I have 512MB of RAM in my system... can I disable Virtual Memory?

BowDown

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Jun 2, 2000
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I'm running Win98SE for my Games, and RedHat Linux Deluxe Workstation 7 for everything else. What should I set my Windows Virtual Memory on now that I have a half-gig of RAM?

Let me know... thanks :).
 

interchange

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Do NOT disable it :Q.

A good idea is 1.5X-2X your ram, but since you have so much, I would think that a fixed 256MB is plenty.

Win98 SE will not be any faster from that RAM, and, unless you use it as a server/graphical workstation, your linux boot probably will not come close to touching your swap file (very good memory management).

The best thing to do is install Win2k :p.
 

TravisBickle

Platinum Member
Dec 3, 2000
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hmm there is a ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 hack you can use in the registry I hear. It applies a bit of sense that Windows doesn't naturally have when it comes to lots of memory and swapfiles.
 

Paladinexe

Senior member
Jul 18, 2000
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Go to start> RUN and type in system.ini
under [386enh] type:
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1

then click File> Save.
this causes your pc to use all the ram before using the harddrive for virtual memory.

The suggestion for 256M fixed Virtual Memory is a good one.

 

mindiris

Senior member
Oct 23, 1999
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I'm under the impression that if you have 512MB of RAM, you would have a fairly decent sized HD to go with it. If that's the case, setting the swap to 256MB minimum should give you a good cushion in case you decide to launch a really large image scan for editing or something. I wouldn't set the maximum as the same however, since you would like it to resize if you ever need it.
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
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Just let Windows handle your VM. Honestly, Windows will do a a much better job than you ever will.
 

Whitedog

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Dec 22, 1999
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I venture to guess most of these replies have been made by those who haven't used a system with 512 megs ram and VM disabled...

Trust me, Disable VM. Windows will say "WTF are you doing?" when you initially do it, but it won't bat an eye after that... You'll enjoy a smoking Windows invironment.

Even software games that require TONS of VM to play them such as Deux Ex will run flawlessly with VM disabled.

I ran a Win98 system with 384 RAM with VM disabled for over a month and enjoyed a TREMENDOUS increase in performance.

I've don't it and swear by it.

If you set a minumum swapfile size you are dooming yourself performance wise. If you tell windows to have a 256 meg swapfile, it will USE it. You don't want that.

VM was designed because in the old days, people couldn't afford lots of memory. Times have changed.. ;)

[edit]If you're reluctant to disable it, setting the ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 and telling windows to manage VM is your next best bet. You'll more than likely never see your win386.swp larger than 0.k[/edit]
 

Whitedog

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Dec 22, 1999
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It's just too bad Windows 2000 can't operate without pagefile.sys :(

On a good note, with 384 RAM, I've set my pagefile min to 100 megs... it's never gotten any bigger than that. :)
 

Whitedog

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Dec 22, 1999
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<<A good idea is 1.5X-2X your ram, but since you have so much, I would think that a fixed 256MB is plenty.>>

Sorry, but this is a complete uneducated presumption. You need to read up on Virtual memory I recommend.
 

Whitedog

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
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<<Go to start> RUN and type in system.ini
under [386enh] type:
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1

then click File> Save.
this causes your pc to use all the ram before using the harddrive for virtual memory.

The suggestion for 256M fixed Virtual Memory is a good one.>>



Better explained:
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 is a very indepth function, that in a nut shell, tells windows NOT to cache to disk any program that has been sitting at idle, but to leave resident in memory, thus reducing swapfile usage. It would appear that what this gentleman said could hold true in a sence..
Without the setting enabled, immediatly when a program loads, windows determines certain functions of that program are going to go idle and immediately loads into VM, with the setting enabled, it prevents windows from doing this.

[edit] I forgot to comment on the fixed swapfile. When you use ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 and set a fixed swapfile, here is what windows does. &quot;What? You don't want me to use Swapfile? You have 256 megs of it sitting there, I'm going to use it anyway! :p&quot;
By telling windows to manage it, it will reset to &quot;0&quot; everytime you boot. And with enough physcal mem, will remain &quot;0&quot;.

If you just Game in Win98, I challenge you to simply just try disabling VM for starters... You'll be surprised! ;)

Now, if you did a lot of HEAVY tasks, perhaps disabling VM wouldn't be your best choice, but that's not the case. [/edit]
 

Philly C

Senior member
Feb 24, 2000
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What about 256MB of RAM under Windows ME? What should I do? I use the ConservativeSwapfileUsage thing already and I let Windows manage my VM.
 

velvetfreak

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Nov 24, 2000
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I know this is not Windows I'm talking about, but I have a PowerMac G3-350/192MB that I run ProTools on. ProTools operates strictly with virtual memory disabled. I don't see why Windows should be that much different. Whitedog's advice sounds kosher to me.
 

Wuming

Golden Member
Dec 14, 2000
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hey... just need to confirm. is the line to be added to system.ini ConservativeSwapFile = 1 or ConservativeSwapFileUsage = 1? i have done the former recently and haven't been having any problems, though i must say i haven't seen much of an improvement as well. i am running win98se with 256 mb of ram and windows managing my VM. thanks!
 

PG

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 1999
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Disabliing VM is stupid with a capital S. Some software programs need VM to operate. Pro/Engineer system requirements state that it needs a minumum of 128 swap file to operate.

 

loveturtle

Member
Nov 9, 2000
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asus mb probe will give floating point errors on a7v if vm is disabled
also the blair witch games will mess up on sound if no vm
however disabling vm is the best thing to do for video capture if you have enough ram
 

BowDown

Banned
Jun 2, 2000
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Well I'm using Win2k Pro right now... I still have all the default settings enabled. Wow! HD Access is about 75% faster in 2k :).

Rune on Win98SE took about 20seconds to get into; Win2k Pro takes about 5 seconds :D.
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
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I venture to guess most of these replies have been made by those who haven't used a system with 512 megs ram and VM disabled...

A lot of people stuff around with VM and just end up letting Windows handle it after they find out it works much better that way. Turning off VM interfers with Windows' memory manager and its ability to effectively manage and cache resources.

If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
 

maxcom

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2000
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nice thread, .....I love this place,...... I have 256mb with a perm swap of 512mb ( 98se)and file system set to &quot;typical role of this computer &quot;Network Server&quot; and &quot;read ahead optimization&quot; set to &quot;full&quot;. This seems to be the typical advice around the net. Are these truly the optimum settings ?

appreciate the thread

Tom
 

AMDfreak

Senior member
Aug 12, 2000
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Very interesting thread here. I'm curious, what is the possibility and feasibility of disabling VM in Win2K? If unable to disable, what do you guys recommend to be the optimum VM settings. I'm using the system as a guinea pig for networking projects and games. (see specs in sig)
 

loosbrew

Golden Member
Oct 30, 2000
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i have never set VM higher than 128 with a machine that has 128 in it. if you had 64 i wouldnt go much higher than 256, you just dont need tha much memory. tell me when the last time you saw windows eat up 200+ of virtual mem? other than major rendering or major major photoshop work i doubt you ever will. even still ifyoure doing major rendering you probably alreayd have 512 and shouldnt need VM all that much anyways. its a not a set in stone thing but, win2k needs VM on and cant go less than 2mb. but why would you care, just set it at 100 or 128 or whatever and leave it alone, it never does anything if you have enough physical memory.

loo
 

StanTheMan

Senior member
Jun 16, 2000
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hello whitedog....
I bet u haven't play a new and exciting game: Sacrifice from Shiny Entertainment.
The game required AT LEAST 96 meg of swapfile no matter how much your phisycal RAM is. I have 512 of RAM, and I fixed my swapfile to 128meg.
no problem so far whatsoever.