Pagefile reverts back

Im trying to get the best virtual ram usage for my video editing system (WIN7 32BIT 4gB RAM) so I've taken the advice of some and switched the virtual ram over to another drive from that of C (boot) drive. The system recommends 5361mb and 3574mb is currently allocated. I've reset these values twice to 5361, saved n rebooted...but end up back at 3574mb in use, not the 5361 I tried to set.
I've nuked the virtual ram from C drive altogether. Strangely when I rebooted just now a note tells me it has created a ram space for me (somewhere) as it was low. Is that because I nukes C (boot) virtual ram?

Am I on the right track with my allocation (5361mb). Im on a separate drive altogether - connected to the system by USB.

Connected via USB, depending on the USB interface I'm
Guessing a page file on there would actually slow the system down more rather than having it on an internal drive. No chance of just getting more ram? That would be a lot better for video editing.

The general idea of placing the pagefile on a non system drive (physical drive, not partition) is valid but there are some qualifications. Primarily that the other drive has performance on a par with the OS drive, and considering that it is attached via USB that is unlikely to be true. Suggestions found on the Internet often omit details such as this. It is normally not recommended that the pagefile be placed on an external drive.

Unless you have a suitable internal drive for the pagefile it would be best to leave it on the OS drive. Unless you have a specific need and understand what you are doing I would recommend that you leave it as system managed. Contrary to misguided advice found all over the Internet this is not inefficient.

While more RAM might be useful for video editing with a 32 bit OS 4 GB is the maximum that can be used.

Thx for the replies friends. It is not practical at this stage to go 64 bit as I an a long way down the line in editing this seres so I will take the advice and put it back on the C (Boot) drive.

There is a button up the top - "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives" or go for the custom setting - 1.5x the physical ram= 6000.

Also someone has stated it should be 1.5x ram plus 300 mb. Any truth in that.

Thx again all

D...forget to ask...in custom settings is minimum ram the same as max?

Max would be 6,000mb so what is the best setting for minimum.
Thx

My standard recommendation regarding the pagefile:
Unless you have a specific need and you understand what you are doing, leave the pagefile configuration on "system managed".

The recommendation for the initial size to be 1.5 X RAM size is very old and dates back to a time when RAM sizes were much smaller. The initial size of a system managed pagefile in Windows 7 is "Total" RAM size as shown in Task Manager. The "recommended" initial size as shown in the pagefile configuration dialog hasn't caught up with current practice.

Much nonsense has been published about the system managed pagefile, primarily that it continuously resizes according to need. This is not the case. All that "system managed" does is to set the initial and maximum sizes, nothing more. If the initial size is adequate, which it will be unless you are pushing the system very hard, then it will never resize.

I don't know where the continuous resizing part comes from as simple observation of the pagefile size in Windows Explorer will show that this isn't happening.

Hi LMiller7 and all others.

When you say to leave the pagefile on "system managed" do you mean right up the top on the Virtual mem page it says - "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives" or to leave it on the boot srive - C?. On C it recommends I have 5361 Mb set aside. And if you do mean using C drive, the Min and Max?? how much do I put in there. Some have suggested I have min and max the same - 53610 Mb.

As I pointed out from the outset I use this computer for video editing - editing High Def images so it does get a bit of a flogging. I would go for 64 bit but Im nearing the completion of this video series. After this is over I'll jump onto 64 bit programs so I get the full use of the of ram. On the 32 bit system I can only use 4 gigs, hence why its that much more important to maximise the VM usage.
Thx