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hi guys i want to know what page file size is recommended for a 4gb RAM . coz im into gaming and my pc is about 5 yrs old and i just want to know if there is such a thing about a recommended page file size in 4gb RAMS.
i have a :
Operating System
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit SP1, 4gb RAM ,and 500gb hdd
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.
thanks for the advice sir leefrost. btw mine is a win7 32bit & 4gb ram not 64bit.
"For W7 in brief:
min size = RAM + 300mb = 3372mb (for 4GB of ram)
Max size = RAM x 3 = 9216mb (for 4GB of ram)"
That info. applies to the paging file of both 32bit or 64bit W7.
Erwin
When you have your C partition on a conventional fixed hard drive ( drive other than a solid state drive) and you use a Windows managed page file, it creates a situation where fragmentation occurs more quickly. The pagefile gets scattered all over the disk. If file fragments between scattered parts of the pagefile are removed the next file to be written, if it is of any size, is immediately in a fragmented state. This is because the available free disk space is fragmented. Using a third party defragmenter like Defraggler you can defragment free disk space.
Hi guys,
My inbox has been filled with replies from this thread for the last week. Not that I mind too much of course, a good discussion is always a good thing. Anyway, I've been pretty busy lately, but now I have a bit of time to weigh in.
First, I would like to ask a burning question: does the pagefile get cleared upon shutdown/restart?
If this is so, then what's all the talk about fragmentation? If not, then of course, fragmentation can enter the discussion.
Also, another idea occurred to me as a was reading these threads...what is the feasibility of using a small SSD drive to just store the entire PF on? Maybe just 10 or 20 GB would do. But another thought: if it is not internally installed, how would the transfer/access speed be affected if it was connected via USB?
Just food for thought...
Mithrandir
Lee
Mark was writing about Windows Vista and Server 2008. This Article, probably written in 2009, supports your claim and does relate to Windows 7:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/change-virtual-memory-size#1TC=windows-7
With the substantial increases in installed RAM users have been installing since 2009 I would doubt that many would consider a multiplier of 3 is necessary. Just think what you are saying. A user with 32gb of RAM on their computer and you are expecting the user to set aside 96gb of disk space on the C partition! Do you seriously expect them to accept your advice?
No.. It is the way in which Windows and the NTFS filing system works that brings about fragmentation.
The page file is not one file into which Windows stuffs bits that it doesn't need at that moment. It is a space allocation in a partition and page file data is not stored contiguously any more than the registry is one file in just one location.
You will notice that most articles about page file defragmentation are all about NT/2000 ending at XP, and there is next to nothing re Vista, Windows 7 and 8. I believe this to be a better ability by Windows file indexing to cope with fragmented files and general improvements in file management.
I have been encouraging 25% free space for years now, been derided a lot for doing so because it is seen by many as a waste of HDD space, but the main reason for Windows slowing down over time is partly down to the free space on a new installation slowly being eaten up.
I don't have a drive/partition with less than 44% free space available, and if it drops below 30%, I increase the size of the partition, replacing the drive for something larger if there is no longer space that I can pinch from other partitions on the drive, or installing another drive to spread the load. And no, I am not made of money by any stretch of the imagination and have to be careful about what I do.. :-)
Ever since I read the Late Alex Nichol's s article on the Windows page file, the definitive guide of its time, I have taken an interest in how it works. That original article still holds good for some of its content, but we have to take on board improvements which have been made since then, and not keep applying old tools and ideas to technology as it is today..
