Virtual Memory Settings in XP
When you open and run a program on your PC, it uses a certain amount of random access memory (RAM). If your PC begins to run low on RAM, it will convert a portion of your hard drive space to virtual memory, a temporary form of memory where your open but inactive programs are stored. Windows XP has an option allowing you to alter the size of hard disk space used as virtual memory.
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The Page File
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Windows XP uses a file called a "page file" as virtual memory. The page file ranges in size based on restrictions set and your system's demand for virtual memory. The default setting for the page file is 1.5-times greater than the computer's physical RAM. For example, if your PC has 1 gigabytes (GB) of physical memory, the default page file size is set at 1.5 GB. The file, itself, is called "pagefile.sys" and has a "hidden" attribute to prevent accidental deletion or alteration of the file.
Altering the Page File
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To change your system's page file settings, you have to be logged on as an administrator. Click "Start," "Run" and type "sysdm.cpl" before hitting "Enter." Click "Advanced," then "Settings" under the "Performance" header. After you click the "Advanced" tab you'll see a virtual memory section with a "Change" option. Here, you can modify the page file's size by choosing the drive it's on, usually your C-drive. Microsoft recommends dividing it up between multiple permanent drives, so consider setting half of your total on the C-drive and half on another drive if you have more than one.
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Page File Optimization
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If you've got a computer with multiple hard drives, Microsoft recommends both splitting your virtual memory between the drives and putting the majority of it on the drive with the least amount of data. When your hard drive reads data, the lens and head physically move around the disk, searching for the file. If the drive has a lot of data on it, it may take longer to find and use the page file.
Considerations
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If you're experiencing computer slowdown, stop error messages or other memory related problems, altering your page file won't truly fix the problem. Virtual memory isn't designed to replace physical RAM and it's much slower. Since your hard drive has to physically move and read the data in the page file, it's much slower than RAM. RAM upgrades are generally considered an inexpensive upgrade that helps boost performance. You'd likely see much better results by upgrading your RAM than by increasing the size of your Windows XP page file.
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References
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