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Real time Page File usage monitor

Discussion in 'Other PC Software' started by charlesvar, 2006/11/02.

  1. 2006/11/02
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    charlesvar,
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  2. 2006/11/02
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    I have used XP_PageFileMon too, in order to convince myself that I do not need more RAM and to convince others that they do ... ;) ... !

    Howard Kaikow's (the one you linked to) is the better one since it can be set to update itself.

    Christer
     
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  4. 2006/11/02
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    Exactly what I was doing.

    I went looking for a real time monitor because I was trying to convince a friend of the need for more RAM - which led to this seiries of events: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=59059

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
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  5. 2006/11/02
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Yes, I've seen that thread and am ... :confused: ... since it makes no sense. I did, however, wonder if Rockster2U got the spelling right - should it be Famous Tinker ... :p ... ?

    Sorry, couldn't resist it. Have been sitting on my hands for a whole day now!

    Christer
     
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  6. 2006/11/02
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    Have been using this Monitor for a day now - and shows no page file use for any apps I run.

    Ran a drive image - first time that I see the page file being used in any significant way:

    Copied a sampling of the log - the 1st one set is typical, that never changes when running my apps, the sets below that are when a drive image is being created.

    Pagefile: C:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 31 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 38 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    15:22:47 on 2 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: C:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 182 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 312 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    15:23:52 on 2 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: C:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 147 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 312 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    15:23:55 on 2 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: C:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 148 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 312 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    15:23:57 on 2 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: C:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 148 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 312 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB
     
    charlesvar,
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  7. 2006/11/02
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Charles,
    I find your InitialSize: 0 MB, MaximumSize: 0 MB and Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB strange. I ran it a minute ago and my log reads:

    I have set it to 768MB-1536MB and it has never (that I have noticed) been increased from the initial size.

    Christer
     
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  8. 2006/11/03
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    It is strange - the setting is to let the System mange it.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
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  9. 2006/11/03
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Hi Charles!

    Well, this means that I found another reason to NOT let the system manage it.

    Christer
     
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  10. 2006/11/03
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    The size is always 766 - used or not.

    The setting numbers in the advanced tab are: 2 - 766.

    Do you think it makes a difference?

    In my monitoring, use never comes close to 766, which was why I was interested in seeing what the use was for drive imaging which is the most instense use of RAM that I know of.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #9
  11. 2006/11/03
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Charles,
    does the actual size of c:\pagefile.sys correspond to 766 MB (784384 kB)?

    ... and the radio button for "Windows Managed" is marked?

    Christer
     
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  12. 2006/11/03
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    Yes to both. Its not on C, the page file for C is on another drive, Partition G.

    In the meantime, what I've done is change it on the C OS (remember I'm dual booting, the other OS is on a 2nd internal drive D, partition D) to:

    Custom size = 766 -1024.

    The other OS's page file (D's) I'm going to leave as System Managed with the numbers I gave you.

    We'll see if a difference.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #11
  13. 2006/11/04
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,

    Ok, think I got this straight, when changed to Custom, a page file on C got recreated, forgot to tick the "no page file" button for partition C:

    8:58:02 on 4 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: G:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 766 MB
    MaximumSize: 1024 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 13 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 13 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    The other - D OS page file I'll leave as system manged for now.

    9:22:36 on 4 Nov 2006
    Pagefile: E:\pagefile.sys
    InitialSize: 0 MB
    MaximumSize: 0 MB
    Current Pagefile Usage: 31 MB
    Session Peak Usage: 31 MB
    Current Pagefile Size: 766 MB


    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #12
  14. 2006/11/04
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    Hello Charles!

    With a Windows Managed pagefile, it seems like "InitialSize: 0 MB" means "not set" and the same for "MaximumSize: 0 MB ".

    It also seems like Windows "reserves" some space (in your case 766 MB) for the pagefile when set to Windows Managed which is the same as setting a minimum size but not a maximum size.

    On my system with 512 MB RAM, in System Properties > blah, blah > Virtual Memory, the minimum allowed is 2 MB and the recommended is 766 MB but the installer set it to "Custom" = 768-1536MB which is 1.5-3.0 x RAM.

    I have wondered why Windows recommends a pagefile that is slighly less than 1.5 x RAM? Could it be that it decides that of the 768 MB, 2 MB is minimum and 766 MB is maximum ... :rolleyes: ... ?

    No matter what, the findings are interesting!

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #13

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