Optimizing the Page File

[Pikey 0]

I have two physically separate hard disks and i want to set up a dedicated page file in a partition of its own on the second disk for Windows 2000 as i have heard that performance is improved by doing this.

 

However, should i then remove the page file that exists on my current c:\ drive disk? This is set at 768-768MB at the moment (I have 256MB physical memory). I understand that if the second disk should fail the absence of a page file on the primary disk can cause problems with startup and/or recovery procedures?

 

Should i then maintain a smaller page file on the master disk AND a larger one on the second? Basically i want Windows 2000 to only use the dedicated page file and to leave drive c:\ unruffled.

 

Any advice?

[Bursar 0]

I'd just move the whole thing over.

 

The only thing to watch for is how your drives are connected.

 

If you have IDE drives and both drives are on the same IDE channel, you'll probably lose some performace as IDE can only read from one device per channel at a time.

 

Try to put the second disk on the other channel so that both can be accessed at once.

[clutch 1]

Good advice.

 

 

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Regards,

 

clutch

[Pikey 0]

Thanks for the advice.

 

The disks are on separate controllers so there shouldn't be any performance degradation.

 

Cheers

[Ge0ph 0]

You can find some good reading on the subject at http://arstechnica.com/tweak/nt/pagefile-1.html

[FKTOAST 0]

Right click my computer

Go to properties

Go to the advanced tab

Click on performance options

Under swap file click options, I think.

This list is your swap file list. You will notice there will be a number by your C:. Leave it there. Highlight the c: and then change the min and max to about 400. Make sure you click on the set button before you do anything else. Click on you other hard drive and add about 500 to the min and max and then click set. Apply the changes and click ok. Reboot.

 

Windows 2000 will use the other hard drives partition first then will go to the c: when needed. This makes for almost 3 times the access times for you are now using and extra set of arms to do your paging for you which isnt going to be that much since you are using 386Mb of ram anyways. You should notice programs opening quicker and the overall system running smoother.