Windows swap file settings.

[Anonymous]

:?: There have been quite a few queries on swap(paging) file cleaning in Windows,but is there any real value in setting a fixed swap file value,or is it better to leave the "Virtual Memory" management to Windows? In my case,using Win98SE with 256mb RAM?Or no swap file at all possibly!Would appreciate Garrett adding his valuable comments also.Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

:?: There have been quite a few queries on swap(paging) file cleaning in Windows,but is there any real value in setting a fixed swap file value,or is it better to leave the "Virtual Memory" management to Windows? In my case,using Win98SE with 256mb RAM?Or no swap file at all possibly!Would appreciate Garrett adding his valuable comments also.Thanks.

Likewise would like to present this same inquiry for Garret to address. Seems this swapfile issue is still a much debated concern for some users. I use the W98SE platform at 128MB.

 

[garrett01]

The swapfile on win9x can be wiped with eraserd from a DOS floppy. On NT and above you can only use the built in OS wipe which is a single pass wipe.

The ultimate solution is to buy more RAM and disable the swapfile.

Remember also that not only is your swapfile potentially contaminated but so too would the TEMP/CACHE directories and registry.

The best solution to the Swap/Temp issue would be to create a clean OS install and GHOST it. Then perodically DBAN the drive and restoe from the GHOST image.

Garrett

 

[Curt]

The default settings of the Windows page file in Windows 98 is "Let Windows Manage My Virtual Memory." But since Windows XP came out it has been known among tweakers to set the the minimum and maximum values of the page file. In fact, the default setting of the page file in Windows XP is set according to how much RAM you have installed during the installation of Windows. If you add RAM you should enter the new values in according to the information I pasted from Microsoft below. It would always be best to run Scan Disk (or Check Disk) and defrag after changing the size of your page file. The settings for Windows XP can be applied to Windows 9x operating systems. (I always set the minimum and maximum values of my virutal memory in Windows 98SE. The best results occur if you install your memory, install Windows and then defrag right afterwards.)

HOW TO: Set Performance Options in Windows XP

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.
Click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings under Performance.
Click the Advanced tab, and then click Change under Virtual memory.
Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.
Under Paging file size for selected drive, click Custom size, type a new paging file size in megabytes (MB) in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, and then click Set.
If you decrease the size of either the initial or maximum paging file settings, you must restart your computer to see the effects of those changes. When you increase the paging file size, you typically do not need to restart your computer.

Notes
To have Windows choose the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is equivalent to 1.5 times the amount of RAM on your system, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. Example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size would be 384, the maximum size would be 1152.
For best performance, do not set the initial size to less than the minimum recommended size under Total paging file size for all drives. The recommended size is equivalent to 1.5 times the amount of RAM on your system. Usually, you should leave the paging file at its recommended size, although you might increase its size if you routinely use programs that require a lot of memory.
To delete a paging file, set both initial size and maximum size to zero, or click No paging file. Microsoft strongly recommends that you do not disable or delete the paging file.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... duct=winxp

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... duct=winxp

 

[Anonymous]

Another Series of ?????????????

The swapfile on win9x can be wiped with eraserd from a DOS floppy. On NT and above you can only use the built in OS wipe which is a single pass wipe.

The ultimate solution is to buy more RAM and disable the swapfile.

Remember also that not only is your swapfile potentially contaminated but so too would the TEMP/CACHE directories and registry.

The best solution to the Swap/Temp issue would be to create a clean OS install and GHOST it. Then perodically DBAN the drive and restoe from the GHOST image.

Garrett

Thanks Admin for stepping in this subject, but,.......just how do i completely disable the swapfile in 98? Just return the setting to "let windows manage my memory"? Or is there a setting that must be used? Or just delete the 386.swp? All this aside, ERASER is performing magnificently and i only wonder how much erasing ERASER can erase before it loses it zip if at all? Questions,questions,questions.

 

[Anonymous]

how do i completely disable the swapfile in 98?

I haven't used Windows 98 for a while, isn't there a check box to disable virtual memory? Or you can try setting the swap file size to zero.

i only wonder how much erasing ERASER can erase before it loses it zip if at all?

I wouldn't worry about that, Eraser won't just lose its "zip" at some point.

 

[SKYCOM]

Acknowledged

how do i completely disable the swapfile in 98?

I haven't used Windows 98 for a while, isn't there a check box to disable virtual memory? Or you can try setting the swap file size to zero.

i only wonder how much erasing ERASER can erase before it loses it zip if at all?

I wouldn't worry about that, Eraser won't just lose its "zip" at some point.

[/b]Very well, simple enough task even for an elder gone beyond his years.