Removing Win 7 system file use of paging file

[BrassCat]

Hello the Forum, I have not found, but would guess there is a registry method for turning off Windows 7
use of the paging file for system files. I have 24G ram, but win 7 immediately offloads to the paging file before I even run any applications. Not trying to stop Win 7 from paging programs and program data if the need arises. It should not, but one never knows.

Thanks for any information, BrassCat

 

[LMiller7]

Windows doesn't normally copy anything in exe, dll or similar files to the pagefile. There are some unusual situations where this is done but you have no control over that. There normally is no need to do so. When code in exe or dll files is paged out it is simply dropped from memory, secure in the knowledge that it can be reloaded from the original files if needed.

The pagefile is only used for data that does not exist in any other file. Also understand that the data is initially copied, not moved to the pagefile. The data initially remains in RAM. Only in the event that the memory is needed for other purposes would it exist only in the pagefile. With 24 GB RAM that probably isn't going to happen very often. Copying data to the pagefile can occur in parallel with other operations and there is usually no need to wait for it to finish. The performance cost of copying data to the pagefile is minimal.

So basically you are wanting to stop what Windows doesn't normally do anyway.

Edit: The use of the pagefile is the exclusive domain of the system memory manager. Applications or other system components have no access. The user is provided with almost no control over this. This is as it should be.

 

[gregrocker]

If System Managed setting is using 24gb of drive space you'd like back, then you can Change Virtual Memory Paging File

 

[Layback Bear]

When I first got Windows 7 I tinkered with pagefile, prefetch virtual memory and it was a waste of time. I just let Window 7 manage all memory.
Windows 7 know what to do with memory and when all by itself and it does a great job in my opinion.

 

[whs]

From where do you get the idea that system files are being paged.

 

[BrassCat]

Thanks for asking.

Looking in Task Manger, performance tab. Bottom left, Kernel Memory, next line Paged 224 (Mb)
I have since posting here turned Page files off, rebooted. This reading stays essentially the same. So, currently no page file,
Plenty of Ram 21.6Gb. Kernel Memory Paged must mean something else. Currently I am doing nothing that would require
a memory dump (one noted but rare problem with no page file.

Also, an apparent misunderstanding from reading Windows 7 Tweaks by Wiley Pub.

I thank the others who posted also, was just doing some tests and rereading re my post.

 

[whs]

An interesting article on the matter by Mark Russinovich (an MS fellow)

Blogs - Mark's Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

 

[LMiller7]

Kernel Memory Paged does not mean what it seems.

There are 2 pools from which kernel level components can allocate memory:
1. Non Paged Pool: Data in this pool can never be paged out under any circumstances.
2. Paged Pool: This memory CAN be paged out at the discretion of the memory manager. Note the term is CAN.
Maybe a better term would have been Pageable Pool.

Task Manager shows the current size of allocations from these 2 pools. It tells us nothing of how much data is actually paged out and there is nothing in Task Manager that will tell us this. It really isn't that important. There is no provision for controlling this.

Note that there is an enormous amount of misinformation on the Internet concerning the pagefile and memory management. Even published books sometimes contain errors.

 

[townsbg]

I agree. Memory management is best left to windows. It will still use the page file for certain tasks and you shouldn't even try to change that. What you can do is decrease the amount of space used by the pagefile because windows sets it by default to 1.5 times the size of your real memory. In your case you might want to decrease that.

 

[cluberti]

Paged pool memory is called that because, in a pinch, it can be paged out to the paging file (and of course nonpaged pool cannot). But as WHS and LMiller7 have pointed out, what you see in task manager is not what you think it is.

Unless you've got a reason to change the paging file settings in Windows (disk space concerns, usually), there are no real valid reasons to do so.

 

[BrassCat]

Hello responders,

to: WHS, LMiller7, cluberti, others: I have started Marks Blog on this issue. Seems older info is not so acurrate, cause if I believed all I hear, I should have a page file of 36Gb!
Mark's blog is detailed, and might take me 2 days to digest, besides other things I need to do.
Will repost then.

Thanks to all, Stan
W

 

[whs]

You need a pagefile of 36GB only if you care to get a core dump in case of a BSOD. But for daily operation, 1GB or 2GB will suffice. I run on 2GB since years and on 4 systems.

 

[cluberti]

I've actually found 800MB is the sweet spot for my own usage, but 1-2GB is incredibly safe and a rock-solid recommendation to start (or finish...) from.

 

[AddRAM]

With 16 GB of memory I totally turn off the page file.

With 24 GB, I would too, see if you notice anything.

 

[Berton]

Some time back I ran into a couple of situations with clients running no paging file/Virtual Memory where programs wouldn't install, apparently were looking for that being active. Created small Virtual Memory settings of 2GB and the programs happily installed. I have 8GB RAM and run 2GB max and min on my 250GB OS/C: drive and 12GB max and min on 500GB D: drive, don't have memory problems.

 

[gregrocker]

Question: On a drive where space isn't tight, what would be the advantage of trimming the paging file even with tons of RAM?

 

[whs]

Some time back I ran into a couple of situations with clients running no paging file/Virtual Memory where programs wouldn't install, apparently were looking for that being active. Created small Virtual Memory settings of 2GB and the programs happily installed. I have 8GB RAM and run 2GB max and min on my 250GB OS/C: drive and 12GB max and min on 500GB D: drive, don't have memory problems.

That is my setup too. A total absence of the pagefile can lead to problems.

 

[AddRAM]

Question: On a drive where space isn't tight, what would be the advantage of trimming the paging file even with tons of RAM?

Ya, in his case he`s got plenty of room.

 

[AddRAM]

Some time back I ran into a couple of situations with clients running no paging file/Virtual Memory where programs wouldn't install, apparently were looking for that being active. Created small Virtual Memory settings of 2GB and the programs happily installed. I have 8GB RAM and run 2GB max and min on my 250GB OS/C: drive and 12GB max and min on 500GB D: drive, don't have memory problems.

That is my setup too. A total absence of the pagefile can lead to problems.

Fortunatly, I`ve never run into an issue.

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm not quite sure what pagefiling hurts or what advantage not using pagefilling gives.
If Windows doesn't need pagefilling it doesn't use it. If for what ever reason Windows thinks it needs pagefilling it uses it.

To put it another way. With that much ram what are the plus and minus of using or not using pagefilling?
Why is their so much concern?