it as this additionally reduces fragmentation of the page file, which also reduces performance
As a guideline, make the swap file partition about two times the size of the amount of RAM you have.
If you already have XP set up, you can use the Disk Mangement tool to create a new partition. You can only do this if you already have multiple partitions on your hard drive (you must have administrator's rights to do this).
Open the Administrative Tools control panel.
Open Computer Management.
Expand Computer Management, then expand Storage.
Open Disk Management
Right Size the Page File
Now that your partition is set, you have to designate the size of the page file in XP.
Open the System control panel.
Click on the Advanced tab, then click the Setting button under Performance.
Under Performance Options, click on the Advanced tab.
Under Virtual Memory, click on Change.
In the Drive box, click on C: drive.
For Initial Size and Maximum Size, enter 0.
Click on Set to set the page file.
In the Drive box, click on the partition you create as the page file.
For Initial Size and Maximum Size, enter the size of your page file partition. Make the swap file partition about two times the size of the amount of RAM you have.
Click on Set to set the page file.
Click on OK.
One massive improvement to Windows XP's performance is the page file which is also often known as a swap file or virtual memory (VM). The page file is a cache of data on the hard disk.
The page file cache is used to support the system memory (RAM). When your system memory is exceptionally low, it reverts to using the page file.
Its worth remembering that data accessed on a hard disk (no matter how fast) is very slow when compared to accessing system memory and as such your PC performance reduces when using the page file over RAM.
The more system memory your have, the less the page file is used, so installing more system memory (RAM) will also improve page file performance.
It is worth pointing out however that no matter how much memory you have in your system there will still be times when the system must use the swap file and as such you can obtain performace gains by optimizing it
You can improve your page file performance by making a partition on your hard drive for it or better yet, a separate partition on a drive other than the one that has WinXP installed on it as this additionally reduces fragmentation of the page file, which also reduces performance
As a guideline, make the swap file partition about two times the size of the amount of RAM you have.
If you already have XP set up, you can use the Disk Mangement tool to create a new partition. You can only do this if you already have multiple partitions on your hard drive (you must have administrator's rights to do this).
Open the Administrative Tools control panel.
Open Computer Management.
Expand Computer Management, then expand Storage.
Open Disk Management
Right Size the Page File
Now that your partition is set, you have to designate the size of the page file in XP.
Open the System control panel.
Click on the Advanced tab, then click the Setting button under Performance.
Under Performance Options, click on the Advanced tab.
Under Virtual Memory, click on Change.
In the Drive box, click on C: drive.
For Initial Size and Maximum Size, enter 0.
Click on Set to set the page file.
In the Drive box, click on the partition you create as the page file.
For Initial Size and Maximum Size, enter the size of your page file partition. Make the swap file partition about two times the size of the amount of RAM you have.
Click on Set to set the page file.
Click on OK.
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2003
- Location
- Indiana University, USA
thanks
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2002
- Location
- Nashville, TN
You can also use a program like Partition Magic to split off a gig or two of space for your swap file. As for the proper size, MS recommends setting the minimum size to 1.5 times your physical RAM and the maximum to 3 times. If you plan to make it static, then I'd make both at 3 times your physical RAM size.
I have a gig of RAM in my system...i'll be setting my virtual memory static to 1.5 gigs 
that should be enough hehe.
Also, I heard if you disable virtual memory, THEN defrag, THEN re-enable it it will have defragmented the virtual memory part of the disk, and will be fast again.
I haven't used win xp yet though...and I guess that has some better tools that allow you to optimize your drive...etc
that should be enough hehe.
Also, I heard if you disable virtual memory, THEN defrag, THEN re-enable it it will have defragmented the virtual memory part of the disk, and will be fast again.
I haven't used win xp yet though...and I guess that has some better tools that allow you to optimize your drive...etc
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