Windows Forum
I recently installed a new hard drive and set my paging file on that hard drive. I wanted to know if I could actually set my paging file (to max - 4096 megs) on both hard drives and get a performance boost with it (my computer isn't slow, but I just wanted to know if I could set 2 paging files on two different hdd's)?
Thanks.
by thechas
First, unless you have Windows 2000 or XP, you are limited to a single paging file.
The page file in and of itself has limited impact on system performance. Until, you need more memory than you have available RAM.
Anytime Windows needs to accessvirtual memory, your PC slows down.
This is because hard drive access is many times slower than RAM access.
The paging file begins to impact system performance when it becomes fragmented.
Having the paging file as a fixed size located as the first file on your new drive will provide the faster performance.
I am a strong advocate of having a separate partition for the paging file.
There are several advantages to this.
If the paging file is not on the boot drive, scandisk and defragwill not restart because Windows had to access the page file, and cause a drive contents changed message.
With the page file on it's own drive, neither the page file, or data files get fragmented.
As to size, even by my conservative standards,4GB is on the large size.
The 'standard' recommended size is 1.5 to 2.5 times installed RAM.
My minimum size is the larger of 2 times installed RAM, or 1GB - installed RAM.
I usually set up my PCs with a 1.5 to 2.5GB partition for the page file.
You can run system resource meter, and monitor just how much virtual memory (page file) that Windows uses.
Look at the largest amount used, and add at least 10%.
Chas
by aakash shah
Thank you fro responding TheChas. Sorry for not clarifiying earlier, I am using Windows XP Professional. Currently I have the paging file set on my secondary hdd with the limit fixed to 4096 megs (both minimum and maximum). However, I was wondering if I could set 2 paging files so that the work could perhaps be split potentially making my computer faster. So, my original question, which asks whether we are allowed to set 2 paging files to 4096 on two hdds, hasn't been addressed. Can you please answer that?
Thanks a lot.
by thechas
I don't know if having multiple paging files will speed things up.
In XP, it will provide some redundancy, especially if you use the NTFS file system.
To access virtual memory settings:
Right click on your My Computer icon.
Select Properties,Click on the advanced tab,
In the performance section, click on settings,
In performance options, click on the advanced tab,
In the virtual memory section, click on change.
You should now see each drive listed, and be able to change the settings for each drive.
I am running XP Pro on the PC that I stepped through this on.
I have TweakUI installed, and have NOT installed Service Pack 1.
If the virtual memory options are not displayed on your PC, try downloading and installing TweakUI from the Windows XP power toys set.
Just for fun, they have a calculator that can be set for 512 decimal place precision display.
Chas
by aakash shah
Thank you for responding TheChas. What kind of redundancy are you referring to here, i.e., is this redundancy a good thing or a bad thing? Also, can I assume that you are implying that I can have two paging files each fixed with 4096 megs?
Thank you again.
by loki777
by aakash shah
by thechas
The redundancy I refer to is good redundancy as in backup data.
I have not personally experimented with multiple page files. So, I don't know the extent of any redundancy.
I'm not sure if Windows handles multiple page files like a mirrored RAID or a striped RAID.
If a mirror, then the same data would be in each page file.
In a striped configuration, each file would have different data.
Of course, Microsoft may be doing something completely different in the way Windows works with multiplepage files.
And yes, you can have both page files at 4096MB or what ever size you desire.
Keep in mind, that setting a fixed page file that is too large can slow down your system.
Setting the page file size too small however will cause yoursystem to crash.
Chas
by aakash shah
Thank you for responding again TheChas. Thank you also for your answer. It was very insightful. However, I had one more question regarding what you mentioned in your latest response. You mentioned that having a paging file of 4096 megs might actually slow down my system. I was falsely under the impression that having a maximum fixed paging file would actually improve performance. Here are my system configurations:
P4 2.4, 512 rdram (pc800), 2 - 120 gb hdd (8m cache)
Based on this information, can you please tell me what size my paging file should be?
Again, thank you for your help.
PS. I have rejected this response even though you had answered it, but I am raising the points on this question... thanks
by aakash shah
by thechas
Rejecting answers to get more details is fine with me.
If you just post a comment, I may not get back to the question.
When you reject my answer, I get an e-mail that my answer has been rated, and get a chance to review your comments and new questions.
You mentioned that having a paging file of 4096 megs might actually slow down my system. I was falsely under the impression that having a maximum fixed paging file would actually improve performance.
The best reason to have a large page file is to prevent crashes from Windows running out of memory.
The best reason to have a fixed size page file, and the reason a fixed size page file improves performance, is that it keeps the page file from becoming fragmented, and reduces fragmentation of your data files.
The operation of the paging file is a bit complex.
Remember, hard drive access is much slower than memory access.
The slowdown I referred to is most apt to happen if you set a fixed size page file that is much larger than needed.
If you are letting Windows set the minimum size, and only setting a maximum upper limit of 4GB, you should not be affected.
Windows will split some data between system memory and the page file in proportion to free space. So even if you have enough free RAM, with a large page file, Windows will use the page file before it runs out of RAM.
Here are my system configurations:
P4 2.4, 512 rdram (pc800), 2 - 120 gb hdd (8m cache)
Based on this information, can you please tell me what size my paging file should be?
continued:
by thechas
Here's what I would do:
1. Set up a page file on the new drive only. If you want to set a minimum size, choose 1024MB, your 4096MB maximum should be fine.
2. Clean up the C: drive of unneeded files including the Windows\temp folder and your web browser's internet cache files.
3. Re-start your PC, and defrag the C: drive
4. Create a fixed size page file on the C: drive of between 1024MB and 2048MB. (Both minimum and maximum set to the same size.)
5. Run the Performance monitor from Administrative Tools, and monitor the usage of your page files.
(click on the "+" to add events to the display)
Open and use as many programs as you expect to ever have open and use them as hard as you can.
Check the performance log, and see how much page file space was used.
Add 50 to 100 percent as a safety margin, and this will be all the page file space you should ever need.
Set fixed size page files on both drives at 1/2 of the total needed page file size.
When you change the size of the page file on a drive, it is a good idea to set the drive to no page file, re-start, and defragment the drive before implementing the new page file size.
Several disk utilities such as Norton Speed Disk include the ability to relocate the page file to the fastest responding section of the drive.
By default, Speed Disk will recommend a page file size of 1.5 times RAM.
This recommendation comes from benchmark testing, NOT real world operation.
Chas
by aakash shah
by aakash shah
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