Swap File

[eespinosa]

I used fdisk to partition my 8.4 gb HD into four drives. I have 128MB of RAM. I placed a swap file on the c:. I set aside 128MB of Ram for the swap file. two questions:

1) Should the min/max both be set @ 128MB?

2) In the space provided for setting the min/max swap size, the is no indication for letting me know that if I type 128 that it means "128 MB" of ram. Should I type 128,000 or is it understood that any number put there is in MBs?

[cr250]

they should both be set the same if I am not mistaken if you set them different it will slow the computer down

you do not need the 000

good luck

[Gomer]

My recomendation:
step 1-Set min and max swap file to zero
step 2-reboot
step 3-defrag
step 4-using the system configuration tool of the system information utility, disable all startup programs except for those absolutley neccessary. No virus scanner or anything. You want to keep that defragged drive pristine.
step 5-reboot
step 6-before running any programs set both the min and max size of the swap file to whatever you like. 2.5 times sytstem ram is a pretty common number. But with 128 of RAM more then 300 is overkill.
step 7-reboot
step 8-using the system configuration tool of the system information utility renable all startup programs that you previously disabled.
step 9-reboot
step 10-enjoy
The key is setting both the min and max size to the same thing. That way the chunk of HD you just set aside never gets fragmented because it never changes size. Otherwise windows will put swap file in any hole it can find open on the HD. This is one of the first steps I do after a clean install of windows in order to keep it near to the front of the drive.

None of the above is religion, but it works well for me.

[scotter]

gomer your close but you have add some steps that are unneeded.
this is the right way to do it
1)go in to the vertual memory settings and disable the swap file ( DO NOT REBOOT ) your system
next
2) run a full scan disk and defrag
next
3) go back into vertual memory settings and set min and max swap file size to the same size what ever you feel should be enough most system between 100 and 300 meg is more than enough.

last
4) reboot your system

5) your done http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

for more info check here http://www.comppwizz.com/optim3.htm

[chipbgt]

I remember some people had terrible problems setting there swap file to zero and then restarting....would suggest doing the latter of the choices given here.

[eespinosa]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. They are extremely helpful.

[BFlurie]

Nosa, if you write the settings in System.ini manually, put the numbers in as follows:

1024 times the #of MBs

Ex. MinPagingFileSize of 128 MBs would be 128 X 1024 or:

MinPagingFileSize=131072

Got it?

[eshort]

ive hear the syntax for the vcache section of sys.ini is:

MinFileSize=l/4Xram (in kb)
MaxFileSize= '
is that syntax correct?

also--heard to ad following line to 386enh. sect of sys.ini:

ConservativeSwapFileUseage=1


and-to minimize "illegal operatons", ive heard to put following line in same section:

MaxBPs=1054


do these 3 "additions"make sense??



[This message has been edited by eshort (edited 07-28-2000).]

[BFlurie]

The Swapfile settings are thus:

PagingDrive=D:
MinPagingFileSize=131072
MaxPagingFileSize=131072

In my case, a "permanent", 128 MB swapfile on D drive. I don't know about the last one -- I've got:

MaxBPs=65536

which is what I've seen recommended -- & never had any problem. However, I really don't understand this last setting completely.

[This message has been edited by BFlurie (edited 07-28-2000).]

[Gomer]

Different strokes for different folks. It works for me. I will try it next time though. A few questions first. By not rebooting is it really disabled, the swap file that is? If you do a defrag on a comp with a windows managed swapfile, you will noticed unmovable files all over the place, these represent the swap file. If windows can't move those blocks they can't be defragged right? I will have to watch next time and see if disabling the swap file without rebooting makes these unmovable blocks moveable. That is the sole reason I reboot after disabling the swap file.

As for the previous instances with those having problems--It seems to be that this only occurs with less then 64 meg RAM. Windows can't cut the mustard with that little RAM and no swap file. I noticed eespinosa had 128 and thought he would be ok. I guess I should have noted that it is not advisable to reboot if you have less then 64 meg RAM.

[scotter]

I have always done it this was and most of the sites that I have read say to do it like this never had a problem at all http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif and it has always made 1 file when it was done http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[lynchmob]

You can also go into safe mode, disable your screen saver and run defrag from there.
lynch