Registry and Pagefile, do they need to be defragmented?

[Microhard]

I rembered I had PageDefrag when I was using XP but now I'm using 7. So do I need to find 3rd party software or will 7's default defragmenter do the job?

 

[MilesAhead]

You can do it yourself. Disable virtual memory and reboot. Defrag your HD. Now go back in and set min and max of the paging file the same. You should never have to defragment it again. I used PageDefrag on XP also. But once I did the routine above, it always showed it as one big clump. I never had to defrag the page file once set.

edit: as for the registry, the only tools I trust are CCleaner for cleaning out dead data, and NTREGOPT for rewriting the registry hives. I don't use NTREGOPT often. But when I do, I notice the boot up is smoother for a week or so(assuming you shut down and boot up daily.)

edit2: on W7 you may have to take ownership to delete the page file once you have disabled VM and rebooted. See tutorials for adjusting virtual memory size and also how to take ownership. If they aren't here(which would surprise me) the ones on the Vista forum should work fine.

What to set for min and max page file size ... I don't get into those arguments. It varies by machine and how you use it.

 

[logicearth]

You do not need to defrag the registry or page file.

 

[Wishmaster]

In short No.

You can but it really isn't needed nor will help performance.

 

[Microhard]

So the pagefile and registry is better when left alone?

 

[logicearth]

Yes.

 

[cluberti]

Yes. You can make sure your paging file is contiguous (if it's been split on the disk) by disabling the paging file, rebooting, deleting the pagefile file itself, then re-enabling paging (set min and max values for size to be the same). The registry hives, however, are loaded as memory-mapped files - none of the reads or writes to the registry are actually done to/from disk directly, so defragmenting them will have basically zero effect on anything.

 

[richc46]

Here is, what I consider a complete list of maintenance for windows 7
No reg cleaner and leave pagefile alone.

http://www.sevenforums.com/performa...uggestions-proper-maintenance.html#post764471

 

[CarlTR6]

So the pagefile and registry is better when left alone?

Absolutely yes. Win 7 manges the registry much more and efficiently and differently than does XP.

 

[Curzon]

I rembered I had PageDefrag when I was using XP but now I'm using 7. So do I need to find 3rd party software or will 7's default defragmenter do the job?

I'll add my vote to this one. Leave them alone. Just use your prefered standard disk defrag prog.

The Page file absolutely does not need to be defragged. It's a system variable file, and sorts itself out. You don't defrag the RAM do you. Same soup, different gravy! Messing up the Registry will end in tears.

I've also used CCleaner for years, just to clean the registry, and then just once in a while for something specific. When it asks, create a backup of the changes, or create a restore point. I've never had to use these backups, but there is always a first time.

Cheers.