Vista - Virtual Memory - Changing the Paging File Size

I currently have 4GB of RAM installed, of which in real terms, only 3.07GB is actually being used by my system.

I am wondering, given that my RAM is sitting at max. levels, if there are any reasons, advantages or benefits to be had in changing the Virtual Memory - Paging File Size for all Drives, from the current size of 3369MB to the recommended size of 4603MB, or more....say 4950MB??

Current situation here;

Hi Tony,

I have always found it best to just let the system manage it to let it adjust it as needed automatically. You can benefit by moving the page file to a separate hard drive though.

You can read more about this here if you like:
Virtual Memory Paging File - Change

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

As a gamer i have to fiddle and tweak everything , its a default setting i have , i have made it bigger , made it smaller got rid of it altogether (that was a bad idea) and put it on a differant drive. (there are benifits to this but not for me)

After all this i found that "let windows manage my virtual memory" was far and away the best and easiest solution to a problem that never existed in the first place

Hi Tony,

I agree with the comments made here. Both Vista (and its successor, W7) manage the paging file much more efficiently than XP and earlier OSes. The only thing I would do, and I would only do this if you are running out of space on your drive, is to create a custom size of around 2x RAM amount. Otherwise, leave it as system managed.

I've managed my pagefile size (through a lot of research).
I've put my pagefile on a separate drive.
I've done without a pagefile.

But all of these required a lot of work for very little gain. I'm not only a member of the Windows-managed pagefile club, but I'm gonna run for President of it at the next election!

Thanks guys for all your answers, and I now have a better grip on this function. The comments in dark blue italics, are my responses....saves a lot of mucking around typing out repeat statements, in addressing individual comments and advice.

So, that's that sorted then. I can now rest easy and devise ways to fill up the new HD . Thanks one and all.

You're welcome Tony.

You can use a separate internal drive instead of an external one though.

On older threads, it just requires that you check the box at the bottom of your post before it is allowed to be posted to acknowledge that it is an older thread.

Thanks Shawn,

Dimwit found the check box after re-posting. And I've just put up a thread about HD partitioning, not just for my own interest, but in case others are also wondering about creating additional internal drives. That's the option I will use if it pans out right.

I wonder why you don't have a x64 OS... Or do you?

....nope! Just check my System Specs. And I'll tell you for why.

It's because until 25 months ago, I had never had anything to do whatsoever with PCs, Laptops, Systems etc. etc., that is until I bought this setup and started from deep frozen cold. Everything I know now has been self-taught, but since Sep '08, with much appreciated help and support through the guidance and advice of great Members of this Forum. You might say that the Vista Forums have been, and are for me at least, the 'Windows University of the Internet'.

So bearing that in mind, you might understand why I am trying to learn as much as I can within one set of specifications, [32 bit (x86 OS)], before venturing out to join the great unwashed in the lands of x64 OS and W7.

Greater minds than mine are constantly grumbling about some of the limitations of the x64 OS, and I don't yet wish to join that muttering community. I'm quite content playing in my own x86 OS sandpit, well for the time being anyway.

I wish to become proficient with my current system and setup, by taking one small step forward at a time. I want to avoid at all costs, the possible scenario of "One small step for Man. One gigantic topple backwards for sassofalco"