Switching to Windows 64-bit

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Wasn't the "rule" 1.5x to 2x RAM? can't remember now, but that's what I've been using.

I've been googling "paging file Windows 7" and I'm seeing recommendations for a min of 1.5x, max 3x RAM.

I'd just plunk the page-file and game-installs on the fastest drive. In your case, I bet that's the 160GB one, especially if that happens to be a relatively new Western Digital.

It's a Seagate, about 1 year old. The 1 TB boot drive is the new Western Digital.

In mine I have a 10GB partition at the start of the disk (which is the fastest part, it get's slower in finding and writing data towards the outer portions of the platters) set to 6GB min and 8GB max (would be 9GB/12GB or 9216MB/12288MB in your case).

I can't tell you if it actually makes a difference; it's not like I did extensive benchmarking or something.

I felt like it made a difference when I was running XP, but then I wasn't getting the 6 gigs of RAM that I'm getting now. The main reason I went in and did it for the new Win7 setup was that I was getting a tremendous amount of lag trying to pull up data, which was really annoying considering that I was trying to install and restore stuff from files I backed up before the upgrade.

Then in the course of doing more searching regarding speeding up response times in general, I saw something in a thread here about the power management settings and a lightbulb went on over my head. I checked and sure enough it was set to power down the hard drives after 20 minutes of inactivity. So I'd find and run a setup file saved on the external drive, and by the time I finished getting the reinstalled program up and running to spec on the C drive and went back to look for something else on the backup drive, it would've powered down again. I changed the settings and it's been a LOT better since.

Some advice to never remove the page file from C: completely, to increase stability, but I've never had any issues with it. (though reading the next bit I'm gonna create a system-managed one on C: again)

So if I were to create a partition for a custom page file on the 2nd HDD with the settings noted above, should I just set a system managed one on the C: even though it's not in a separate partition? Or is there a way to shrink the existing single C: partition and create a separate one for another page file there? OTOH that seems like a lot of trouble for debatable increase in performance.

Oh and that bit at the bottom of the Virtual Memory settings, where it gives "total paging size file for all drives" - does that mean it's the Minimum and Recommended size allotted across all disks on the system? Is it recommending 9214 MB total split between all disks that have a page file on them if there's more than one? That always confuses me. Do those numbers really matter all that much (aside from the minimum allowed)?

[Arclight]

Well like the document advises, a page file 1.5x the RAM should be enough, especially in a system like yours where avalable RAM is not an issue. It's the recommended total, so all page files added up/total virtual memory, no matter how you spread them/it out.

What I've done now is make a set page file on a separate drive in a dedicated partition, like I mentioned before, and set it to system managed for C:. The document seems to indicate Windows will prefer the set-size one on the other disk, since that doesn't contain boot/system files and sees less traffic as a result. That way Win always has 2 options to work with and the chance of running out of space is essentialy non-existent, while allowing it to use the less-used disk at that moment for the paging.

Think that'll work out nicely. It even worked perfectly without the bit on C:, but maybe now that it has another option things will be even smoother.

[frau kaleun]

That makes sense as far as setting up the files on both drives, but if you want the total page file size to equal a particular amount (1.5xRAM, or the OS's recommendation, whatever) how do you arrive at a size for the one you customize if the system is managing the other? When you select that option for C: does it give you a size so you can adjust the file on the other drive accordingly to come to the desired total?

[Gerald]

Mam,is this tread sticky,

[Arclight]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

That makes sense as far as setting up the files on both drives, but if you want the total page file size to equal a particular amount (1.5xRAM, or the OS's recommendation, whatever) how do you arrive at a size for the one you customize if the system is managing the other? When you select that option for C: does it give you a size so you can adjust the file on the other drive accordingly to come to the desired total?

After I set C: to system managed, Windows created a page file there 4GB big, so I'm assuming it will match the amount of RAM.

You can either ignore it or subtract that from the total desired amount.

I'm just going to ignore it. From what I understand the custom one will be the one used normally, while the system-managed one on C: will only play a role for a memory dump in the event of a crash, and perhaps when you set the system to suspend or the other drive is just too busy to accomodate read/write to the drive.

To avoid fragmentation, you could manually set the one on C: to match your amount of RAM, plus a little breathing room, setting min and max the same so it doesn't expand. (it's actually 4.01GB here)

[frau kaleun]

I just reset it to system-managed on C: and it allocated 6 GB, so it looks like it does go by how much RAM is installed.

I think I will set it a bit higher just for the breathing room, lol, and then go ahead and set up another page file on a separate partition on the other drive and see what happens.

Glad to know I can also use that drive just for game installations too - I definitely want to get in the habit of NOT installing them in Program files!

[Arclight]

Good habit, at the very least you'll get around any permission issues with UAC.

The way i have it now is 64GB C: and 532GB D: partition on primary 640GB drive. C: houses OS and programs, D: houses data that is accessed rarely (installers, back-ups, etc).

2nd 640GB drive has 10GB P: partition for page file only and G: is 586GB for games.

3rd drive is single 931GB (1TB) E: partition for media. So if it's playing back music or video, it shouldn't interfere with OS and game activity.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

3rd drive is single 931GB (1TB) E: partition for media. So if it's playing back music or video, it shouldn't interfere with OS and game activity.

Ditto. I bought the big external drive specifically for music. Now I also use it for installers and backups, it takes a lot of the misery out of installing/reinstalling an OS. There's enough of that without worrying about losing all your data!

EDIT: Now I just need to think of a clever name for the new partition where the games are going.

[Arclight]

Yep, got everything in storage. Driver packages for this board, the previous one and any I ever worked with, basically. If anyone ever comes back with trouble, everything's handy. Plus installers for just about anything I ever used and every image/save-file/what-have-you (and since forgot about).

Though I usually end up re-downloading to make sure it's up to date, but should internet ever fail it's not an issue.

So much space going to waste though.

[stephenf555]

I took the plunge and moved to 64-bit (dual boot), expecting a whole heap of problems. Had no problem at all. A lot of my hardware doesn't have specific 64-bit drivers but they worked fine. Just make sure your proc and motherboard support 64-bit. Your processor does alright.

If you're worried about it then you can install 64-bit while still keeping your 32-bit windows intact (dual boot setup).

[Arclight]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

EDIT: Now I just need to think of a clever name for the new partition where the games are going.

Frau's little corner of frolicking freedom.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Frau's little corner of frolicking freedom.

At the moment it's just labeled GAMES. Which looks really boring and mundane in the lineup between DAS BOOT and HAL9000.

I suppose 'THIS IS WHY I HAVE NO LIFE' is way too long.

[Arclight]

WOPR

Or Joshua.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarGames

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

WOPR

What I need to think of is something Discworld related, in tribute to the fact that I used to call one of my drives HEX, except I've named the computer HEX, so I need something else.

I need to read up on Hex again and see if I can come up with something.

[AVGWarhawk]