Virtual Memory

Ive read the other threads that r posted in here about virtual memory, ive also been googeling and yahooing my fingers to the bone. I know hard drive space and ram play a big part, i know the rule of thumb is to multiply ur ram size 1.5 for min, and 3 for max, i also know that u can add virtual memory size to ur second hard drive, and i also know that if u have over 512 megs of ram to set ur memory usage to system cache instead of programs.....but i also read that if u set ur max and min to the same in both hard drives then the performance will increase....bottom line is....im tired of searchin my azz off to get the best out of my virtual memory to optimize my pc for gaming. What should i set the page filing to...Custom, System Managed or ‘No page file’ ? Another question is im running a Nvidia Geforce Fx5500 3D Corsair 256MB graphics card, i have that OC w/ "coolbits", is OCing that card gonna have an effect on PC performance? Im running windows xp, AMD Sempron 3000+ 2.0 gig, 1 gig of ram, a 80 gig hard drive and a 40 gig, any input would be great.....thx in advance.

 

w/ a gig of ram..what should i set them to?.......right now i have both hard drives set at 2000mb max-min.....what do u advise?

 

I use SIW 1.73 to optimise my Virtual Memory use. As others have said, set MAX and MIN to the same size, first up. Then using whatever size you have decided on, download and install SIW from http://www.gtopala.com/

Run the program at startup for a few days and check out your ACTUAL usage against your VIRTUAL MEMORY settings.

See my thumbnail attached.

MS recommends 1½ times RAM, as suggested earlier. With 2 gigs of RAM, for me, that is a recommended size of 3 gigs. A complete waste of space. Mine is set to ½ a gig. A saving of 2½ gigs.

For you, with 1 gig, I would recommend starting at 500 megs, MAX and MIN and see what you actually use.

Mine is set to around twice my normal usage in case of any unusual activity that I cannot foresee. Hope this helps. Bazza

 

thx again......that looks like the answer to close this thread.......ill set both hard drives to 500 mb max-min..and take it from there.........thx

 

thx steve, ...im gonna try 500 for awhile and see how it runs for me....next bump will be the 1000...thx again, u guys saved me alotta headache, im tired of reading other archives that say do this and the next one says do that.........atleast here ay Majorgeeks everyone is on the same page about stuff......

 

Re-read my suggestion and try SIW. I doubt if you will need to increase above 500 megs. As I suggested, try SIW for a few days and check it out during each day to see the Max being used. It can save you gigs on your hard drive if you like to run a lean machine. Bazza

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ok bazza..... ill do that ill repost in a few days to let u know the results

 

i downloaded SIW , i made a few changes tho.....i set to 500 min-max, but i also switched to just 1 hard drive...heres my readings...(thats at an idol)


Property Value

Disk Space Disk C: 63 GB Available, 76 GB Total, 63 GB Free
Disk D: 20 GB Available, 37 GB Total, 20 GB Free

Physical Memory 960 MB Total, 693 MB Free
Memory Load 27%

Virtual Memory 1878 MB Total, 1663 MB Free

PageFile Name \??\C:\pagefile.sys
PageFile Size 1000 MB
In use 31 MB
Max used 31 MB
Registry Size 2 MB (current), 54 MB (maximum)

Profile GUID {29c21c40-e5e9-11dc-bde0-806d6172696f}

The system clock interval 15 ms

Warning! Accuracy of DMI data cannot be guaranteed

 

These are the critical bits of your info.

PageFile Name \??\C:\pagefile.sys
PageFile Size 1000 MB
In use 31 MB
Max used 31 MB

My reading of your setup is that you have a PageFile Size (Virtual Memory) size of 1000mb's, not 500mb's.

Your MAX used shows only 31mb, suggesting to me that your info is just from startup. Run the program ALL DAY and report back your settings.

Go back to my thumbnail to see how it has altered (for me), with daily usage.

Bazza

 

Forgot to mention , restore SIW from the taskbar and press Function Key F5 occasionally during the day to refresh your usage readings.

Unfortunately SIW is not realtime, but F5 works, and updates your usage.

Bazza

 

its read i have 1000mb but i have 500 in the max and 500 in the min.......looks like they add it together eh,? should i put 250 in each to equal 500? Heres the latest, i put my PC thru "Gaming Hell Day", i played then my son played....so on, so on...i wanted to really put it to the test today,`we played hrs and hrs of Doom 3, Halo 3, Overlord, crysis, 1/2 life and tribes 3...heres the results....


PageFile Name \??\C:\pagefile.sys
PageFile Size 1000 MB
In use 155 MB
Max used 365 MB


but then a lil bit ago i was interupted by this "Crash err message"......

1.0.1(63446)

Crash Time: 03/02/08 19:21:45

OS: Windows XP 5.1 (Build: 2600)
CPU: AuthenticAMD PentiumPro-class processor @ 2002 MHz with 959MB RAM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 (9147)

TV Build Number: 63446

ReadFile failed: Count=0 BufferCount=82 Error=The system cannot find the path specified.

<?int?Core.Errors.History?>: ULinkerLoad::Serialize <- FCompactIndex<< <- TArray<< <- TLazyArray:
:Load <- FStaticTexture::GetTextureData [FX.SkiBoots] <- FD3DTexture:
:Cache <- FD3DRenderInterface::CacheTexture <- FD3DRenderInterface:
:HandleCombinedMaterial <- FD3DRenderInterface:
:SetShaderMaterial <- FD3DRenderInterface:
:SetMaterialSP <- UMeshEmitter::RenderParticles <- AEmitter:
:Render <- FDynamicActor:
:Render [FX_SkiBoot140] <- RenderLevel <- FLevelSceneNode:
:Render <- FPlayerSceneNode:
:Render <- UGameEngine:
raw <- UWindowsViewport::Repaint <- UWindowsClient:
:Tick <- ClientTick <- UGameEngine::Tick <- UpdateWorld <- MainLoop

not sure why, maybe u can figure it out.......i reloaded Tribes 3 (thats the game the err came on) and it runs fine again...
cant be a heat issue i just installed another fan, temps r around 40c. Get back to me and lemme know about switching the virtual memory size to 250/250 to get 500, instead of the 1000 im running....and any input u might have on my lil crash err......thx again!!!!

 

Don't know why SIW should show 1000 megs when you have MAX & MIN set to 500megs. Mine doesn't :confused

It looks as though 500/500 is OK for you. But keep an eye on MAX used for at least a week. Check it out daily, at the end of your sessions, and make sure you press F5 so SIW is updated.

I can't help you out with the error you experienced, but un-installing /clean /re-installing any troublesome program usually fixes at least 75% of problems.

Bazza

 

ok bazza we'll do .......i guess that sums up this thread.........thx again for all ur help!!!!

 

You're welcome. I love my SIW. See thumbnail for my latest stats, as a further example (just now). Bazza

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u aint gonna belive this bazza..lol....i changed the motherboard in my comp, so now im running a pentuim 4, 3.0 gig instead of that AMD Sempron 3000+ 2.0 gig...(of course i had to change the virtual memory)...i did the 500 min, 500 max...but this time it stayed at 500 and didnt bump to 1000...wierd, alls thats left is to get that nifty little SIW and game hard again....ill let ya know what happens......thx again dude.oh i more thing...whats a good little program that will tell me what my FSB speeds r..i wanna see how much faster this is than that AMD..thx

 

Not sure if this will help but check out Diagnostics at http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads7.html

You may find something useful there.

Also check out EVEREST Free Edition 2.20
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

This will give you detailed specs of your PC. Bazza

 

thx Bazza but i found 1 that tells everything that i need to know..its small, st8 to the point........check it out....

CPU-Z

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/CPU-Z.shtml

 

Keep your links in the Major Geeks family in preference to quoting links to other sites.

CPU-Z 1.44.1 is available at http://www.majorgeeks.com/download425.html with a Rating(out of 5) of Rating: 4.61 (477 votes).

I may download it, but Everest is quite comprehensive, for me.
Bazza

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Hi:

Regarding the original question, see this page. Its the best I've come across on the subject.

Virtual Memory Primer
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

Happy trailz,

 

sorry about that Bazza, didnt know....wont happen again , i also didnt know that u guys had it here, but on the other hand u guys got everything....lol

 

excellent input Fleabus.....tells all u need to know

 

Search Major Geeks first. :major MG has most of everything useful available for download. Bazza

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Thanks Fleabus for the link. :cool I tried to print out the htm file but I only succeeded in printing out the first page. :cry Can anyone point me to software (preferably free, or cheap ) so I can print out this useful article in full. Bazza

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Thanks for the link, but now I'm a bit confused. (Sorry I don't mean to hijack your thread )

Is it correct to set the Min & Max the same for the PageFile? :confused

 

yep set them the same.....im running a gig of ram i have them both at 500, works perfect for me. If u have below a gig of ram , u might wanna set a lil higher

 

Well, that's what I thought as well. But the link above says:

"There is a great deal of myth surrounding this question. Two big fallacies are:

* The file should be a fixed size so that it does not get fragmented, with minimum and maximum set the same
* The file should be 2.5 times the size of RAM (or some other multiple)

Both are wrong in a modern, single-user system. A machine using Fast User switching is a special case, discussed below.)"

So hmmmmmmm. :confused

 

that im not sure about, maybe bazza or fleabus can give some insight on that.

 

I'm relying on my XP "Bible", "Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks", p216, for setting a constant size Swapfile (Virtual Memory).

As for using the recommended default size of 1½ times RAM. If you have over 1 gig then that is probably a waste of hard drive space. See my thumbnail, posted in an earlier reply in this thread.

See my earlier replies to this "default", by loading SIW and trying it out for a week or so. Make sure you press Function Key F5 a few times each day to allow SIW to refresh. Bazza

 

That's what I always did. But in Fleabus' link the author states that it is a fallacy and doesn't really explain why. I wasn't hoping someone else could explain why.