Jump to content

KoolDrew

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    28

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Donations

    0.00 USD 

  • Country

    United States

 Content Type 

Posts posted by KoolDrew

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    There is something wrong with every one of those articles. I just skimmed through them because I am in school, but forget about the pagefile. Leave it System Managed. There is no reason at all to mess around with it. Anyone who had any idea how Windows manages memory would recommend the same thing.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    The task manager is incorrect. Did you even do anything that I mentioned above? If you did you would realize I am correct. Don't even bother arguing with me if you are not going to do what I have suggested.

    Just set the pagefile to none, reboot and then look in the task manager. It will say a number there, but with no pagefile how can it be being used? This is because the actual PF usage graph is the sum of all the processes' "VM size" from the processes tab, plus some systemwide stuff like the paged pool (which shows up on the performance tab) and some other system wide stuff.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    Pgaefile = RAM + pagefile makes no sense at all. Where the hell did you get that from?

    Since you are so confident that the value you are seeing in task manager is correct then how about making a small 20MB pagefile and run the same applications. Taskmanager will show you using much more then 20MB. Then you should come to the conclusiont hat I am correct. You are saying that the value in Task manager is actually the Pf usage, but if the number there is 305MB and you have a 20MB pagefile then how is that possible?

    It is because the value in Task manager is incorrect. If you wanted to actually learn something new instead of being ignorant and stubborn you would of tried what I posted.

    Also since you still don't believe me how about using perfmon which is built into windows? Go to Start > Run > perfmon. The click the '+' and choose paging file in the dropdown list. Now take the last percentage. In my case it is 20.669 and multiply this by the cdurrent size of your pagefile. In my case this is 394MB. So

    0.20669 x 394 ~ 81MB

    So from that you can tell I am only using 81MB of my pagefile. the value in perfmon is percentage of the pagefile being used. That is why you had to move the decimal and multiply.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    The pagefile will most likely fragment if it expands. Typically, since the pagefile does not move, the next available chunk of hard disk space is located at the end of the disk. The expanded portion of the paging file goes to this [slower]area resulting in two or more fragments. When set to automatic, the last thing you want the paging file to do when it expands is fragment. A full commit charge condition causes Windows to expand the file. By fragmenting it, you're further slowing down an already overburdened system.

    Did you not read anything I just said? I said if it expands yes it would be fragmented, but it would go back to its initial size on reboot. Also if you read my post I explained how fragmentation of the pagefile has no affect on performance except fragmentation of other files.

    False and false. Windows 2000 and XP default to the %systemdrive%.
    If you have multiple pagefiles on multiple harddrives Windows will use the pagefile on the least active drive.
    I'm running Firefox, Windows Media Player 10, Microsoft Outlook, a command window, Calculator and Photoshop on a system with 512 MB of RAM and Windows XP Pro. I'm currently using about 305 MB of my 1GB paging file. Not used much? Have you looked at Task Manager lately?

    LMFAO. I hope you know the PF usage graph in the task manager is not correct. What you actually are looking at is how much RAM + Page file is in use. Use this tool to see how much of the pagefile you are really using. I bet the number wil be MUCH lower.

    http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

    You can alos find it out by using perfmon.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    I linked to the sticky about services so not that guide. Also about the bootvis thing. It was not designed to increase performance for end users. It was designed so PC system designers and software developers identify performance issues for boot/resume timing while developing software and stuff. Also the boot optimization feuture in bootvis is built into Windows Xp anyway.

    Also about your first link. Yes it does correctly define Virtual memory, but he has some terms wrong (paged pool is not what he thinks it is, for example) but it's among the best I've seen.

    Now about the second link. It gives some bad advice. First of all yes mo0ving it to a seperate physical drive and controller will help seek times, but the pagefile is NOt the only file involved with paging. Anything with an original file can be paged back to the original file. Anything that does not needs to go to the pagefile is the memory is needed. So in essence these are all pagefiles. You cannot find the best place for all of them. Also with the amount of RAM in machines nowadays the pagefile is not used much so placemnt of the pagefile is silly.

    The page also recommends making the intial and max the same. All this does is remove one of the major benefits of having a pagefile which is it provides a safety net. It can expand if needed.

    The page also says if you put multiple partitions on different hard drives then "Windows 2000 automatically selects the fastest drive to page memory to" This is false. Windows will use the least active drive.

    That page also says stuff about pagefile fragmentation. First of all if the pagefile resizes the pagefile will automatically be brought back to its initial size on reboot so there is no fragmentation. Also the ONLY way pagefile fragmentaion can reduce performance is by fragmenting other files since it cannot be moved.

    The reason pagefile fragmentation does not affect performnce like people think is because first of all Windows NEVER reads or writes more than 64 KBytes per buffer to the pagefile. The pagefile also will never be read or written to in sequential 64Kbyte chunks. So after reading or writing it WILL have to move the heads, no matter how fragmented the pagefile is. The pagefile IOs would also be interspersed with paging IOs to many other files, and non-paging IOs to many other files, too. So during all this the head will HAVE to move anyway so fragmentation of the pagefile will have no noticable affect on performance.

    I read the third link you posted a while ago and that also has some bad advice and false info.

    Ask any expert and they will tell you the same thing I am telling everyone and that is leave the pagefile System Manged.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    Actually no it doesn't need to be tweaked. Removing visul effects etc. is about the only way to increase performance. Every tweak guide out there has flase information. Many even refer to the pagfile as virtual memory. Would you really want to follow a guide like that?

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    I don't know exactly what determines the size of the pagefile.sys. I do know RAM is the greatest contribution in the determination of the pagefile size. By default its always larger than the RAM you have. I have 2 systems with 1 Gig RAM, and both have their pagefiles at 1,5 Gig.

    So a multiplier of 150% would sound logical. However, I read from people with 2 Gig RAM, their pagefile file is 4 Gig. That's 200%. I would have expected a 3 Gig pagefile.sys for systems with 2 Gig RAM.

    By default it is 1.5x your RAM I believe.

    @el_diablo4303

    No. Windows XP is basically tweaked out of the box. Just secure your PC so it doesn't fill up with viruses.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    A little suggestion, if I may, could you possibly refrain from saying that other people is stupid, and be a little less aggressive in your posts.

    The community here is for people trying to exchange info and knowledge, NOT insults or denigrating other people's work or ideas.

    Of course everyone has the right to have his own opinion and to express it, but denigrating others plainly it's not polite.

    Sorry.
    I am running right now a win 2k machine that has 256 Mb of RAM and a 1,7 Gb Hard Disk, of which I have about 800 Mb free.

    I would have thought that if I set the swap file to 512 Mb I would have:

    Physical RAM 512 Mb + Swap File 512 Mb = 1 Gb Virtual Memory

    How can I have 4Gb of Virtual Memory, as I am missing 3Gb of them?

    Read this. It covers linux, but Virtual Memory is the same

    http://kerneltrap.org/node/2450?PHPSESSID=...98b107619066927

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    Also lock the file by putting both values the same. The max should also be the min. 512, 768 or 1 gig.
    Why the hell would you do that? Then when the pagefile needs to be expanded it cannot. Just leave it system managed.
    Like what false information  ? Most of the information there helped a lot of people. So can you give me a better site besides the Microsoft page (Most people will get lost  )?

    Alot of services are missing alot of important information in the description. The site also basically reccomends trying to disable as many services as possible. Disabling services will NOT increase performance. A service that is not being used is not using any memory or CPU cycles.

    If you really want some info on particular services this may help.

    http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/ubb.x/.../m/964006884631

    Blackvipers site is one of the sites he is refering to when he says "I'm fed up with misguided, malicious and downright moronic websites springing up everywhere telling people to disable or enable or wave a dead chicken at certain services without telling people what they're actually doing or just plain lying about it."

    Also read this on blackvipers site:

    "Virtual Memory ~ The name used for the sum of Physical RAM and the Swap File. In other words: Physical RAM + Swap File = Virtual Memory. You cannot "disable" Virtual Memory even if you disable the Swap File. Meaning, 2 GB RAM + 0 MB Swap File = 2 GB Virtual Memory."

    That shows the creator of the site does not even know the basic idea behind Virtual Memory. Anyone who is running a 32-bit OS has 4GB of Virtual Memory.

    My recommendation would be to set your paging file to a static size (i.e. Max = Min). This will prevent Windows from dynamically resizing the pagefile while you're working (thus slowing things down).

    Again some terrible advice. The pagefile will only increase in size when you are under a heavy load and it is needed and if it is set to a "static" size it removes that safety net if it needs to be resized. Just leave it System managed.

    Ask anyone who actually know how the Virtual Memory subsystem works and they will tell you the same thing.

    If you guys want me to go into technical detail about certain subjects then I will, but my point is just about every tweak guide out there has TONs of flase information. This is NOT the 9x days when tweaking was sometimes needed. Windows XP is basically tweaked out of the box.

    Also leave the pagefile system managed. You will not gain any perormance from changing this. If anyone wants to argue this then go right ahead.

    @el_diablo4303

    The best advice I can give you is IF you read an Xp performance tweaking guide do NOT believe everything it says. Most of it is most likely false information and terrible advice. I am not saying everything will be wrong, but most will.

    Also do not worry about tweaking for performance. Just keep your PC secure to prevent slowdowns from viruses and spyware etc.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    If you have two seperate hard drives, it is sometimes an advantage to install games on the second drive if it is as fast or faster than your main hard drive with your OS on it.
    This is more personal personal preference then anything. In theory yes it would help loading maps slightly, but I would much rather use a second drive for other uses.
    If you are running anything that is graphics intensive, then having a small or no pagefile will show up pretty quickly with 512 MB of RAM. Splitting your pagefile over the two hard drives should help also.

    Why does everyone want to tweak the pagefile? Just leave it system managed.

    Look here for more info on services, it´s good for people who start to play with them:

    http://www.blackviper.com/

    Blackvipers site is crap. He gives stupid service advice and also does not explain enough about certain services. There is no reason to disable as many seervices as possible. It will not increase prformance. IF you find something annoyign liek Security Center you can disable the service. INdexing is the only service that will really affect perormance.

    Also, keep always a swap file to play safe, I have 512MB RAM and a swap file of 768MB (about 1.5 times the RAM). You will not gain much performance by disabling the swap file.
    Yes, you will not benefit at all from not having a pagefile. I reccomend leaving it system managed, but if you don't it is best to put th initial size 4x times the amount that is written to your PF. To determine this you will have to run perfmon after running your most intensive applications. The max should be 2x that.
    The site that puntoMX suggests has a lot of information that will inform you of what you might need to do and help you make the decisions you will need to make on your own. It's a large site, it's a good site.

    Actually that sit4e will give him alot fo false information.

    0

    Increasing Performance

    in Windows XP

    Posted

    Some of you guys are giving this guy terrible advice. With 512MB of RAM just leave the pagefile System Managed. You will not gain anything from disabling the pagefile.

    Also ignore many tweaking guides out there. All I have seen have given false information and general bad advice.

    The best things you can do is be well secured and get rid of all spyware and background applications.

    You can get rid of all the eye candy though, but switching to the classic theme (i like it better anyway). Also by going to Control Panel > System > Avdanced...

    I don't know the exact location as I am not on a Windows machine right now, but choose settings somewhere and choose for best performance to get rid of all eye candy.

    Also ignore anyone wh0o says to disable as many services as possible. The Indexing service is about the onyl one that will decrease perofrmance. Any service that is not being used is not using up any memory or CPU cycles. Also many people that disable services run into problems in the future. It is OK to disable a few that you find you don't like though. For example I disable Security Center and Themes.

    0
×
×
  • Create New...