Short form: I want to use a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick as RAM, but seem to be unable to use more than 4GB, due to the system requirements, limiting what I can enter for values (size). WHY?? More detail: The computer is a desktop machine, having a 3.0GHz dual-core processor, and 4GB RAM installed. I believe the hard drive is a 1T. I have a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick, which I want to use to boost the RAM, for games, and such. There are 3 spare USB ports on the back of the tower. The flash drive is new, with NO files saved on it. When I go into the Settings; Computer; Virtual Memory, the computer is not allowing me to enter a value greater than 4096 in the field for "Initial Size" or "Maximum Size", for the Page File of the USB drive. The Value for C: that I see is: "2096-4092". Main Question: Is there some reason why I cannot allocate more of the memory stick for RAM? (Does the flash drive need to be formatted?) Does the values for C: need to be changed? I presently have "4090" entered for values "Initial Size" and "Maximum Size" in the custom size, for the Page File of the USB Drive. Screenshot provided of Virtual Memory Settings screen: (you can see the L: drive settings (selected), and the C: settings, also) http://prntscr.com/336ocy Question 2: Also, is the "4G" of RAM which I have added to the machine, being added to the 4GB which is already installed in the tower? Question 3: Does the OS wait until the system RAM is full before using the External RAM? Thanks! edit to add: What I learned from Microsoft article "How To Set Performance Options in Windows XP": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417/en-us To manually change the size of virtual memory, follow these steps: ... Note After you change the size of the paging file, you may be prompted to restart Windows. If you are prompted to restart, the changes will not take effect until Windows is restarted. ... To have Windows select the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. For example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size is 384 MB, and the maximum size is 1152 MB. For best performance, do not set the initial size to less than the minimum recommended size under Total paging file size for all drives. The recommended size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer. It is good practice to leave the paging file at its recommended size as performance can decrease if a paging file is too large. However, you may increase its size if you frequently use programs that use lots of memory , such as graphics programs or games. What I am unclear of here, is that, as you can see in the screenshot, the Recommended Size under Total paging file size for all drives is 3019M. And, the values set for the Paging File in C are 2046-4092 . The tower has been rebuilt, and has 4GB RAM . I do not know if these numbers reflect an original build of 2GB, whereas 3GB (3019M) would be 1.5 times the installed RAM, perhaps. Under Virtual Memory, I see the following (shown in screenshot): Drive C Space available: 725194MB *Custom Size Initial Size: 2046 Maximum Size: 4092 Total paging file size for all Drives Minimum allowed: 2MB Recommended: 3019MB Currently Allocated: 2046MB Given that the system has 4GB RAM installed, shouldn't the minimum be 1.5 times that value, or ~6000MB ? (not 3019MB), and the maximum be 3 times ? (not 4092) "The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size." Can I change the values on the Virtual memory for C drive to 2046-12000MB ? That is what I am reading from the article. But, it also says to not have a paging file on the same drive as the programs. "Try to avoid having a paging file on the same drive as the system files, usually drive C." Also, why am I unable to enter values greater than 4096 for the USB drive in Initial or Maximum? I also have a question as to whether I should select "Programs" or "System Cache" in memory usage, due to the cache requirements of games, running very few programs. edit 2: I learned that the usb drive needs to be formatted in NTFS, so I did that, which isn't easy, as that isn't a selection in the choices in the Format menu, without going into Device Mgr. A friend was telling me about formatting a usb drive ex-fat for a newer application, and got me thinking. I had selected FAT32 for this one, and had noticed no change in the page file graph usage after adding the drive, like it wasn't getting any data placed on it. So, as custom settings for this USB drive, I have the Initial value at 4091 and the Maximum at 4096, with "System Cache" selected as opposed to "Programs" in Memory usage, in Performance settings. Any answers or tips would be appreciated. Am I on the right track?

The peak commit was over 4G. Closing all of the browsers and reopening brings it down to 'reasonable' levels. Remember to clear your browser cache every now and then or else it will become very large. John

Okay, thanks. I will make those changes. With Support for XP ending in a few days, that is why I didn't think Help & Support was necessary or would ever be needed. And, maybe I missed something with the tasklist svc command, I copied exactly what you typed in the Command Prompt, and nothing happened. I verified that the file I added to System32 is indeed there. The Help & Support service doesn't really have anything to do with the support that will be ending in a few days, its the help system on the machine itself, the Help and Support that you see in the Start Menu and other help files and messages that you see or access when you are running the computer. Are you typing the name correctly? Did you download the Tasklist.exe file from the computerhope link? Works here so it should work at your end, are you sure you got it in the right folder? You posted the output of the command in an earlier post so it had to be working. John

Doesn't XP have anything similar to what 7 has, where you can, in System and Security, select "Run Maintenance Tasks" and "Check for Performance Issues"? When I ran these on my laptops, which have Windows 7, it easily identified programs which ran at startup, and asked which ones I wanted to stop from running on startup. No, not as such, there is a Performance and Maintenance applet in the Control Panel but it's not the same thing as the Windows 7 version. There is a System Information tool in Windows XP where you can see a lot of information about startup processes and loaded modules but you cannot control them there, to launch the System Information tool enter msinfo32 in the Start Menu Run box. You can also see a list of some of the startup programs and disable them in with the Msconfig tool, to launch the tool enter msconfig in the Start Menu Run box. Here again it is preferable to turn these programs off in the programs themselves rather than with the Msconfig tool. John

Okay, thanks. I will make those changes. With Support for XP ending in a few days, that is why I didn't think Help & Support was necessary or would ever be needed. And, maybe I missed something with the tasklist svc command, I copied exactly what you typed in the Command Prompt, and nothing happened. I verified that the file I added to System32 is indeed there.

Services which I disabled yesterday via services.msc: .... Help & Support .... Task Scheduler Rather than disabling Help & support I would suggest that you set it to Manual Start. Only disable services if they are security risks, or if you are absolutely certain that you will never need them or of if they stubbornly keep on starting for no reason, instead of disabling them outright you can set them to Manual start. I wouldn't disable the Task Scheduler as it is responsible for the collection of the prefetch data, the prefetcher is a component of the Memory Manager. For proper operation of the prefetcher the Task Scheduler must be set to automatic start. It's your call but personally I would leave it on automatic. Misinformation and the The Prefetch Flag Disabling the Windows XP Task Scheduler disables the Prefetch cache John

Having trouble: Adding RAM with a USB memory stick to a Windows XP desktop that has 4GB installed

Anonymous

Short form:

I want to use a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick as RAM, but seem to be unable to use more than 4GB, due to the system requirements, limiting what I can enter for values (size). WHY??

More detail:

The computer is a desktop machine, having a 3.0GHz dual-core processor, and 4GB RAM installed. I believe the hard drive is a 1T.

I have a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick, which I want to use to boost the RAM, for games, and such. There are 3 spare USB ports on the back of the tower. The flash drive is new, with NO files saved on it.

When I go into the Settings; Computer; Virtual Memory, the computer is not allowing me to enter a value greater than 4096 in the field for "Initial Size" or "Maximum Size", for the Page File of the USB drive.

The Value for C: that I see is: "2096-4092".

Main Question:

Is there some reason why I cannot allocate more of the memory stick for RAM?

(Does the flash drive need to be formatted?)

Does the values for C: need to be changed?

I presently have "4090" entered for values "Initial Size" and "Maximum Size" in the custom size, for the Page File of the USB Drive.

Screenshot provided of Virtual Memory Settings screen: (you can see the L: drive settings (selected), and the C: settings, also)

http://prntscr.com/336ocy

Question 2:

Also, is the "4G" of RAM which I have added to the machine, being added to the 4GB which is already installed in the tower?

Question 3:

Does the OS wait until the system RAM is full before using the External RAM?

Thanks!

edit to add:

What I learned from Microsoft article "How To Set Performance Options in Windows XP":

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417/en-us

To manually change the size of virtual memory, follow these steps:

...Note After you change the size of the paging file, you may be prompted to restart Windows. If you are prompted to restart, the changes will not take effect until Windows is restarted.

...

To have Windows select the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. For example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size is 384 MB, and the maximum size is 1152 MB.
For best performance, do not set the initial size to less than the minimum recommended size under Total paging file size for all drives. The recommended size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer. It is good practice to leave the paging file at its recommended size as performance can decrease if a paging file is too large. However, you may increase its size if you frequently use programs that use lots of memory, such as graphics programs or games.

What I am unclear of here, is that, as you can see in the screenshot, the Recommended Size under Total paging file size for all drives is 3019M.

And, the values set for the Paging File in C are 2046-4092.

The tower has been rebuilt, and has 4GB RAM.

I do not know if these numbers reflect an original build of 2GB, whereas 3GB (3019M) would be 1.5 times the installed RAM, perhaps.

Under Virtual Memory, I see the following (shown in screenshot):

Drive C

Space available: 725194MB

*Custom Size

Initial Size: 2046

Maximum Size: 4092

Total paging file size for all Drives

Minimum allowed: 2MB

Recommended: 3019MB

Currently Allocated: 2046MB

Given that the system has 4GB RAM installed, shouldn't the minimum be 1.5 times that value, or ~6000MB ? (not 3019MB), and the maximum be 3 times ? (not 4092)

"The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size."

Can I change the values on the Virtual memory for C drive to 2046-12000MB ?

That is what I am reading from the article. But, it also says to not have a paging file on the same drive as the programs.

"Try to avoid having a paging file on the same drive as the system files, usually drive C."

Also, why am I unable to enter values greater than 4096 for the USB drive in Initial or Maximum?

I also have a question as to whether I should select "Programs" or "System Cache" in memory usage, due to the cache requirements of games, running very few programs.

edit 2:

I learned that the usb drive needs to be formatted in NTFS, so I did that, which isn't easy, as that isn't a selection in the choices in the Format menu, without going into Device Mgr.

A friend was telling me about formatting a usb drive ex-fat for a newer application, and got me thinking. I had selected FAT32 for this one, and had noticed no change in the page file graph usage after adding the drive, like it wasn't getting any data placed on it.

So, as custom settings for this USB drive, I have the Initial value at 4091 and the Maximum at 4096, with "System Cache" selected as opposed to "Programs" in Memory usage, in Performance settings.

Any answers or tips would be appreciated.

Am I on the right track?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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149 answers

Anonymous

2014-03-27T03:00:03+00:00

The peak commit was over 4G. Closing all of the browsers and reopening brings it down to 'reasonable' levels.

Remember to clear your browser cache every now and then or else it will become very large.

John
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Anonymous

2014-03-27T02:55:42+00:00

Okay, thanks. I will make those changes. With Support for XP ending in a few days, that is why I didn't think Help & Support was necessary or would ever be needed.

And, maybe I missed something with the tasklist svc command, I copied exactly what you typed in the Command Prompt, and nothing happened.

I verified that the file I added to System32 is indeed there.

The Help & Support service doesn't really have anything to do with the support that will be ending in a few days, its the help system on the machine itself, the Help and Support that you see in the Start Menu and other help files and messages that you see or access when you are running the computer.

Are you typing the name correctly? Did you download the Tasklist.exe file from the computerhope link? Works here so it should work at your end, are you sure you got it in the right folder? You posted the output of the command in an earlier post so it had to be working.

John
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Anonymous

2014-03-27T02:36:16+00:00

Doesn't XP have anything similar to what 7 has, where you can, in System and Security, select "Run Maintenance Tasks" and "Check for Performance Issues"?

When I ran these on my laptops, which have Windows 7, it easily identified programs which ran at startup, and asked which ones I wanted to stop from running on startup.

No, not as such, there is a Performance and Maintenance applet in the Control Panel but it's not the same thing as the Windows 7 version. There is a System Information tool in Windows XP where you can see a lot of information about startup processes and loaded modules but you cannot control them there, to launch the System Information tool enter msinfo32 in the Start Menu Run box. You can also see a list of some of the startup programs and disable them in with the Msconfig tool, to launch the tool enter msconfig in the Start Menu Run box. Here again it is preferable to turn these programs off in the programs themselves rather than with the Msconfig tool.

John
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0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-03-27T02:35:27+00:00

Okay, thanks. I will make those changes. With Support for XP ending in a few days, that is why I didn't think Help & Support was necessary or would ever be needed.

And, maybe I missed something with the tasklist svc command, I copied exactly what you typed in the Command Prompt, and nothing happened.

I verified that the file I added to System32 is indeed there.
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Anonymous

2014-03-27T02:12:19+00:00

Services which I disabled yesterday via services.msc:

....

Help & Support

....

Task Scheduler

Rather than disabling Help & support I would suggest that you set it to Manual Start. Only disable services if they are security risks, or if you are absolutely certain that you will never need them or of if they stubbornly keep on starting for no reason, instead of disabling them outright you can set them to Manual start.

I wouldn't disable the Task Scheduler as it is responsible for the collection of the prefetch data, the prefetcher is a component of the Memory Manager. For proper operation of the prefetcher the Task Scheduler must be set to automatic start. It's your call but personally I would leave it on automatic.

Misinformation and the The Prefetch Flag

Disabling the Windows XP Task Scheduler disables the Prefetch cache

John
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