Question Automatic vs Custom Page File

[accesscpu_]

Years ago (back in the Windows XP days), I was first advised about the benefits of using a custom page file setting in Windows. It's something I've always done for every new install of Windows since then (I'm now on Windows 11).

Under "Total paging file sizes for each drive" under the Virtual Memory menu, and it would give me "Minimum Allowed, Recommended, and Currently Allocated." I'd always set the initial and maximum sizes to whatever value was listed under what Windows had as "Recommended." For instance, right now both are set to 9077.

I'm wondering if this is an antiquated process, and if reverting back to allowing Windows to automatically manage it for all drives is the better option for performance. Could I see an improvement by reverting to auto?

 

[USAFRet]

You only need and want the pagefile on the C drive.
Disable for all others.

Auto or manually set?
Leave it at automatic, unless there is a specific reason to manually set it to be different.

A LOT of this depends on how much physical RAM you have, and physical drive space, consumed and free.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Could I see an improvement by reverting to auto?

it's been quite a long time since i've seen anyone commenting on the issue.
but, the usual response years ago was usually to have at least double the amount of RAM installed.

 

[USAFRet]

but, the usual response years ago was usually to have at least double the amount of RAM installed.

Which would have been a problem with 16GB RAM, and a 120GB SSD.

Devoting 32GB ( 2x 16) in a 120GB drive is....problematic.

So, it depends.

 

[accesscpu_]

The logic was (and this may have been something I was told long ago) was that if Windows recommends a certain amount in that menu (IE: with mine it recommends 9077), setting both the minimum and maximum range to that value will guarantee it always has that amount accessible.

But again, is that really the most efficient? I'm honestly not sure (and would have no prob reverting to auto if that's a better choice).

 

[Bob.B]

Years ago (back in the Windows XP days), I was first advised about the benefits of using a custom page file setting in Windows. It's something I've always done for every new install of Windows since then (I'm now on Windows 11).

Under "Total paging file sizes for each drive" under the Virtual Memory menu, and it would give me "Minimum Allowed, Recommended, and Currently Allocated." I'd always set the initial and maximum sizes to whatever value was listed under what Windows had as "Recommended." For instance, right now both are set to 9077.

I'm wondering if this is an antiquated process, and if reverting back to allowing Windows to automatically manage it for all drives is the better option for performance. Could I see an improvement by reverting to auto?

Just for yuks disable the page file....test.

 

[TerryLaze]

The logic was (and this may have been something I was told long ago) was that if Windows recommends a certain amount in that menu (IE: with mine it recommends 9077), setting both the minimum and maximum range to that value will guarantee it always has that amount accessible.

But again, is that really the most efficient? I'm honestly not sure (and would have no prob reverting to auto if that's a better choice).

The only reason people had to put it on fix was that resizing the pagefile during gaming would cause slow downs with the drives of that time.
If you have an nvme or even just an ssd and have the pagefile only on that then it doesn't really make any difference anymore.
Just automatic can also have pagefiles on your slow drives and that's what you should avoid, just as USAFRet said only have it on C which is your fastest drive and everything else is gonna be a minimal difference if at all.

Just for yuks disable the page file....test.

Don't, it's being used by the OS for general operation.

 

[Bob.B]

The only reason people had to put it on fix was that resizing the pagefile during gaming would cause slow downs with the drives of that time.
If you have an nvme or even just an ssd and have the pagefile only on that then it doesn't really make any difference anymore.
Just automatic can also have pagefiles on your slow drives and that's what you should avoid, just as USAFRet said only have it on C which is your fastest drive and everything else is gonna be a minimal difference if at all.

Don't, it's being used by the OS for general operation.

Yup the OS sends stuff to the page file even if there is not a need.

 

[SkyNetRising]

But again, is that really the most efficient? I'm honestly not sure (and would have no prob reverting to auto if that's a better choice).

What is amount of physical ram in your system?

General recommendation is to
use as little virtual memory as possible and
as much as necessary.
Unnecessary large pagefile will impact system performance negatively.

To determine optimal values, you monitor pagefile usage. This can be done with Performance Monitor.
Do your usual workload, find pagefile usage, calculate values.
Performance monitor will give you percentage of pagefile used, therefore to get values in MB, you'll have to calculate them.
Then set initial pagefile size to value calculated (plus some extra to account for possible growth).
Set max value to predicted max value.

Good example would be
1GB - 4GB initial,
16GB max.