Increasing the amount of available RAM is the main task of the paging file in Windows. Now we will understand all the intricacies of its work, and see how it should be configured correctly in the operating system.
What is Windows paging file
All the necessary data for the current calculations that your central processor carries out, it receives and sends to the RAM. It acts as a repository that contains the data required by the processor to ensure the operation of active programs and applications. By the way, don't forget - it will run faster.
But we got distracted. Let's go back to RAM. What unpleasant property does it have? In most cases it is not enough. Even in spite of the fact that now in any home computer several gigabytes of RAM are available. It's still not enough. Modern programs and games require a very large amount of memory to function properly. And if you run a program for processing video or sound in parallel, and then start playing, then there is absolutely trouble here.
It is the swap file that helps solve this problem. At least partially, which is already good. It works according to the following algorithm. It makes no sense to store data that is used by inactive programs directly in RAM, spending valuable megabytes. While the program is minimized, or you do not use it (but it is still running), all its data will be moved to the paging file. Thus, RAM will be available to work with current tasks - from here.
A logical question immediately arises. Why not make the paging file a huge size - thus completely eliminating problems with a lack of RAM. Unfortunately, it won't work. And that's why.
The paging file is located on the logical drives of your computer, while reserving a certain amount of disk space for itself. By the way, you configure it manually, but more on that later. It follows from this that the data of programs and applications, the computer unloads to the hard disk. And accordingly, when he needs them, he tries to move them (read - copy) to RAM. No matter how expensive and modern a hard disk is, its data processing speed (reading and copying) is much less than that of RAM. That is why you cannot simply expand it with a swap file. But here's to place the data of inactive programs, please.
What is the optimal amount of paging file
It is worth noting that in choosing the size, you are limited only by the available space on the logical disk - after all, we can place our own copy of the paging file on each of them.
But there are optimal values. Here they are - on the left is the initial amount of RAM, on the right is the optimal size for the paging file.
- 512 Mb - 2248-2248 Mb
- 1024 Mb - 1712-1712 Mb
- 2048 Mb - 1224-1224 Mb
- 4024 Mb - 768-768 Mb
- 6 GB (or higher) - no swap file (i.e. 0 Mb, i.e. disabled)
Why specify the same dimensions
Here we have two goals. First, if you specify a fixed size, Windows does not have to periodically spend resources to determine the current value. This will cut down on overhead and improve overall system performance (albeit not much).
Second, if you specify a different size, you will cause the paging file to become fragmented. And this is again the cost of resources. Not to mention the need for defragmentation.
How to adjust or change the size of the paging file
We need to go to the edit window. To do this, click " Start - Control Panel - System". We will go to the information window about our system.
Next, we click on the line " Additional system parameters". A dialog box will open - here we need the" Advanced "tab. Go to it. Here in the first block" Performance ", we click the" Options "button. In the next window, go back to the" Advanced "tab, and in the" Virtual memory", click the" Change "button.
To make it easier for you to navigate, the whole process is shown in the picture below:
If you did everything right in the previous step, then you should open a window for editing the paging file parameters.
Let's see what we have here.
At the very top, we can check the box "Automatically select the size of the paging file". If you are not sure which value to set, or if you do not have this guide at hand, you can leave Windows to decide for itself.
The most interesting block is the size setting. Here we specify the desired value, and then click the set button. As an example, let's note that we need a paging file on drive "C", 2 GB in size.
Highlight drive "C" in the list, then select "Specify size". Now in both fields, write 2048 (exactly 2 GB), and click the "Set" button. Everything, you can check the result. The list opposite drive "C" shows that the paging file value is 2048 MB.
Now save your settings and restart your computer.
Video: change the size of the paging file in Windows
If you are not sure, leave the choice of the paging file size to Windows.
If during the process of setting up your computer you have disrupted the system, use the tool.
Conclusion
But I would like to note. If you are experiencing a problem of lack of RAM, do not be lazy and purchase an additional memory card - now it is not expensive.
- when assembling a computer
- How to make
Hello, friends! Today I want to tell you what a paging file is, why you need it, and how to configure it correctly.
I will configure the paging file on a computer with an installed operating system Windows 7... But all the tips also apply to Windows XP, there is just a slightly different path to the settings.
What is a paging file?
Paging file Is a file (hard disk space) that the operating system uses in case of insufficient RAM.
For example, you run a program or game that needs 2 GB of RAM, and you only have 1.5 GB, and those 512 MB will be taken from the swap file. The paging file is located on your hard drive or USB flash drive.
Of course, it is better to install more RAM so that the paging file is practically not used by the system. Why? Yes, because it significantly slows down the computer. After all, the speed of access to RAM is much higher than to a hard disk or flash drive.
And when a swap file is taken from a hard disk, this creates an additional load on it and on the system as a whole, and besides, this shortens its service life. Like :).
But despite all this, there is a paging file and therefore you just need to configure it correctly, below I will give a few tips on setting up the paging file.
In order to change the paging file settings, or increase the paging file, right-click on the “Computer” icon (on the desktop) and click properties.
In the window that appears, on the left, click on "Additional system parameters" In chapter "Performance" click "Options".
In the window that appears, go to the tab "Additionally" and in the section "Virtual memory" click "Change".
Another window will open, this is such a window.
Actually in this window you can and should configure the paging file.
First of all, you need to remove the paging file from the system partition (usually from the C drive), as you can see, I have the paging file on the D drive. The disk partition with the installed operating system is already loaded, and then there's the swap file :). Ideally, the paging file should be installed on another hard drive altogether, so if you have one installed, then this is very good. Install virtual memory on it.
Do not install the paging file on multiple partitions, this will only put a heavy load on the hard drive.
As for the size, everything is simple here. The less RAM, the larger the paging file. It is recommended to set 2-3 times more than the installed RAM. For example, with 1.5 GB of RAM, I have 2 GB of swap file.
Make the minimum and maximum virtual memory size the same.
You can completely disable the paging file, and by the way, this can significantly increase the work of the computer. But only if you have enough RAM installed, something like this.
In Windows operating systems, the so-called page file pagefile.sys (hidden and system, usually located on the C drive) is used for work, which is a kind of "extension" of the computer's RAM (otherwise - virtual memory) and ensures the operation of programs even if when the physical RAM is insufficient.
Windows also tries to move unused data from RAM to the paging file, with each new version doing it better, according to Microsoft. For example, data from the RAM of a program that has been minimized and unused for some time can be moved to the paging file, so its subsequent opening can be slower than usual and cause accesses to the computer's hard disk.
If the paging file is disabled and the amount of RAM is small (or if you are using processes that are demanding on the computer's resources), you may receive a warning message: “The computer does not have enough memory. To free memory for programs to run normally, save your files, and then close or restart all open programs "or" To prevent data loss, close programs.
By default, Windows 10, 8.1 and Windows 7 automatically detect its settings, however, in some cases, changing the paging file manually can help optimize system performance, sometimes it may be advisable to disable it altogether, and in some other situations, the best thing is not to change anything and leave it. automatic detection of the size of the paging file. This guide explains how to increase, decrease, or disable the paging file and delete the pagefile.sys file from disk, as well as how to properly configure the paging file depending on how you use your computer and its characteristics. There is also a video instruction in the article.
Windows 10 paging file
In addition to the pagefile.sys paging file, which was in previous versions of the OS, in Windows 10 (back in 8, in fact) a new hidden system file swapfile.sys appeared, which is also located in the root of the system partition of the disk and, in fact, also represents is a kind of paging file used not for the usual ("Classic application" in the terminology of Windows 10), but for the "Universal applications", previously called Metro applications and a few other names.
The new swap file swapfile.sys was required due to the fact that universal applications have changed the way they work with memory and, unlike conventional programs that use the swap file as normal RAM, the swapfile.sys file is used as a file that stores "full" the state of individual applications, a kind of hibernation file for specific applications, from which they can continue to work for a short time when accessed.
Anticipating the question of how to remove swapfile.sys: its presence depends on whether normal swap file (virtual memory) is enabled, i.e. it is removed in the same way as pagefile.sys, they are interconnected.
How to enlarge, shrink or delete the paging file in Windows 10
And now about setting up the paging file in Windows 10 and how you can increase it (although here it is probably better to just set the recommended system parameters), decrease it if you think you have enough RAM on your computer or laptop, or turn it off completely. thus freeing up space on your hard disk.
Setting up the swap file
In order to go to the Windows 10 paging file settings, you can simply start typing the word "performance" in the search box, and then select the item "Adjust the view and system performance."
In the window that opens, select the "Advanced" tab, and in the "Virtual memory" section, click the "Change" button to configure the virtual memory.
By default, the parameters will be set to "Automatically select the size of the paging file" and for today (2016), perhaps this is my recommendation for most users.
The text at the end of the instructions, where I tell you how to properly configure the paging file in Windows and what sizes to set for different sizes of RAM, was written two years ago (and has now been updated), although most likely it will not do any harm, it is still not the same which I would recommend for novice users. However, doing things such as moving the paging file to another disk or setting a fixed size for it may make sense in some cases. You can also find information on these nuances below.
In order to increase or decrease, i.e. manually set the size of the paging file, uncheck the automatic size detection, check the "Specify size" box and set the required sizes and click the "Set" button. Then apply the settings. Changes take effect after Windows 10 restart.
In order to disable the paging file and delete the pagefile.sys file from drive C, select the "No paging file" item, and then click the "Set" button on the right and answer affirmatively to the message that appears as a result and click OK.
How to shrink or enlarge the paging file in Windows 7 and 8
Before discussing the optimal paging file size for various scenarios, I'll show you how you can change this size or disable the use of Windows virtual memory.
To configure the parameters of the paging file, go to "Computer Properties" (right-click on the "My Computer" - Properties "icon), then select" System Protection "in the list on the left. A faster way to do the same is to press the Win + R keys on your keyboard and enter the command sysdm.cpl(suitable for Windows 7 and 8).
In the dialog box, open the "Advanced" tab, and then click on the "Options" button in the "Performance" section and also select the "Advanced" tab. Click the Change button in the Virtual Memory section.
This is where you can configure the required virtual memory parameters:
- Disable virtual memory
- Shrink or enlarge Windows paging file
Additionally, the official Microsoft website has instructions for setting up a paging file in Windows 7 - windows.microsoft.com/ru-ru/windows/change-virtual-memory-size
How to Increase, Reduce or Disable Paging File in Windows - video
Below is a video instruction on how to set up a paging file in Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10, set its size or delete this file, and transfer it to another disk. And after the video, you can find recommendations on how to properly configure the paging file.
Configuring the paging file correctly
For example, one of the Microsoft Sysinternals developers recommends setting the minimum paging file size equal to the difference between the maximum amount of memory used during peak load and the amount of physical RAM. And as the maximum size - the same number, multiplied by two.
Another common and justifiable recommendation is to use the same minimum (original) and maximum paging file sizes to avoid fragmentation of the paging file and, as a result, reduce performance. This is not true for SSDs, but it might make sense for HDDs.
Well, the setting option that you have to meet more often than others is to disable the Windows paging file if the computer has enough RAM. For most of my readers, I would not recommend doing this, because if problems arise when launching or running programs and games, you may not remember that these problems can be caused by disabling the paging file. However, if you have a strictly limited set of software on your computer that you always use, and these programs work fine without a paging file, this optimization also has a right to life.
Moving the paging file to another drive
One of the options for configuring the paging file, which in some cases can be useful for system performance, is to transfer it to a separate hard drive or SSD. In this case, we mean just a separate physical disk, and not a partition on the disk (in the case of a logical partition, transferring the paging file, on the contrary, can lead to a drop in performance).
How to transfer the paging file to another drive in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7:
- In the paging file (virtual memory) settings in Windows, disable the paging file for the disk on which it is located (select the "No paging file" item and click "Set".
- For the second disk, to which we transfer the paging file, set the size or set it according to the choice of the system and also click "Set".
- Click Ok and restart your computer.
However, if you want to transfer the paging file from SSD to HDD in order to extend the lifespan of your solid state drive, you may not want to, unless you have an older, low-capacity SSD. As a result, you will lose productivity, and the increase in service life can be very insignificant. More details - (also relevant for 8-ki).
In various articles related to Windows optimization, you can find recommendations to disable the paging file if the RAM size is 8 GB or even 6 GB, and also not to use the automatic selection of the paging file size. There is logic in this - when the paging file is disabled, the computer will not use the hard disk as additional memory, which should increase the speed of work (RAM is several times faster), and when manually specifying the exact size of the paging file (it is recommended to specify the initial and maximum size the same), we free up disk space and remove from the OS the task of adjusting the size of this file.
Note: if you are usingSSD disk, it is best to take care of setting the maximum numberRAM and completely disable the paging file, this will extend the life of the solid state drive.
In my opinion, this is not entirely true, and first of all, you should focus not so much on the size of available physical memory, but on how exactly the computer is used, otherwise, you risk seeing messages that Windows does not have enough memory.
Indeed, if you have 8GB of RAM and your computer is browsing and playing a few games, it is likely that disabling the paging file would be a good solution (but there is a risk of running into a message saying that there is not enough memory).
However, if you edit video, do photo editing in professional packages, work with vector or 3D graphics, design houses and rocket engines, use virtual machines, 8 GB of RAM will not be enough and the swap file will certainly be needed in the process. Moreover, by disabling it, you risk losing unsaved documents and files if you run out of memory.
If you are not sure how much RAM you need and how much paging file size is right for your situation, try the following:
- Run on your computer all those programs that, in theory, you can run at the same time - office and skype, open a dozen YouTube tabs in your browser, start the game (use your scenario).
- Open the Windows Task Manager while this is all running and under the Performance tab, see how much RAM is involved.
- Increase this number by 50-100% (I won't give the exact number, but I would recommend 100) and compare with the size of the computer's physical RAM.
- That is, for example, on a PC 8 GB of memory, 6 GB is used, we double it (100%), we get 12 GB. Subtract 8, set the paging file size to 4 GB, and you can be relatively calm about the fact that problems with virtual memory will not arise even with critical options.
Again, this is my personal view of the paging file, you can find recommendations on the Internet that are significantly different from what I am suggesting. Which one to follow is up to you. When using my option, you most likely will not face a situation where the program will not start due to lack of memory, but the option to completely disable the paging file (which I do not recommend in most cases) can have a positive effect on system performance. ...
The paging file exists to aid RAM. It stores the data of programs running but not currently used. And now a little more detail.
What is RAM for, I think everyone knows. But not everyone knows what a paging file is for. The bottom line is pretty simple. The RAM stores the data of all running programs, and it does not matter whether this program is currently active or not. As a result, when many programs are running, the RAM simply may not be enough to store the data of the currently active program. For this reason, in the recommendations for computer games, often with the problem of closing the game or not starting, it is recommended to close all unnecessary applications in order to free up RAM space necessary for storing and processing game data. This is where the paging file comes in. All data of running programs that are not active at the moment and do not require si-second processing are redirected to a special, allocated space on the hard disk and stored there. The allocated space on your hard disk is the paging file. When the program becomes active again, the data is unloaded from the hard disk back to RAM and processed there.
If you think about it, you might wonder why, in this case, RAM at all, if the data can be just as well stored on the HDD. It's all about bandwidth and processing speed. The hard drive is too slow for such a thing. RAM, on the other hand, is much faster, which allows you to work with the program without any brakes, since data from the application is processed almost instantly.
The larger the paging file, the more data it can store. But it is worth remembering two things: the allocation of disk space for the paging file is reserved on the hard disk and cannot be used for other purposes, and secondly, it is not recommended to set the paging file too large, since the constant movement of data from there to RAM and back, may slow down the system. The recommended paging file size is 1.5- 2 times the amount of RAM on your computer. So how and where to increase the paging file? Follow the instructions below:
1. Go to Properties computer and open Additional system parameters;
2. In the window that opens, in the tab Additionally find the section Performance and click on the button Options;
3. In a new window, go to the tab Additionally and in the section Virtual memory push the button Change;
4. Remove the check mark from the item Automatically select paging file size... We choose Local disk, where we will reserve space for the paging file. We choose Specify size and indicates the minimum and maximum size. After that we press Ask and OK;
5. Restart your computer.
That's it, now memory is reserved on your hard disk, where data from inactive, running programs will be unloaded.
The paging file is virtual memory required for normal use by some programs. In this article we will try to answer the questions of why this file is needed, whether it can be enlarged or completely deleted.
Even a novice user who is just starting to master such a techno monster as a computer has come across such a term. To make this work a little easier, we will try to briefly and easily explain what a paging file is and what it is eaten with. So, everything is in order. A swap file, or, as it is also called, a swap file is nothing more than virtual memory, which helps to increase the performance of your computer by increasing the amount of RAM. For example, you have launched several "heavy" applications on your machine at once, and 90% of 100 computers will not have enough RAM to work fully, therefore part of the load goes to the paging file, and when the RAM is slightly unloaded, the process goes to its field of activity.
Don't worry, even though it's called virtual memory, it's pretty real to find it. For later systems, it is named win386.swp, and the windows 7 paging file is named pagefile.sys. By default, this file is hidden and also system-wide.
The optimal paging file size can vary, it all depends on what tasks you will perform on your computer and on the amount of RAM. It should be noted that today, when an ordinary user has more than 4 and 8 GB of RAM available, the role of the paging file fades into the background. Before increasing the paging file for windows 7, you should know that according to all recommendations, the paging file should be identical to the amount of RAM, or one and a half to two times larger than it. This will ensure you get the best performance from your computer.
You can configure the Windows paging file yourself, you just need to know a few points. First you need to go to the "My Computer" folder, right-click the mouse, select the "Properties" menu. Next, select the "Advanced" tab, and in the "Performance" section, click the "Options" button, look for "Virtual memory" and click "Change". Uncheck "Automatically select paging file size". Now everything is in your hands, you can independently set the minimum and maximum size that the paging file will occupy on your hard disk. How to increase the paging file of windows 7, now let's figure out how you can clean or delete it. First of all, clearing the paging file of windows 7 is not recommended, as this can disrupt the operation of the system, and if an illiterate user does it, then the consequences will have to be raked up even longer, so it is better to consult with more experienced colleagues. But if you are nevertheless tuned in that we will tell you how to disable (delete) the swap file, the actions are the same as in the process of increasing the volume. Just put a tick in front of the "No paging file" field, press the "Set" button. The operating system will give a warning cry here, but don't worry, this is just a way to get some attention to itself. Confirm by clicking "OK", click "Apply" in the virtual memory window and restart the computer. The process is simple and fast.
Now you know everything about pagefile.sys, what kind of file it is, how to work with it, what you need to pay attention to and much more. Here is just one forgotten paging file pagefile.sys how to delete, you can also restore it back without any difficulties. You just need to rearrange the checkbox, but we did not tell you that.
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Not on the system one - if there are 2 or more hard drives. And if the physical disk is 1, then there is no difference. Buy a lot of RAM and you don't need this swap file.
Even if there is only one physical hard disk, it is better to keep the paging file not on the system partition. Now about more operatives. Who said more is better? Maybe you will also suggest that you put 8GB noun-name modules in one slot? Only observance of frequency, parity in conjunction with a correctly selected memory size based on the mother's chipset and the available processor, in 128-bit mode or more, will give a tangible increase in performance
