How big should i set Windows Swap File for 256MB of RAM?

[TheJackal]

I had thought that it was twice the amount of physical RAM you had, which in my case would be 512MB. However, i have been reading recently on here that this is not necessarily the case. Can anyone shed some light on this? Also, should i set ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 under the 386enh section in System.ini?
Thanks.

 

[fkloster]

Someone recently posted that the ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 trick does not work anymore. Set it to 512x512 if you got lots a HDD space.

 

[Technonut]

The ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 line works fine for me in 98SE. I did it a long time ago, and checked the box to allow Windows to manage the Virtual Memory. I have NO swap file started on my drive at all. This is confirmed when I use Norton Speed Disk to Defrag. No swap file is present, or shows up on my drive with "show hidden files enabled" I have not used my RAM to the point that Windows started a swap file. Before I enabled the ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 line, NSD would Defrag the swap file, and move it to the front of the disk. It just is not there anymore.

 

[Guilty]

ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 works fine under WinME as well. For the original question, it depends upon your hardrive, you dont want to make a swap file so large that it hogs the outer tracks of your disk. So I would suggest about 1x or a littler high, maybe 280MB, would be a good compramise. Use a permenant swap file, and Norton SpeedDisk to move the swap file to the outer tracks on your harddrive. And also the ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1 declare is suggested, since you could likely run multiple applications without going over 256MB's and therefore never touch the slower swap file.

 

[Noriaki]

that 2x your RAM size is a little old...that was back from Win 3.11 when machines had 8 or 16MB

I use 512MB just for kicks, but you won't need that much (I have 384MB) I have CSFU=1 and I don't think that I ever get it touching the disk.

You should always have CSFU=1

 

[fkloster]

Everyone has been using the old CSFU=1 for a long time. Has anyone ever tested to see if it does anything @ all?

 

[Mem]

I set mine to 1.25x256mb so in my case 320mb on Win98 OS1,I have some games that like 300mb so this is a good setup for my own PC, gaming wise.Btw I also use Cacheman.

 

[Guilty]

fkloster: Simply starting windows without it and checking physical/virtual RAM usage shows some swapping already. I use Cacheman to check my memory usage, and without it I have 50MB's of swap used just when windows is done booting, with it on I have 0 used. So obviously it does conservativly use swap only when all or close to all physical RAM is in use.

 

[jinsonxu]

Those old rules are weird. I'm not sure they apply to current systems.

The whole idea of more ram was to reduce disk access right? Suppose we have 1 gig of ram, what do we do? 2 gigs of swap file? That's ridiculous!

 

[Vegito]

I have it set in W2K Pro, haven't had time to see if it works or not.. so how do u tell if it works or not ?

 

[fkloster]

Cool. I use it too but someone said in another thread that after Win95 it no longer works...

 

[BadThad]

fcloster - CSFU definately works, IT IS NOT FOR WIN95.

See - Conservative Swap File

 

[fkloster]

Thanks.

 

[Smith]

Well...

Has anyone bothered to run System Monitor with swap file usage selected in the background ? Then run Q3A say for 1/2 and hour.

This is the most valid test to use I think.

 

[Technonut]

Yes, I have run Q3A for over a 1/2 hour before with the System Monitor running. Results: Kernel Processor Usage: 100%/ Memory Manager: Swapfile In Use: 0

 

[Smith]

OK, I'll give it a try also. Sounds great !

 

[Taz4158]

CSFU=1 works exceptionally well. My swap file is at 0 after 2 months of intensive use.