Optimal pagefile

[David]

Last time I installed XP, I had several attempts at creatinga pagefile partition at the start of the disk and installing windows elsewhere.

I didn't succeed though I'm thinking it's because I was doing something stupid...

Has anyone managed this on a single-hdd system?

Rgds,
David

[Cain]

Start of the disk?

I have two HDDs on my PC, 40 GB and 4.3 GB, I am keeping 2 GB in the smaller disk for swap mem. Works like a charm.

|Cain|

[hongkongfuey]

David,

if you want to do this, the easiest way is to partition the first part of your hard drive for windows, and then have a small partition at the end of the disk for your swap file. When installing Windows, you'll need to remove any existing partitions, and then it should prompt you to create a new one. Just subtract the space you need for your swap file and install windows normally.

When in Windows, go into Computer Management and click on 'Disk Management'. You should then be able to create your second partition in there (don't forget to assign it a drive letter!)

Not 100% sure it is worth the effort, but could keep your page file from being fragmented. It wont make it any faster as it is still on the same physical disk (apart from the fragmentation benefit)

Cain - one thing to watch is your page file is on a presumably older (and therefore slower) drive than your main installation. This might lose some of the advantages you get in having the pagefile on a separate drive. I'd run some benchmarks with the pagefile on / off your main drive to check you are really getting a benefit from your current setup.

[Cain]

My old HDD is not too slower than my new one, the difference was not too much before though I get the occasional noise from my old HDD ;)

|Cain|

[hongkongfuey]

My old HDD is not too slower than my new one,


Fair enough - just worth bearing in mind for anyone else considering using an older drive. It will be particularly noticable if you have upgraded your PC / motherboard to support a new HD standard (e.g. ATA 133) and your old hard disk is running at a slower rate.

Cain - Also - Are the 2 HD's are on different IDE cables? The best arrangement will depend on the types of CD drive you use as the IDE cable will run at the speed of the slowest device on it.

[David]

I have the same reservations as hkf about using an (even) older drive for swap and thought I'd try the Unix Way of having swap at the start of the drive. It is faster that way and yes, the other reason is to cut down on swap fragmentation (wtf was M$ thinking of????).

Rgds,
David

[hongkongfuey]

If you want it at the start of the drive, then you'll need a small 'system partition' (which the OS boots off) first I believe. Since this wont change much, you could possibly have your pagefile here.

The 'boot partition' contains the OS files (and it doesnt boot off it! - check http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q100/5/25.asp&NoWebContent=1 if you dont believe me)

You should be able to partition a smallish C:\ drive at the start of the drive and a large D:\ drive and then have Windows default to installing in D:\windows.

I'd probably have the c:\ drive as FAT32 as there will be nothing in there that is highly secure(unless you are worried about someone analysing your pagefile!) and will allow other OS to access it (useful if you dual boot). The d:\ drive should almost certainly be NTFS.