Paging File / Virtual Memory Too Low

[BlackS2]

Hi Chaps,

I have had a re occouring problem for the last few days now with my PC. When I login and the PC is loading the desktop it gives me an error stating my Paging file is set too low or does not exist and it gives me instructions on how to increase it. I have tried this but it does not make any difference, It basically says in System properties\Advanced\Performance Options that my current paging file size for all drives is 20mb. When I try and change it and select set and re boot the machine it does not change a thing and I get the same error.

P.S before posting I did search this forum and found other threads with the same prob, however other PC's dont seem to login they go back to the Ctrl + Alt + Del screen where as mine still loads everything.

Anyone know what else I cant try??

Cheers in advance.

 

[SamuelBiddulph]

When your system loads do you have access to all your hard drives? Can you tell me what drives you have, and also which one should contain the pagefile and also which has windows installed on it.

 

[BlackS2]

Hi mate, one hard drive (C but do have mapped network drives. But the page file should just be on the C:

Cheers

 

[1stITMAN]

well best thing is to set it to 0 1st then reeboot then set it to 1.5 times the amount of ram

 

[BlackS2]

1stITMAN: Thanks for the tip. I tried this, and although my paging file says 120MB instead of 20MB it still gives me the same error. What else could I try ?

Cheers

 

[SYAR2003]

If you have loads of ram the 1,5 rule is okay .
120MB if that is 1,5 times ram in your machine i assume you have 64MB . I recommend to set it to be automaticly by windows. After a few days of testing you will see the amount you need min=max to set it fixed.
If you run windows+programs that exceeds the amount of phys.+virt. ram windows will try resizing the swap file automaticly ,but if you have set it fixed and to low that might be your problem.

 

[Tech4U]

1.5 times the amout of memory you have is the recommended minimum. That does not mean that it is enough. If you have space on your drive set it to minimum 768 to 1024 or if you want lower set it to 384 to 768. There is no reason that you shouldn't be able to set it higher than 1.5 unless you do not have the drive space.

 

[BlackS2]

Hi,

I have 523,764KB of ram in my machine, so slightly more than 64MB! LOL! I have the maximum size set to 4095MB which is the maximum the machien will allow. Hmmmm.....

 

[Tech4U]

same error then?

 

[Tech4U]

What is the exact error?

 

[SYAR2003]

If you have a spear partition define a swap file on e.g d:set it to custom min=768,max=768 hit set .
Then highlight the c:\ one , custom min=0,max=0 hit set.
Reboot.
Your swapfile is now at d:Check with explorer that c:\pagefile.sys is gone ,if not delete it.
Do a complete defrag of drive c:Then try making the swap file at c:\ again .
best pracsis fixed size ,but big enough e.g 768MB.
And removing on d:\
This gives you a continious pagefile (i hope) on C:\

 

[BlackS2]

Ok, i'll ave to try that cos I aint got a seperate partition.... cheers

 

[1stITMAN]

OK well u still aint solved the problem here some more solutions

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/r1031680836

Ok what I would do also is to run a chkdsk /f

this will check u hard drive for any errors anf fix them

 

[Smallboy3uk]

reading this i assume you have enough disk space to create the swapfile in the first place.

normally you set the swapfile min and max to the same value (1.5x your physical RAM).

another solution maybe to boot from a dos disk and delete the pagefile.sys file, then reboot and recreate it.


Regards

Si.

Win2k MCP

 

[BlackS2]

Hi,

Ok, I will try that tonight and see what happens.

Cheers for the input.

 

[BlackS2]

Hi chaps,

Problem now solved, Saw a thread on the Microsoft knowledge base with the title "Changes To Paging File Sizes Are Not Retained" which is exactly what was happening. The article explains that instead of setting the paging file via Computer Management (Microsoft Management Console) to set it via control panel / system etc. This is what I was doing originally, so I tried it the other way, setting it via "Computer Management" and i couldn't beleive it, it worked!!! Cheers for all your help.

Adam.

See the link here.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;242447&Product=win2000