Isn't the page file the system swap file? I think it displays it's size, but doesn't actually use it, until the available RAM has been all used up.
Rick On 1/15/08, Axton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ** Funny thing about Windows, why does it even use the page file when > physical memory is available. Solaris and BSD do not do this. The only > time the page file is used on these OS's is when physical memory is > exhausted. Looking at my desktop right now: > > Total Physical: 2086928k > Physical Available: 730544k > Page File: 1189008k > > Axton Grams > > On Jan 15, 2008 2:11 PM, Kaiser Norm E CIV USAF 96 CS/SCCE <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > There are tools for this, but you can use task manager (in Windows) to > > do this: > > > > > > > > Here's an excerpt from an article: > > > > > > > > Tip One - OK...I want to pump some life into my old computer. How much > > RAM should I buy? > > > > In a recent installment of TOTW, I imparted a few ideas on how to > > breathe new life into aging computers. My number one recommendation was > > to buy more RAM. I also wrote that to figure out what kind of RAM you > > needed for your particular computer, you should pull one of the RAM > > sticks off the motherboard and read the specs off of it. But what I > > left open was the matter of how much RAM to buy. In that installment of > > TOTW, I wrote that you should probably just double up on whatever amount > > > > you currently have. In this installment, I share a better, more precise > > method of determining just how much memory you need. Here's what you > > do: > > > > * First, turn your computer on and leave it on for two or three > > days. Use it during that time the way you normally would--surf the Net, > > read e-mail, play your games, do your work (EPRs, PowerPoint > > presentations), etc. If you do any type of graphics work, like > > manipulating pictures from a digital camera, be sure to do some of that, > > > > too. And if you commonly open multiple programs at once (like I do) be > > sure to do that, too. > > * After the two or three day observation period, click CTL+ALT+DEL > > and click the TASK MANAGER button. That opens the Task Manager > > application. Now click on the PERFORMANCE tab, which looks like this: > > > > > > > > > > > > * Now notice the items I have circled in the image above. The > > item circled in blue is the total amount of RAM I have installed in my > > computer. The item circled in red is the highest amount of RAM my > > computer has needed to function properly since I first turned it on this > > morning. Notice that the number circled in red is higher than the > > number circled in blue. That's a bad thing. Now you might be > > wondering, "How did Norm's computer use more RAM than it actually has?" > > The answer lies in something called virtual memory. Virtual memory is > > simulated RAM. It's a trick your computer uses to fool itself into > > thinking it has more RAM than it actually does. How it does this is by > > using some of your hard drive as RAM. Sounds great, and it's a clever > > trick, but the problem is, compared to real RAM, your hard drive is > > slow. I mean, sloooooooooow. We're talking F-22 vs. bicycle here. So > > every time my computer needs to use more RAM than it actually has, it > > kicks in the virtual memory trick. The problem is, my computer slows > > way down when it does that because using the hard drive as RAM is a slow > > process. > > * Compare the two numbers on your computer. Do the same thing I > > did. To read these number in megabytes (MB) instead of kilobytes (KB), > > just divide the numbers by 1000. So my total memory is 259MB and my > > peak usage was 343MB. > > * If your PEAK number is higher than your TOTAL number, go buy > > more RAM. Buy at least the amount shown as PEAK. When you do buy RAM, > > I recommend that you buy the largest stick you can afford, and buy one > > stick instead of two. That way you'll keep an empty slot available for > > any future upgrade. > > > > _______________________________________________________________________________ > > > > UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org > > Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are" > > > > > > __Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are" > html___ _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"
