Need XP to utilize more RAM and less Page File

dremkast

dremkast

New Member
I have 8GB of RAM installed, which is all recognized just fine (64-bit XP Pro) but XP insists on using tons of PageFile(VirtualMemory w/e you want to call it) while leaving most of the RAM free at all times.

I have disable the PagingExecutive, limited the PageFile to 1GB (after setting it to 0 or 256MB accomplished nothing but giving me low memory messages).
Picture included to show how ridiculous it is.



To sum it up: How can I FORCE XP into using the excessive RAM at its disposal?
 
Well, with the page file set to 1024MB, I finally got another low virtual memory message when I was running: Steam, Counter-Strike: Source, iTunes, Hammer, FireFox and MSN.
The picture I posted shows when I had all of those open, with CSS minimized.
Only other times I've gotten a low virtual memory message was when I set the page file to 256MB, but Windows increased it on its own anyway, so I gave up and set it to 1024.
 
tyttebøvs said:
PF usage is just a funny name, it doesn't indicate how much data windows has paged out.
Click to expand...

Yeah, task manager is labelled kind of wrong.
PF Usage as reported in task manager in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is actually the system commit total. This number represents potential page file usage, not actual page file usage. It is how much page file space would be used if all the private committed virtual memory in the system had to be paged out all at once.
Click to expand...
Full article: http://blogs.technet.com/perfguru/a...le-usage-as-reported-in-the-task-manager.aspx
 
dremkast what kind of "problems" are you having with the system that makes you think you need to change the way it works?
It's entirely likley that your system is using only a few MBs of the page file. Some programs require the page file to run properly. You have more then enough physical memory so your system doesn't need a page file. But do to the way some programs are written you will need one.
I have an XP system with 2 gigs of RAM and the fact is it never uses more then about 700MB of memory. It's also true that a system will never use more more then 1 gig of RAM in normal use. You'd have to be doing some pretty heavy duty video editing to get your system to use more then that.
 
If there is plenty of free ram, when will any application fail without a pagefile? Are you saying that an application can talk directly to the pagefile?
 
2048Megabytes said:
I would not do that. The only reason I wouldn't is some programs require virtual memory to operate properly. I have my virtual memory presently set at 576 megabytes.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Didn't know that. I always thought the page file was used exclusively for programs that required blocks of RAM that were to big to be allocated. What kinds of programs do that?
 
Photoshop is one program that requires a page file. I can't think of any others. Anyone else know of a program that requires a page file?
 
tyttebøvs said:
Photoshop doesn't require a pagefile. It is a good idea if you are low on ram, but it is not required.
Click to expand...

That isn't consistent with what I've been reading about Photoshop, but I don't own Photoshop so I can't verify. Do you personally own Photoshop and use no virtual memory?
 
I could understand it being improved with a pagefile, but I'm still not sure about the requirement part. But, I can't say that without backing it up, so I'm going to do a little research myself ;)
 
2048Megabytes said:
Do you personally own Photoshop and use no virtual memory?
Click to expand...

Yes, I am living proof of it. It wouldn't make sence either - to require the existens of a pagefile no matter how much real ram there is (no application can read/write to the pagefile themselves anyway).

Photoshop might give you a warning if there is no pagefile, but it can run fine without.
 
tyttebøvs said:
Photoshop might give you a warning if there is no page file, but it can run fine without.
Click to expand...

Interesting, my computer instructor told us some programs require virtual memory but it doesn't appear that any programs really do need it. Won't error codes not be stored if your system has a crash and there is no virtual memory?
 
A book I have studied out of uses the term virtual memory and page file differently than how you are using it above.

"This method of using the hard drive as though it were RAM is called virtual memory, and the data stored in virtual memory is stored in a file on the hard drive called a swap file or a page file. . . . The OS manages the entire process, and the applications know nothing about this substitution of hardware resources for RAM."
-- COMPTIA A+ Guide to Software Fourth Edition by Jean Andrews
 
I found the following information on virtual memory for all interested:

"Even though Windows allows you to completely eliminate virtual memory from your system, don't do it. You might have plenty of RAM, but some applications will still give out-of-memory errors when they don't have enough virtual memory. Also some Windows procedures expect to find some virtual memory to use."
-- COMPTIA A+ Guide to Software Fourth Edition by Jean Andrews

So if you have enough RAM you can eliminate virtual memory if you don't mind the out-of-memory errors you may occasionally get from the operating system.

Edit: If you disable virtual memory with Windows Vista you will also get the following warning:
"If you disable the paging file or set the initial size to less than 200 megabytes and a system error occurs, Windows might not record details that could help identify the problem."
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top