There is quite a comprehensive guide on this site about tweaking Windows 2000. I printed a lot of it. One of the things he talks about is setting the swap or paging file. Mine is currently set to an initial size of 768 MB and a maximum size of 1536 MB. I have an 80 GB drive. I didn't really understand his instructions on how to set the swap file. He said to let Windows 2000 manage the virtual memory but you should set the Maximum = Minimum/Initial size. How do I find out what the Minimum is? I see a box that says Initial and a box that says Maximum but I don't see where the Minimum is.
Setting your own swap file
- Thread starter 357mag
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TS | Thomas
Posts: 1,318 +2
If you've set it correctly fragmentation from resizing shouldn't be a problem (Bar exterme circumstances), as it won't need to go beyond the minimum in the first place.
There is a way to set a page file to help minimize problems.If you have more than 1 partition.
Choose a partition other than where your O/S is installed.
-If there is a page file set on your O/S partition, delete the page file (set Min&Max to 0) on all other partitions.Reboot
-Defrag the partition where you want to set your page file , then set the min & max to the same amount (1.5 X Ram is a good size to start,you can always increase ,but you should do the whole procedure)Reboot
-Delete the page file on your O/S partition ,Reboot,Defrag, then set Min & max to 10-15 Mb. Reboot
Choose a partition other than where your O/S is installed.
-If there is a page file set on your O/S partition, delete the page file (set Min&Max to 0) on all other partitions.Reboot
-Defrag the partition where you want to set your page file , then set the min & max to the same amount (1.5 X Ram is a good size to start,you can always increase ,but you should do the whole procedure)Reboot
-Delete the page file on your O/S partition ,Reboot,Defrag, then set Min & max to 10-15 Mb. Reboot
First you say to delete the page file. Then you say to defrag. Then you say to delete the page file again. Why do you need to delete something that you already deleted? And from what I've recently read you should not put the page file on a different partition. It should be on the operating system partition.
Currently my initial size(which is the same as the minimum) is set to 768. My maximum is set to 1536. According to the guide you are supposed to set the Maximum = Minimum/Initial Size. That means I would take 768/768 and get 1 and set my minimum to 1. Clearly this is wrong. Another wrong piece of information. I think what I'll do is once I get 1000 MB of RAM in place I will set both the minimum and the maximum to 1024. That recommendation is from another guide I found on the web.
Nodsu
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You misinterpreted the / there. It means you set the maximum to the minimum or the initial size (minumum equals initial, remember?) not that you have to do some maths.
IMO it is not a good idea to set the maximum to the minimum value. It is better to choose a min value that you normally don't exceed and then put the maximum even higher for those special occasions when you push the limits.
Also, those people that say you have to set your pagefile to x times your RAM are just silly. This would mean that if I have more RAM then I also use more swap which is just absurd. X times the RAM is a good guideline when applied to different computers - the size of swapfile may be smaller for an older computer with an older OS and less RAM and bigger for a newer machine that will run modern monster apps.
IMO it is not a good idea to set the maximum to the minimum value. It is better to choose a min value that you normally don't exceed and then put the maximum even higher for those special occasions when you push the limits.
Also, those people that say you have to set your pagefile to x times your RAM are just silly. This would mean that if I have more RAM then I also use more swap which is just absurd. X times the RAM is a good guideline when applied to different computers - the size of swapfile may be smaller for an older computer with an older OS and less RAM and bigger for a newer machine that will run modern monster apps.
357mag said:
You did not read my post carefully.
The first line is to delete Pagefiles on " all other partitions " you might have a problem booting if you delete the O/S partition's Pagefile before you have a Pagefile set on some other drive first.I did say "If you have more than 1 partition"
A Permanent?Fixed Pagefile(Min & Max setting the Same size) should be set on a freshly Defragmented HDD, because Windows will reserve a specific area of the partition .Dynamic Pagefiles(The Min & Max sizes are Set different) can be spread out all over the HDD. By defragmenting the Partition just before setting the Page file you are assured that the Pagefile is on a continuous area of the HDD.Only permanent Pagefiles can do this.
Remember you initially asked about "fragmentation" in your Pagefile.
Finally Microsoft recommends that if you use a Permanent Pagefile on a partition other than your O/S one, you should maintain a 10-15 Mb permanent pagefile on your O/S partition.This you do after your new page file is set on another drive first ,Thus my last line in the directions.
I said that you can change the Pagefile you set given how it performs on your machine.Whether or not 1.5 times Ram is silly as Nodsu says, I do not know. I do not have the technical expertise he has.However of the 8 machines I have built in the last few years, not one has ever run out of memory .I simply go by performance over time to determine what is good for me.
I hope I was clearer this time.
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