Paging File help

Hey All, I have this problem and hope someone can help me.

I installed windows XP Pro on my PC about 8-9 months ago and everything was fine. Then two days ago I switched on the PC to be told my an error message that my computer had a problem with the paging file and that I should go to control panel to set paging file.

I went into control panel and set paging file to computer managed and also tried a variety of number from minimum of 190 MB to later on Maximum of 800 MB. Having restarted the computer as told the settings don't seem to stick ( in that on the paging file setting section it says "paging file size of C: is 0 )

I went into safe mode and used Spybot , adware and reg cleaner but it hasnt resolved the issue.

I tried to run virus scanner Trend micro online scanner and even tried to install AVG but they don't work as they shut down automatically as lack of memory.

Iv looked at the memory usage as someone mentioned that something may be leaking memory but on the memory usage but the biggest user of memory is IEexplorer.


What else can I tell you, On spybot I found something called Smitfraud-C and spybot removed it.

Not really sure what more to try so hope someone can resolve my problem.

What is the size of the hard drive?

How much free space is there left on it?

How much RAM have you?

When did you last defragment the drive?

When did you last run a disk check on it?

I would get Crap Cleaner and run that. Also clean out all your rubbish, MRU, history etc. Then defragment and try again.

If that fails try going back to a restore point.

You might also try the Windows Repair function off the XP CD.

It could be all sorts of things, I need a few more details please :)

I fdisked and defrag as I initially thought paging file error may have been due to displaced files etc.

My HD is 120 Gigs, but the partition im using for windows is 80 Gigs, with only 12 Gigs currently filled with data. The other half of the disk was meant for Suse Linux but I havent gotten round to installing it yet.

I cleared out the files such as History etc using windows disk cleanup.

I have two 128 MB sticks of Ram .

Im going to try crap cleaner and if not then try repair on the Windows XP CD.

By default, XP creates a page file which is 1.5 times the amount of installed RAM and places it on the hard drive where you have installed XP.
Apart from slotting more RAM into the motherboard, there is little than can be done to alter its performance characteristics.

You may need to defrag it every once in a while though!

Click Start > Run and enter "compmgmt.msc" to open Computer Management Console
In the left pane, click Disk Defragmenter which is under the Storage section.
In the right pane, click the drive that contains the page file and click Analyze.

When it has finished select View Report and scroll down to the Pagefile Section to view the fragmentation state - The lower the number the better!

To defrag the pagefile is a simple as deleting it, defrag the hard drive that had it stored on it then re-create it:

1.Delete the fragmented pagefile by setting it to 0 in the control pannel
2.Reboot
3.Defragment the drive that held the original page file
4.Recreate the original page file
5.Reboot


It may be worth keeping an eye on your task manager to see how your memory is being used!

You can also split it over more than one hard drive to improve preformance or even move it to a harddrive that does not have your XP installation on it.
Let me know if you have more than one hard drive - not one that is partitioned - and I will talk you through how to do this if you want.

Hope it helps!


//Just read your above post - you need to delete the pagefile and then defrag your hard drive otherwise it the area of your hard drive with the page file on will not be touched during the defrag.

//You also don't have a good RAM setup so your pagefile is more than likely used quite a fair bit - set it to atleast 750MB more if you can spare the Bytes!

IMO

If you are having page file issues...yes the defrag and cleaning up the crap will help...

also

get more RAM 256 is minimum....I run a gig ...and it runs great...

even 512 would be better...then you would use less of the page file..


MLF

Ive tried analysing the drive, cleaned the page file on shutdown ( ie changing the number thing to 0). and its now set back to 1.

On the analising report both before defrag and after defrag it says pagefile size = 0 Bytes.

I don't understand why the page file is now playing up as I hadent done any major changes or installs over the last few days .




P.S on the memory side of things I was thinking of adding more memory so if anyone knows anywhere I can get memory for a KT 7 Raid motherboard at cheap prices let me know.

Sorry meant to say I used crap cleaner and still no join.

The only other thing i can think of trying is to repair using the windows XP disk,

Anyone got any other suggestions ?


Also when i look at control panel ( paging file section) it says drive volume C: paging file size 190-400 Mb


And then at the bottom of that section is says total paging file size for all drives ( minimum allowed 2MB, Recommended 190 MB,Currently allocated 0MB).


thanks

Ooooooooooops!

Of course! ....................It looks like you might have a RAM problem.

128 x 1.5 (the default multiplier) =192 and it is recomending 190Mb?

Earth yourself and take out the memory sticks. Air blow the slots and clean the stick contacts with solvent.

Make sure that they are firmly seated, and try again.

Can you borrow some more memory to test with?

:)

Maybe the paging file is set to a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 190 (or so). So therefore it could be at zero.

Try setting both the minimum and maximum page file to 192 and don't let Windows handle it. I also find that this settles other performance issues as well, where Windows sets the minimum, finds out it needs more and locks your system to increase it's page file.

GL.

Errr,

You cannot set the minimum to 0 it has to be 2Mb or greater, so it isn't working, which suggests a defective memory stick to me.

esi1 You might check your system to see how much memory your system thinks that it has.

With 256Mb, I would set your pagefile to 768/768, but you need to get Windows recognising your RAM first :)

This system has 1024Mb of RAM. It suggests 1536 (1.5x) with a maximum of 3Gb or so.

Please go into <Windows Task manager> then <Performance> and check out your physical memory values
;)