# What's the ideal virtual memory setting?



## twisted_mind (Feb 24, 2003)

hi 
i was wondering what should be the ideal setting for virtual memory in My Computer>Properties>Performance>Virtual Memory.
i have a p-3 733MHz machine with 128 MB SD RAM. and a 76 GB hard disk running WIN98. From the suggestion of one friend, i have kept the windows swap file on the last partition i created ( during partitioning the drive using FDisk). according to him, there is a increase in system speed if the swap file is placed on the partition that's created at the end. So now in the virtual memory dialog box i have the swap file on my H drive with 8362 MB free, it shows " Let windows manage my virtual memory settings" clicked....... the "Maximum" field has "No Maximum" whereas the "Minimum" field has "128".
are these settings good or is there something else to be done? 
with regards,
umesh


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## raybro (Apr 27, 2003)

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking why the "let windows manage.... " is activated and the "let me specify...) is not, when you set it up to do the latter. I ran into this same confusing thing when I created a separate partition for my swap file. Not to worry! I was informed Windows just looks like it's gone back to taking over the swap file. If the correct partition is displayed in the grayed out window, you are OK.

Do a find in my computer by *.swp. If you have it set up correctly, it will be on the partition where you put it.

Regards - Ray


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## GoJoAGoGo (Dec 26, 2002)

Hi twisted_mind:

I started a thread last week about the same subject. It contains a few different opinions about what the settings should be for a fix size and also contains a couple of links concerning this area. Take a look at it: 

http://forums.techguy.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=145092


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## twisted_mind (Feb 24, 2003)

thankx raybro n GoJoAGoGo for the help....raybro u got my question absolutely correctly. i was just wondering if having the swap file on the partition i wanted it to be, was actually helpful 
thanx for the link as well GoJoAGoGo, :up:


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## Trpm (May 8, 2003)

twisted_mind,
Here it is in a nut shell,for your system set the Minimum\ Maxium both to two (X ) your actiual memery.
Or 256 meg. of ram.
It will cut down on fragmented HD space. and may help.
Have a great day.

Trpm


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Another virtual memory debate. 

The size you set it to depends on how much RAM your computer has and what you use your computer for. There is no set limit or guideline.

Frank's Windows 95/98 Tips


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## GoJoAGoGo (Dec 26, 2002)

You're welcome...


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## raybro (Apr 27, 2003)

'preciate the followup , twisted_mind. 

My experience... you can proceed with the swap file on either the C: drive or a separate partition with confidence it will make little difference either way to the average user. If you do a lot of memory intense work on your PC (like video editing, for instance) then the swap file config may make some difference in performance. The mpre RAM you have, the less effct the swap file will have. 

BTW... I've set the size of my swap file partition to 600mb. This allows me to use the remaining free space on my HDD for other purposes with out concern for fragmenation due to read/write activity to the swap file (which is the only real advantage I've observed).

Regards - Ray


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## pgriffet (Aug 10, 2002)

Hi all. The swapfile *usage* is the point, not the *size*. I've already seen a swapfile size of 120 MB but 0 byte usage and a swapfile of 10 MB with 1 MB usage. Sysmon will tell you the values.

The problem is that people think Windows *uses* the swap because they notice swapfile resizing. As James Eshelman explains here http://aumha.org/a/memmgmt.htm (only valid for Win9x/ME)

_How does Windows know how much swap file space you might need in the near future? Each program specifies how much memory should be set aside (allocated) for its use. Generally, programmers request more memory than they need. (If done skillfully, this is a good thing: When running a program, one would rather have a bit too much memory available, rather than a bit too little, right?) This resembles reserving a table at a restaurant, even if you don't plan to show up to eat, just in case you get hungry later. An OS has to allocate this requested memory for possible use by the program, even if it may never be used. Windows is smart enough to use the swap file for these "unused restaurant table reservations," rather than use physical RAM! Think about it: This frees all of physical RAM for actual current memory needs - active program code, actively used data, etc. - and diverts the "wasted space" allocations away from physical RAM. If you have enough RAM, the swap file is never written to - it just takes reservations! _

End of excerpt.

Check the usage for several days and if it's always 0 or near 0, you don't need swapfile resizing. You have then 2 solutions. Either the conservativeswapfileusage tweak in the system.ini or a large minimum for your swap but no maximum. Never set a maximum size, it could lead to a crash and a reformat.
With CSU=1, there is no "restaurant table" reservations at all.

I'm very happy with CSU and my swapfile is 0 (zero) byte for days, so no matter if it's fragmented or placed on a fast disk. A zero byte file is always at the best place  It means that I have enough RAM for my current usage.

Actually, if you have no more than 1 or 2 MB swap file *usage*, you don't have to care about fragmentation, best place, best settings. It means Windows doesn't swap too much, even if you see a 100 MB win386.swp file.
I run win98 with 192 MB ram. YMMV.


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