Moving Paging File to another Partition

[thenoo]

In an attempt to move my paging file from my C: Partition , due to my unfamiliararity with the process , I've now got this file on both my C: drive and the new desired Partiton.

Is it OK now to simply delete this file from the C: Partition , thus leaving me with only one paging file on this other Partition ?

My reason for using this process is an attempt to reduce the size of an Image File of my C: Partition .

 

[Dinesh]

I guess you have simply copied C:\Pagefile.sys from one drive to another but that doesnt solve the purpose. It is supposed to be in the directory where windows is installed.

I dont think you will be able to delete pagefile.sys without taking ownership of the file. Still, I feel your PC will be in problems if you delete this file.

Good Luck with your experiment, let us know how it went incase you try...

 

[rubyrubyroo]

no... allow me to elaborate....

 

[gregrocker]

I would not do this if I were you. But feel free to elaborate.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Your pagefile is a system file and can be placed on other partitions/drives or more often other disks to increase preformance, under certian cercumstances. That purpose is not what you are doing this for so another partition on the same drive will be fine, if it is moved correctly. I would really suggest you remove other junk files with a program like ccleaner if you havn't already to free up some space, then uninstall a few unused programs. also, If you havent already done so, you can check to see if you have a hybernate option in the (start)>>Shutdown>dropdown menu. if so then you can remove the hyberfil file in the same dir (root drive by default) as the one you moved. this file can be enormous, and can be removed, and later reestablished.

If you MUST move the pagefile (as you've already done, although I believe you merely copied it) then it can almost definately be deleted from the second drive ONLY.

To move your pagefile to another drive you need to follow a set of steps so windows knows where it is once WINDOWS moves it.

I'm trying to find a clear tutorial,for you, but how about my previous suggestions to free up the space? just dont mess with the pagefile on the system drive until you are certian there isn't an easier way, and I find you that link.

mike

 

[rubyrubyroo]

OPTION 15
Move or Shrink the Page File

For better performance, it is always recommend to have the virtual memory page file managed by the system and to not turn it off. By default, the page file is stored on your system drive (Windows 7 drive).

If your system drive is low on free space, then you could move the page file to be stored and managed on another internal hard disk instead to free the allocated space used by the page file on the system drive, or shrink the page file to reduce the amount of allocated space used.

1. For how, see: How to Change the Virtual Memory Paging File in Vista and Windows 7

​

Courtesy of: sir Brink


BUT I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO TRY OTHER METHODS - I'll include a link to the first dozen options which will probibly save more space than the pagefile when combined....

Mike

 

[sygnus21]

In an attempt to move my paging file from my C: Partition , due to my unfamiliararity with the process , I've now got this file on both my C: drive and the new desired Partiton.

Is it OK now to simply delete this file from the C: Partition , thus leaving me with only one paging file on this other Partition ?

My reason for using this process is an attempt to reduce the size of an Image File of my C: Partition .

Yes, but make sure you have a working page file first! See the tutorial below before doing anything first to get a better understanding.

See this tutorial on correctly moving your page file - Virtual Memory Paging File - Change - Vista Forums.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

This is your best shot:

READ IT (please): http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/129976-hard-disk-space-free-up-recover.html

mike

 

[rubyrubyroo]

to be honest, I am surprised it even allowed you to copy the file as it is a system/protected file open by a some v. memory management process with continuous I/O. I would have guessed it would reply "this file is in use" or similar message, even to just manually copy it not only offers unnecessary risk to the file itself and, since the contents are being altered constantly throughout the copy-process you'd end up with lets say 10% of the original contnent, another 10% of the content as it would appear seconds later, and so on. A useless, corrupt file, so I recommend you do not mix up the files if you try to remove the copied one.

 

[thenoo]

Moving Page File

As there have been several replies to my original post on this subject please accept this as a reply to all who have kindly given their advice.

In reply to the suggestion that I may have merely copied the page file thus arriving at the existence of the original one on my C: DRIVE and a second one on a second partition I should have explained initially that in changing this file I followed the process of navigating through the Computer icon's Properties>Advanced System Settings>Advanced>Settings>Change ...etc as advised by MS. The first time I did this I mistakenly picked the C: DRIVE !! This of course didn't change anything!

I then repeated the procedure this time ending it by clicking on the other drive. This seems to have resulted in having the file on both the C drive AND on the other drive - hence my question as to whether it would now be OK to delete the file from the C: drive. Perhaps , to be sure here , I should delete the file from the second drive first and then repeat the process correctly ?

Thanks also to the others who gave help on other methods of reducing the size of the C: I am aware of these methods and got advice of an identical nature from the organisation which produces the Image File software I use "Terabyteunlimited.com"

I now have an Image File of my C: completed which I will be retaining so that ,if any deletion of the page file which exists on my C produces a problem , I'll be able to return to the "status quo ante" .

Will reply with a description of any resuls.

Thanks to all for the prompt and helpful advice .

 

[MilesAhead]

I've run into that before. I made a small page file on another partition so that I could delete the one in the system partition and defrag. The system switched me to using the page file on the other partition, but it didn't delete the current one. It was some time ago so I forget how I got rid of it. Maybe took ownership and changed attributes or something.

They should really change that dialog. I don't know how many times I've switched the paging from system control to user control, clicked all the Apply and OK buttons, only to go back in and see the new setting didn't "stick." Sometimes it takes setting it like 3 times before it stops reverting to the default.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

the pagefile in use should change size over time, but i'd be leary of removing the other with that explination. I believe theres a key in windows registry that purges the curent page file and starts a new one upon reboot, i thought it would be mentioned in that tutorial, but, that might prove helpful in the future.


glad to contribute,
mike

 

[Pete4]

did you try to delete extra page file? if the file is in use (active page file), it won't let you delete it, if it's not in use then it's all garbage and you should be able to delete it after going thru permission hoops. I did this (move page file to another hard drive) under xp and don't remember exactly now, but I think I needed to remove it manually.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

did you try to delete extra page file? if the file is in use (active page file), it won't let you delete it, if it's not in use then it's all garbage and you should be able to delete it after going thru permission hoops. I did this (move page file to another hard drive) under xp and don't remember exactly now, but I think I needed to remove it manually.

hey Pete,
I'd be careful using the ability to delete one of the pagefiles as a "test" of sorts. The second copy may be active too?! True it should restrict th deletion of an active pagefile, but it may the inactive one may also be unable to be deleted due to its protected status. I would think if the process would remove the restrictions, it would simply remove the file at the same time. Seems reasonable enough, right? As i mentioned, the pagefiles could simple be observed at say 3 point of time maybe 5-10 min apart and surely one will be dynamically resizing (if not stress the system memory with a handful of open browsers or photoshop sized apps)

Mike

 

[MilesAhead]

the pagefile in use should change size over time, but i'd be leary of removing the other with that explination. I believe theres a key in windows registry that purges the curent page file and starts a new one upon reboot, i thought it would be mentioned in that tutorial, but, that might prove helpful in the future.


glad to contribute,
mike

After reboot and one checks the settings, it should point to the new page file, the old one should be gone. Doesn't always happen though. Sometimes you end up with the new page file in use, the old one sitting taking up space. I believe in XP you could just delete it from the Owner account. But in Vista and later if you're in that position you need to take ownership yadda yadda.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

thats basically what I'm implying.... the second pagefile has the however unlikely potential, to be "open" for read/write ops thinking it is the real page file, although windows is merely interacting with the true file, whatever method it uses to keep track of the location(s) of page file(s) may flag it as such. making it tricky, like in the game "operation" only instead of a red nose bulb and buzzer, it is hooked up to who knows what virtual memory management services/processes. So I'd do all I could to maybe even "trick" windows into deleting it (maybe switch it to the second drive, reboot, then put it back on the first, and reboot) - type of trick, just realize it's possibly fire your messin' with!


EDIT: and can a protected file be taken ownership of? assuming it still holds this status.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

the reg key I was referring to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown = 1

will purge the pagefile during reboot

zero is the default state ( i believe it resets itself after the purge, but might want to double check it is set back to 0 )


Mike

 

[thenoo]

Attempt to Move Page File (Continued!)

I decided to re-start this attempt from a position which existed before my efforts described in this thread,

I achieved this by using a previously created Restore Point of my C Primary Partition to return to a previous state of the PC.

The PC has 2 hard drives DISK0 and DISK1

DISK1
This is partitioned into 2 Volumes:- C: Boot (Primary) & G: a Logical Drive

DISK0
This is partitioned into 2 Volumes , both Primary Partitions D: & F:

I now notice that there is a Page File in both the C: drive and also in the D: Drive.
This was something I did not notice before.

What I want to do is remove the page file from the C: Drive in order to keep any Image File created of this drive as small as possible.

Is this a possibility considering that there exists 2 page files ?

 

[Sub Styler]

the reg key I was referring to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown = 1

will purge the pagefile during reboot

zero is the default state ( i believe it resets itself after the purge, but might want to double check it is set back to 0 )


Mike

This option will not delete the page file but simply write over all the bits in the file with 0's so data recovery cannot easily be performed on the page file and a picture of what the machine was last used for cannot be constrewed.

This will significantly slow down your shutdown time and is recommended for use by Gary Glitter!

Please note the new pagefile will be created immediately but in the case of selecting to remove an existing one the system will need a restart. It usually works for me first time.

As for the dynamic resizing, I effectively disable this by setting the max and min to the same value, I just ensure that value is high enough (3GB on my system).

 

[rubyrubyroo]

alright, so 1 system partition? multi win partitions, mixed OS's.

If, as I had previously believed, C: is sys/boot part. : windows 7 (sole OS). and D: is going to be page file space to roam, then you have 2 active pagefileS for the C: win7 sys and you just need to remove the original C: default location pagefile.sys file leaving ONE pagefile on D:

am I understanding in any capacity ?


mike

......yes...no...maybe so
because I can easily spew forth an answer.......