Pagefile / Virtual Memory usage XP/2000

[Lost_luggage34]

Possibly a little too in-depth but worth a try;

If one choses to monitor Pagefile usage on an XP/2000 system over a reasonable period of time, during normal usage of the PC/laptop, what percentage of pagefile usage should one be aiming for ? 80% seems reasonable perhaps ?

This is for fine tuning purposes on an old backup laptop. Just trying to squeeze the last drops of performance out of this laptop.

I think that the Windows automatically managed settings are a little too excessive.

Surely, that must create an excessive amount of disk I/O ? I know it's a physically small hard drive but anything that can stop excessive paging must help ?

Laptop running 2000 Pro, max RAM at 512Mb, DMA66 patched in registry, Pentium II based with coprocessor.

Any thoughts ? It's an old IBM Thinkpad in remarkable condition is only used as a backup - so not quite ready for the skip yet !

[Saab Dastard]

LL,

There's a few points here:

1) The size of the page file has no real connection with how much it is used. It doesn't matter whether you or Windows controls the size of the page file.

2) The reason the page file is used is because there is insufficient physical RAM.

3) The size of the hard disk has no bearing on the size of the page file - except that you may wish to keep the page file as small as possible on a small hard disk.

4) The page file usage should be kept as low as possible. 80% suggests that there is insufficient RAM, so the system is paging from RAM to disk excessively.

5) The page file should not be too small - if it is, then the system will flog the disk to death swapping bits in and out of RAM. The recommendation is for 1.5 times physical RAM.

6) For performance, it is best to fix the PF size (e.g. to 1.5 x RAM), rather than let it expand and contract.

A page file usage of 0% indicates that there is sufficient RAM to never need to page out, therefore is "optimum". However, in reality you will always page out some memory, especially where apps reserve blocks of virtual memory addresses at startup that they "might" need later. These usually get paged out to disk until actually required - if at all - leaving real RAM for actually used memory addresses.

Since you apparently can't upgrade the RAM further, you should try to load as few programs into RAM as possible - reduce unnecessary startup & Run items that start automatically, configure applications to not load "chrome" and bells and whistles. I.E. conserve the RAM you have. Try using older versions of programs (of the same vintage as the PC).

As you have a laptop, I assume that you only have one physical disk, so can't allocate a disk other than system disk for the PF.

Here's some info on Pagefile Optimization - lots more on t'internet.

SD

[Guest 112233]

Old Kit

Hello - I have had a similar problem reciently upgrading an old Compaq 1200 (320 MB ram - 10 GB HD) - from Win ME to XP home - for limited amounts of RAM a page file size 2.5 Times the available RAM, preferably on a seperate partition ( I'm using a Sub partition drive D: 800 MB in this instance ) seems to work. When using old kit, I remember the advice to locate the page file on a seperate spindle if possible, was deemed to give the best results. It may be possible to experiment with a fixed page file as well. the only problem I face is the I/O loading, which does slow down Booting Up. The unit is fine for Web browsing/ E Mail ETC. Good luck - PS old Compaq is 10 in June - HD still in good shape and its stable (but a bit slow ) - Great unit for viewing and posting to PPRUNE.

[Saab Dastard]

I remember the advice to locate the page file on a seperate spindle if possible, was deemed to give the best results.

This is true, and not just for old PCs either! Note that spindle = physical disk, not partition.

preferably on a seperate partition ( I'm using a Sub partition drive D: 800 MB in this instance ) seems to work.

There is very little advantage to this, as it is the same physical disk. The only benefits I can see is that you can reduce fragmentation on the disk (NOT page file fragmentation, a different thing) if you put the pagefile on a dedicated partition with nothing else on it, and also use a smaller block size - but this is configurable in NTFS anyway (4K recommended).

It also helps if you fix the pagefile size. To defragment the pagefile, the easiest thing is to periodically remove the pagefile, reboot and re-install the pagefile - and reboot again.

SD

[Guest 112233]

Old Kit

Thanks for the info , Saab Dastard - The D partition is a throwback to its ME days - PS just installed a Open Source replica of a well known MS package successfully (No Ads on PPRUNE) tonight - Time for a backup of the working system - Handy Tip folks -

Cheers