Page File Problem

1960darrenh · 10-31-2006, 09:06 PM

Whenever I leave my PC idle for an hour or two. I come back and it performs very very slow. I look in the task manager and my page file usage has gone from 250mb upto 1.4GB!!!!!

When the pc is in constant use, the page file hovers around the 250mb mark. I went into the Page File settings and restricted the custom area to 766mb but windows keeps taking over and shows messages in the System Tray saying it is increasing the PF. Can I stop Windows from increasing this? Why does my PF go so high when its idle?

I am using Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2

1GB Memory

tlarkin · 10-31-2006, 09:38 PM

kind of sounds like a memory leak. Is there any application taking up excessive amounts of memory in the task manager?

1960darrenh · 10-31-2006, 09:55 PM

At the moment, EXPLORER is using 178.000k. Its not usually that high. AVG is 20.000k and IEXPLORE is 19.000k. Everything else is quite low.

1960darrenh · 10-31-2006, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1960darrenh

At the moment, EXPLORER is using 178.000k. Its not usually that high. AVG is 20.000k and IEXPLORE is 19.000k. Everything else is quite low.

Page file is now 1.6GB!!

tlarkin · 10-31-2006, 10:12 PM

well in windows the page file can be up to 2.5 times the amount of physical RAM installed, so thats not crazy what you are getting.

do you use fast user switching?

1960darrenh · 10-31-2006, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlarkin

well in windows the page file can be up to 2.5 times the amount of physical RAM installed, so thats not crazy what you are getting.

do you use fast user switching?

I dont know what "fast user switching" is

tlarkin · 10-31-2006, 11:11 PM

fast user switching enables to you switch between multiple users in your OS, and not disturb anything that current user is doing. If it is enabled and in use page files are generally a lot bigger because they need more virtual memory.

How much hard drive space do you have open on your computer?

If you watch the processes in task manager, do you see anything using up cpu or memory when the machine is idle?

1960darrenh · 11-01-2006, 11:39 AM

I have about 40Gb left on my Hard Drive.

The only thing using Memory and CPU when idle is the system idle process. This problem has only just started happening. I have to keep shutting down to get it to run faster again. If left idle it starts all over again.

**Cromewell** · 11-01-2006, 12:23 PM

Can you post a screen shot of your Task Manager Processes tab, post 2 shots if you can't fit them all in one

10-31-2006, 09:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
1960darrenh Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: England Age: 34 Posts: 54	Page File Problem Whenever I leave my PC idle for an hour or two. I come back and it performs very very slow. I look in the task manager and my page file usage has gone from 250mb upto 1.4GB!!!!! When the pc is in constant use, the page file hovers around the 250mb mark. I went into the Page File settings and restricted the custom area to 766mb but windows keeps taking over and shows messages in the System Tray saying it is increasing the PF. Can I stop Windows from increasing this? Why does my PF go so high when its idle? I am using Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 1GB Memory __________________ 2.66mhz Intel Celeron D330 Processor Intel Springdale G I865G Chipset 1024Mb PC3200 DDR SDRAM 30GB+ 80GB Hard Drive CD/RW DVD-ROM 17" TFT Monitor Windows XP Pro

10-31-2006, 09:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
1960darrenh Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: England Age: 34 Posts: 54	At the moment, EXPLORER is using 178.000k. Its not usually that high. AVG is 20.000k and IEXPLORE is 19.000k. Everything else is quite low. __________________ 2.66mhz Intel Celeron D330 Processor Intel Springdale G I865G Chipset 1024Mb PC3200 DDR SDRAM 30GB+ 80GB Hard Drive CD/RW DVD-ROM 17" TFT Monitor Windows XP Pro

11-01-2006, 11:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
1960darrenh Bronze Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: England Age: 34 Posts: 54	I have about 40Gb left on my Hard Drive. The only thing using Memory and CPU when idle is the system idle process. This problem has only just started happening. I have to keep shutting down to get it to run faster again. If left idle it starts all over again. __________________ 2.66mhz Intel Celeron D330 Processor Intel Springdale G I865G Chipset 1024Mb PC3200 DDR SDRAM 30GB+ 80GB Hard Drive CD/RW DVD-ROM 17" TFT Monitor Windows XP Pro

11-01-2006, 12:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 24 Posts: 10,085	Can you post a screen shot of your Task Manager Processes tab, post 2 shots if you can't fit them all in one __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here. I must plug a couple comics because they are good :D: www.ctrlaltdel-online.com www.userfriendly.org

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10-31-2006, 09:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
tlarkin VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 6,056	kind of sounds like a memory leak. Is there any application taking up excessive amounts of memory in the task manager?

10-31-2006, 10:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
tlarkin VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 6,056	well in windows the page file can be up to 2.5 times the amount of physical RAM installed, so thats not crazy what you are getting. do you use fast user switching?

10-31-2006, 11:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
tlarkin VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 6,056	fast user switching enables to you switch between multiple users in your OS, and not disturb anything that current user is doing. If it is enabled and in use page files are generally a lot bigger because they need more virtual memory. How much hard drive space do you have open on your computer? If you watch the processes in task manager, do you see anything using up cpu or memory when the machine is idle?

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