16GB ram - pagefile size question

[Deleted member 24505]

If windows "needs" it, then surely it will warn me about turning it off, or i will get errors by having it turned off. If i get no errors then why should i have/need it turned on? Also ram is faster than a hdd so if windows needs to use ram it can do without using my ssd for a pagefile.

I don't really care if it speeds up windows or not.

 

[trickson]

I leave mine alone . I do not have an SSD drive just raid0 . But I never have messed with page filing .

 

[erocker]

I'd leave it on "windows managed". Never had an issue this way.

 

[GotNoRice]

If windows "needs" it, then surely it will warn me about turning it off, or i will get errors by having it turned off. If i get no errors then why should i have/need it turned on? Also ram is faster than a hdd so if windows needs to use ram it can do without using my ssd for a pagefile.

I don't really care if it speeds up windows or not.

So basically you really don't know, and are just pushing buttons. I appreciate the clarification.

 

[Tatty_Two]

I leave my pagefile on my SSD, dont care about the writes, care about the speed, I manually set mine to 6GB, I set it to start and max at the same 6GB, that way it's perminently fixed and instantly available, IMO dont set it high if you dont need it high, the more you give it the more it uses (thats not factual based, just my limited observations), don't disable it though, some Windows functions apparently require it..... a lot of debate about this, just go with your preference, rarely will you suffer for it.

 

[trickson]

I leave my pagefile on my SSD, dont care about the writes, care about the speed, I manually set mine to 6GB, I set it to start and max at the same 6GB, that way it's perminently fixed and instantly available, IMO dont set it high if you dont need it high, the more you give it the more it uses (thats not factual based, just my limited observations), don't disable it though, some Windows functions apparently require it..... a lot of debate about this, just go with your preference, rarely will you suffer for it.

Can you tell me just how to set it up on a raid0 setup like mine ? I am at a loss here . I have it set to windows managed and well it seems fine but my page fire is only 4GB .
This is what it looks like .

 

[Nordap]

You might want to consider moving the paging file to another drive. Most likely you wont notice any difference in even the most memory intensive programs. Another option would be a second ssd or hybrid drive and use it as a temp drive. SSD's now a days are built to last, unless you get a cheap off brand it should be fine.

 

[cadaveca]

Can you tell me just how to set it up on a raid0 setup like mine ? I am at a loss here . I have it set to windows managed and well it seems fine but my page fire is only 4GB .
This is what it looks like .

Set the C; drive page file to "NONE", then set the other drive as having the page file.


This is what I have with 8Gb of ram:

To set it up on your raid is very simple, and easy. Once you make the changes on this panel, then reboot, and it's done.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

So basically you really don't know, and are just pushing buttons. I appreciate the clarification.

I wouldn't say just pushing buttons, I am not a chimp and am not a pc noob either.

I googled and did a lot of research on the subject and it is very debated. Lots of people say leave it on, and equally lots say turn it off with 6gb+ of ram. I just thought i would try it, and see what if any difference it makes to windows. It makes no differance it seems to the way windows runs or feels.

I understand the designers of windows designed it with the pagefile, but if it is so critical, why does turning it off have no detrimental effect on the way windows works?

Someone explain why windows "needs" the pagefile, and why is there no seeming downside to turning it off?

 

[Tatty_Two]

Can you tell me just how to set it up on a raid0 setup like mine ? I am at a loss here . I have it set to windows managed and well it seems fine but my page fire is only 4GB .

If it's working fine do you really need to change it? In a Raid 0 setup does it not physically share the pagefile across both drives? I cannot remember, it's a while since I used Raid. I do beleive though (and I admit again I might be wrong but I have looked at useage a lot) that the higher you set the pagefile, the more windows uses it and the less it uses physical Ram..... although that admittably might be just in certain apps, if however it is the case, seeing as theoretically Ram is faster, it "could" be beneficial to lower Pagefile size.

 

[trickson]

If it's working fine do you really need to change it? In a Raid 0 setup does it not physically share the pagefile across both drives? I cannot remember, it's a while since I used Raid.

No not really . It works just fine . But if there is an advantage to using it , Then I would like to know .

 

[trickson]

If it's working fine do you really need to change it? In a Raid 0 setup does it not physically share the pagefile across both drives? I cannot remember, it's a while since I used Raid. I do beleive though (and I admit again I might be wrong but I have looked at useage a lot) that the higher you set the pagefile, the more windows uses it and the less it uses physical Ram..... although that admittably might be just in certain apps, if however it is the case, seeing as theoretically Ram is faster, it "could" be beneficial to lower Pagefile size.

Oh I get it now . RAM is faster than my HDD's unless I had SSD drivers . so page filing would be slowing down my system not speeding it up . I get it now . Thank you .

 

[Tatty_Two]

Oh I get it now . RAM is faster than my HDD's unless I had SSD drivers . so page filing would be slowing down my system not speeding it up . I get it now . Thank you .

Not exactly, the pagefile has a wider purpose than simply that, it does by default get used in preference to physical memory with some apps/functions and of course defaults if more physical memory is needed, as I said in my first post, whichever you choose, you probably won't actually notice any difference and possibly those with just 4GB ram on a Win 7 x64 system would probably need a bigger pagefile!

 

[qubit]

@twicksisted

You're getting lots of conflicting answers on how to set the pagefile, because there isnt' one definitive way it should be set. It all depends on your setup and what you're running.

I find what works best for me, is to have it just set to Auto and let Windows manage it - a true set it and forget it mode. However, as you have an SSD, I suggest setting to Auto on that drive and disabling it for the SSD. Again, it's not critical to set it this way, so you could play with other configurations.

 

[trickson]

I just set mine to 6142 on both them windows just to see how it works so far so good .

 

[scaminatrix]

Since your using a video editing rig, 95% of advice you'll get is going to be wrong. Video editing rigs are quite different to gaming rigs lol no offence to anyone else. Set the pagefile to 4GB and try your hardest to put it on an empty drive. If you're using a HDD for your source media, then you don't really want a pagefile on there. Ideally, it would be on a separate drive.

I have 8GB of RAM in my video editing rig plus 4 HDD's in RAID 0 and the pagefile obviously goes on the RAID array.

In order of importance:

MUST: Take pagefile off of SSD
IDEAL: Place pagefile on cheap, crappy, empty HDD (performance/size doesn't matter)
SETTLE FOR: Place pagefile on HDD with your source media.

To all the nay-sayers: No you may not get massive performance increase from sticking pf on empty drive instead of the source media drive; but in a video editing rig, you don't want a pagefile cluttering up your source drive. Even if it doesn't acccess it at all.


If you're using your SSD as source media drive, then completely disregard my whole post But still take the pagefile off there