Solved Using a 120 GB SSD and having 16 GB RAM

[deskareas]

This is my first time i use a SSD. My system partition is usually around 200 GB in size.
I know that i should set the download folder to another drive, but what about the pagefile.sys?
I found while investigating, that some old programs need the swap file.
So i set it to min 10000 and max 20000.

It would be nice to get some tips.

 

[Ztruker]

I moved the swap file to a different drive and let Windows manage it instead of specifying a size. With 16GB of ram it will not be used often, if at all.

I did leave a 200MB swap on C:.

 

[jeepmann4x4]

I left my pagefile on C: and just set it to a Max of 2gb. It is not going to hurt anything or shorten the life of an SSD to any noticeable point. No harm, No foul.

 

[JoesMorgue]

SSDs have a limited number of writes to them, therefore you want to manage the drive as such.

I've heard there are ways to better prepare Windows for installation to an SSD, but I'm going to recommend against that because it would be more unnecessary writing to the drive.

Make sure you turn OFF the defragging of the drive. You defrag platter based drives because of physical limitations that do not exist in SSDs. SSDs will not slow down ANY noticeable amount as it frags.

One thing I did was set aside 4 Gigs [out of 16] at boot as a RamDrive, and I load an .IMG I made which puts specific folders on the drive, and then set my browser to use it for it's cache, I also made %Temp%, and %Tmp% point to Y:\Temp on the drive.

Because of keeping the drives from being needed to be "moved", I set my Blue-Ray to drive Z:, and my RamDrive to drive Y:. That way if I add drives, I don't have to worry about software complaining.

My networked drives that get letters start at Q: [Right now, there are 7 in my server]

 

[Britton30]

SSDs have a limited number of writes to them, therefore you want to manage the drive as such.

I've heard there are ways to better prepare Windows for installation to an SSD, but I'm going to recommend against that because it would be more unnecessary writing to the drive.

Make sure you turn OFF the defragging of the drive. You defrag platter based drives because of physical limitations that do not exist in SSDs. SSDs will not slow down ANY noticeable amount as it frags.

One thing I did was set aside 4 Gigs [out of 16] at boot as a RamDrive, and I load an .IMG I made which puts specific folders on the drive, and then set my browser to use it for it's cache, I also made %Temp%, and %Tmp% point to Y:\Temp on the drive.

Because of keeping the drives from being needed to be "moved", I set my Blue-Ray to drive Z:, and my RamDrive to drive Y:. That way if I add drives, I don't have to worry about software complaining.

My networked drives that get letters start at Q: [Right now, there are 7 in my server]

The question was about pagefile usage.

 

[Britton30]

This is my first time i use a SSD. My system partition is usually around 200 GB in size.
I know that i should set the download folder to another drive, but what about the pagefile.sys?
I found while investigating, that some old programs need the swap file.
So i set it to min 10000 and max 20000.

It would be nice to get some tips.

I have left my pagefile on my SSD, otherwise it would somewhat diminish the SSD speed advantage. Some apps will use a pagefile regardless of installed RAM. I have it set at MIN 2GB and MAX 2GB.
Moving you User files to another drive will be helpful as disabling Hibernation, if you don't use it. In a command prompt type powercfg /h-off

 

[Layback Bear]

Just let Windows 7 handle the memory and page filing. You don't need to move it any place or set any amounts. You don't have to create some magic program to fool with the memory. I don't worry about how many wrights to my SSD no more than I would worry about wrights to a hard drive. SSD warranties are done by time not how many wrights have been done. My warranty is 5 years no matter how many wrights it does or does not do. My SSD runs 7.6 to 7.9 on a sata 2.0 port AHCI. Done just wash your hands of all the little tricks and enjoy your SSD.

 

[deskareas]

thanks for all your replies.
i decided not to use system restore and hibernate, that gives me more space.
i am not used to be limited to 120 GB on system drive, so until i have money to buy a 256 GB SSD i have to tangle a bit.

 

[Britton30]

you can also move the Users folder to another HDD you add to the system keeping only some programs and w7 on the SSD.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html

 

[biznatch]

Leave your pagefile on your SSD but set its size to 1-2GB just so there's enough space for a dumpfile, if you care to have a dumpfile if you get a bsod. Windows won't use the pagefile until your physical RAM is nearly full so you don't have to worry about extra wear on the SSD. If anyone knows of any programs that require a pagefile, please list them, because I don't think any programs like that exist. Also you should probably keep System Restore turned on, just in case you need it. You can limit its max size if you want.

 

[Britton30]

The pagefile can be use regardless of what RAM is in use. My PF usage is low, about 350MB, but is in use, I have no idea what program use it, but they do exist.

 

[biznatch]

I wasn't sure exactly how it would act so I did a test:

I set my pagefile minimum size to the minimum allowed 16 MB and max to 2 GB then started loading up my 16 GB of RAM using Testlimit, 1 GB at a time interspersed with just normal computer use (ie. add a GB, use computer for a bit, add another GB, use computer for a bit more). I monitored pagefile.sys with ProcMon and also checked to see if the files size of pagefile.sys changed. There was no activity for pagefile.sys and it didn't start growing until I'd used up over 14 GB of physical memory, then when I added the next 1 GB using Testlimit it jumped to about 500 MB. It's just one test and maybe there's a better way to test it, but it seems like my pagefile should never get used because I never usually use more than about 10 GB of RAM including cached files.

Usually I have my pagefile set to 1 GB.

 

[whs]

I always reduce my pagefile to 2GB and get rid of the hiberfile. Never had a problem. My RAM is 4GB, 6GB and 8GB in the different systems.

 

[jeepmann4x4]

The pagefile can be use regardless of what RAM is in use. My PF usage is low, about 350MB, but is in use, I have no idea what program use it, but they do exist.

+1 To this^^

I have 16gb Ram and "Max" pagefile of 2gb. As I said in my first post, set it to 1/2gb and leave it on the ssd. I did disable Hibernation.
I have attached snips showing how mine is set and also even with 16gb ram, something will still use pagefile. Right now my pagefile is using 280mb out of my "min" 800mb.

I use a Samsung 830 128gb ssd, I have OS and ALL my programs on it..minus games..( I have a TON of programs) as of right now I'm sitting at 50/50 used/free space. All personal files,games..ect are on hdd.

 

[biznatch]

Maybe it can be used, but mine doesn't get used until I hit about 14 GB of physical memory usage. You can use Performance Monitor to closely monitor pagefile usage and my pagefile stays at 0 until I get to ~14 GB of in use physical memory.

 

[JoesMorgue]

I have 16gb Ram and "Max" pagefile of 2gb. As I said in my first post, set it to 1/2gb and leave it on the ssd. I did disable Hibernation.
I have attached snips showing how mine is set and also even with 16gb ram, something will still use pagefile. Right now my pagefile is using 280mb out of my "min" 800mb.

Where did you get that widget?

 

[jeepmann4x4]

I have 16gb Ram and "Max" pagefile of 2gb. As I said in my first post, set it to 1/2gb and leave it on the ssd. I did disable Hibernation.
I have attached snips showing how mine is set and also even with 16gb ram, something will still use pagefile. Right now my pagefile is using 280mb out of my "min" 800mb.

Where did you get that widget?

Sorry it took so long, I was off for the weekend. Here you go, lots of good ones on there.

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