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    Best Virtual Memory setting w/ 1GB RAM?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by anarky, Aug 6, 2006.

  1. anarky

    anarky Notebook Geek

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    What's the best VM or Paging File setting w/ 1GB RAM? I've heard that some power users set it at as much as 350%, i.e. 3.5GB... For that matter, should it be static, or min/max?

    Looking for the best setting for performance.

    Thanks,

    Josh
     
    anarky, Aug 6, 2006
    #1
  2. NetBrakr

    NetBrakr Notebook Deity

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    1 GB of VM is enough for me.

    JC
     
    NetBrakr, Aug 6, 2006
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  3. Gautam

    Gautam election 2008 NBR Reviewer

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    The old rule is set min=max, and the max being 1/3rd of your total ram installed. This is, of course, if you don't have windows set the VM. I am not sure if you can set it to be higher than the total ram you have (ie, >100%)
     
    Gautam, Aug 6, 2006
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  4. anarky

    anarky Notebook Geek

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    Yes, you can set it to be higher than your physical RAM, because it just takes memory away from the HD...

    For 1GB of RAM, some users say set the VM at 1.5GB, and some 2.5GB... I dunno...
     
    anarky, Aug 6, 2006
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  5. Jalf

    Jalf Comrade Santa

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    a third of your ram? Don't know where you heard that rule, but it doesn't really make sense. The max at least should be a lot bigger than that, just to ensure stable operation of Windows (at least on systems with little ram)

    The page file should not be smaller with small amounts of RAM. On the contrary, that's where you need a big page file to compensate, so a third of your ram is a really bad idea in some cases.

    A better rule is [largest amount of memory ever needed at one time] < [page file size] + [amount of memory]

    And a simpler rule would be to just make the pagefile "big enough". 1GB or 1.5GB usually works out nicely, but if you need a lot of memory for the programs you run, you might want to set it to 2.5 or 3GB. But there's no problem in making it bigger. Despite what some believe, a larger page file will not lower performance.
     
    Jalf, Aug 6, 2006
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  6. SomethingLame

    SomethingLame Notebook Consultant

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    It's an individual setting. I have mine set at 512 mb VM/pagefile and it works nicely for me. Until now I have not played a game or used a program that uses more than 1,5 Gb

    I use these programs/games:

    Guild Wars
    HL2
    CSS
    BF2

    Magix Movie Edit Pro (Video editing program)
     
    SomethingLame, Aug 6, 2006
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  7. _radditz_

    _radditz_ Fallen to the Sith...

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    I have 1GB RAM and set the PF to 512MB and i play UT04, Neverwinter Nights and it even ran Quake 4 without a hitch. I also use VS2005 and Matlab.
     
    _radditz_, Aug 6, 2006
    #7