Making multiple XP installs use the same swapfile/partition

[NJed]

I've got 3 XP Pro installs on my machine in 3 seperate partions - one for everyday use, one for C++/development and one "slim" install for the few games I have. Which one loads is selectable via the boot menu.

I've also got a small 4th partition of 2GB which I use exclusively for the swap file. Reason for this is that its on a seperate disk and stops the pagefile chewing up chunks of my main partition with unmoveable files when I defrag.

Anyway, all three installs are set to use this swapfile partition as "windows size managed" and in the registry I've set it to purge the swap file on shutdown.

Now, what I've noticed is that when swapping between installs even though I've set it to use that partition for a swapfile it defaults back to some other partition and I have to constantly keep re-setting it back to use the designated one.

Is there a way to use a common pagefile/partition with multiple OS installs without it randomly creating new ones on other drives when I boot between them?

Kind of a shame XP does have a swap partition format like Linux does

 

[usalabs3]

You could try this method first, create a custom paging file size, set the minimum to the recommended size, and set the max to 1.5 times the amount of ram, keeping the same settings for all installs of XP, if that fails, then try the procedures below.

You will find the file name for the paging file in the registry, at:-

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Name pagingfiles

default is c:\pagefile.sys 0 0

If you want a page file on different partitions, then just change the location in the registry, EG.

3x2Gb (E: F: G partitions, 3x installs of windows xp

Each registry entry in each xp install would read:-

[XP install 1]

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
PagingFiles = E:\pagefile.sys 0 0

[XP Install 2]

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
PagingFiles = F:\pagefile.sys 0 0

[XP Install 3]

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
PagingFiles = G:\pagefile.sys 0 0

I hope these help.

I use a second hard drive partitoned as 2x3Gb and set my pagingfile to use both the partitons and the default location, as system managed, windows checks the locations and finds the fastest pagefile access and uses that, and also, it's better to use an empty, non-fragmented partition, as access times will a lot quicker.

 

[NJed]

Hmm interesting, I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

I wondered if it was reverting to another drive at boot because the existing pagefile wasn't made by the OS i'm booting into. Hence I hoped setting it to purge the pagefile at shutdown might wipe it so the other OS could re-create it from scratch.

Guess not...

 

[BadBigBen]

Well, with the information given already, you could set all the Pagefiles to a fixed size, static which is preferrable over Dynamic, anyhow... Name them differently and have them share the 2 gb space, ergo three diff pagefiles...

just a thought...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."