The 2gb/4gb Problem Again!

well, by default, your paging file is placed on the drive windows is installed on. Moving it isnt really ness. to begin with but it could help speed up the boot process and improve overall performance if you place it on the front end of the system. That way, when u give an instruction, it doesnt have to go through each and every drive to find the pagefile. Booting…likewise…. if the pagefile is on the front end of the drives it finds it first off. However, with anything over 2gb, your probably better off WITHOUT a pagefile all together…

Hi again, Crow…. This sound as though I am getting picky…..but you see, what you have just said is another conflict….having been desperately trying to resolve the issues, I have been searching as much as I can…and others say that you should always have some Page File because so much of OS and other programs rely on it (they seem to suggest that you don't want the OS using RAM)??? I guess I'm still lost……bear in mind that I am flying blind here…I'm only an illustrator and a motorcycle engineer….if PCs ran on petrol, Bill Gates would be in trouble. D

Its all good, I know how you feel. Its always good to look/ask around. The thing is that with computers there is always more than one correct answer. And alot of trouble shooting is opinionated, not to mention the correct way to solve a problem. Granted, I dont think your paging file is the issue to the original problem, if you will take a look here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555223 it should solve any questions you may have about virtual memory.

I try to be the first to have an open mind when it comes to posting here (or anywhere) because like I said… theres usually more than one correct way to go about doing something. I have been doing this for quite some time, however, and I have done about everything possible with the paging file. One other thing you might keep mind is that even though 64 bit architecture supports 16 thousand gigabytes of ram.. 32-bit XP only supports 4…. and that in and of itself could causing the issue.

But anyhow, I will gladly help and give you all the advice i am privy to.. i understand conflicting advice does nothing but confuse users.. and if you'll notice, Tom Coyotes along with a very others work together and "train" and "learn" from each other in order to kill that very problem. So, any help we can be…you just let us know.. we have many qualified individuals posting here and if theres one thing I can say about all of us here, if we dont know… we will tell you we dont know.

You make it look as though I was being critical….sorry if it seems that way, not meant to……I am just confused.

Having searched all over for 'cures', I think I have got to the point where I can't take any more in.

Anyway, as far as I can see the RAM and settings are all OK [Apart from the '4GB installed' '2-3GB seen' problem]

I have seen mention of /3GB switch, PAE, and Memory Hole….whether I should implement these or not, I don't have a clue….and are they safe to use?

I sort of basically understand the PageFile issues, but having identified the 'pagefile.sys' file [which won't defrag]in the drive where OS and Programs are installed it seems to mess things up more if I try to delete it….I wonder if it is safe to do so??

What I was going to do was to get rid of this apparently 'corrupt' file, then defrag the drive and reboot [or reverse order], then reset the Pagefiles to System Managed one on the drive mentioned and another on a separate partition???

What I guess I really need is somone to sit here and do it for me, then I can blame them!

Thanks D.