Names 

Page file and correct sizes for different memory sizes. Who is a Sysadmin? Setting up virtual memory in windows 8.1

A paging file is an area allocated on a hard drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD) or removable storage into which data will be unloaded from RAM under high loads. Simply put, this feature is designed to increase the performance of your computer.

Realizing this, many users are interested in how to increase the paging file on Windows 8. Another popular request is the optimal size for it.

Changing the paging file size

Open the root section of Explorer. In an empty area of ​​the window, right-click, select properties. Find the inscription in the left block "System protection" and click on it.
There is a faster option to access this element: press Win + R at the same time. In the dialog menu, enter sysdm.cpl and run the command. Further actions:

Here you can set the size of the paging file, select a disk to host it on, and disable the feature completely. Two setting modes are available: automatic and manual. In the first case, the system itself will determine all the parameters. But customization is also possible, which will be discussed in the next section of the article.

Optimal paging file size

But the opinion of the Microsoft developer is worth listening to. One of the employees of the Sysinternals division, responsible for setting up technical software, said that the optimal volume can be calculated using the following dependence:

  • The minimum value is determined by the difference between the actual amount of RAM and the computer's RAM consumption under heavy load.
  • And the maximum size is equal to the value from the previous paragraph multiplied by two.

Dear Alexey.

To change the paging file size in the Windows 8 operating system, you need to perform a number of simple steps, namely:

1. Right-click on the icon My computer on the desktop and in the context menu select Properties.

2. In the computer properties menu, click on the link Advanced System Settings, go to the tab Additionally and in the section Performance click Options, as in the illustration below.

3. In the options, go to the tab Additionally click Change, being in the subsection Virtual memory, as in the example shown in the image below.

4. To make changes to the paging file, uncheck the Automatically select paging file size, check the box next to the item Specify size, fill in the fields Original size (MB) And Maximum size (MB), accordingly, click on the button Set, as in the illustration below. Click OK. The paging file size has been changed.

Remember that the size of the paging file should be calculated based on the amount of RAM installed in your computer. The larger the computer's RAM, the correspondingly smaller the paging file should be. For example, if your computer has four gigabytes of RAM, the page file should be no more than 768 megabytes. Personally, my laptop has eight gigabytes of RAM, thanks to which I generally work without a page file.

How to increase the performance of Windows 8. Increase RAM using the page file. What is a paging file, why is it needed and how to install it.

RAM is one of the important elements in a computer that is responsible for the speed of performing tasks assigned to it. The more RAM (Random Access Memory) you have, the faster running processes on your computer will run.

In modern computers running Windows 8, it is recommended to install at least 6 GB of RAM, and a minimum of 4 GB. If you have 8 GB or more, then you don’t have to worry about increasing it; this amount can cope with all the tasks of an ordinary user.

But who has 4 GB is better to increase. There are two ways to do this - buy in the store and using a swap file. For those who cannot afford the first method, today I will tell you about the second.

What is a paging file and why is it needed?

This is simply allocated space on your hard drive specifically to help your RAM. When you run several processes at the same time (programs, browser, ISQ, etc.) your memory may not cope.

That's when the page file works, adding RAM space on the hard drive for processing processes.

Of course, such a process requires more time than performing tasks only in the most operational way, but in the absence of it, it will be better than nothing, as they say - for lack of fish, fish for cancer. 🙂

For users who have 8 GB or more and who do not use graphic editors (Photoshop, 3Dmax) and do not play computer video games (where graphics are used), they can completely disable the page file.
Because RAM itself processes user tasks faster without using a page file.

By default, for all operating systems, the paging file is installed on the partition (disk) on which the system itself is located and has a dynamic (changeable) size to be able to allocate space as much as RAM is needed.

Today we will install it on another partition and configure it for your computer.

How to properly install the paging file and configure it

You need to install the paging file on a partition where you do not have the system itself and the most free space. Usually the system is installed on the partition with the letter “C”, and other partitions can have letters starting with “D”.

Also, after installing on the “D” partition, make sure that you have disabled the paging file on other partitions, so as not to create additional load on the disk.

Do not install a paging file if you have less than 10% free disk space left after you add paging, this will lead to increased disk load, which is not even more desirable than low RAM.

There are two versions of setting up the paging file:

  • static - of a certain size,
  • dynamic - resizable.

In the first case, we ourselves set the amount of space that the RAM can request. Accordingly, we set the minimum and maximum numbers equal to your RAM.
It is believed that in this case the paging file is not subject to fragmentation (empty spaces on the disk) and works better.

The second case suggests making dynamic paging, when the minimum volume is equal to the amount of your RAM, and the maximum is its double value.

I recommend using the second option, because... I find it more productive. And you can fight fragmentation by configuring it to be cleaned after completion of work.

So let's move on directly to the steps to configure the paging file.

Open the right tab and select “Options”

Go to “Computer Information”

We look at the amount of installed RAM (RAM)

Open “Advanced system settings”, a small new “System Properties” window will open. In the “Performance” section, click “Options”

In the new “Performance Options” window that opens, go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Virtual Memory” section, click the “Change” button

  1. Select a disk with more space or simply not the one on which the system is installed
  2. Check the box next to “Specify size”
  3. We write down our values
  4. Click the “Set” button
  5. And click “Ok”

  1. Next, select the disk (or disks in turn), where it says “By system choice”
  2. Check the box next to “No paging file”
  3. Click the “Set” button
  4. If a window pops up, click “Yes”
  5. And click “Ok”

To do this, select the “Run” command in the “Start” menu; if it is not there, then look in “All applications”

In the window that opens, write secpol.msc and click “Ok”

  1. Click "Properties"
  2. Select “Enabled”
  3. "Apply"
  4. And "OK"

Afterwards you will need to reboot. You can do it right away or later.

Now you know how to increase the performance of Windows 8 without buying anything. 🙂

P.S. Write in the comments whether you use a swap file or maybe you have other methods?

Virtual memory allows you to expand your RAM ( RAM - Random Access Memory), using disk space in this capacity through a technology called paging ( paging). The essence of this technology is that a special file is created on the hard drive called the paging file ( paging file), into which data that is not currently in use is written from RAM. When the data is needed, it is returned to memory, possibly displacing another block of data onto the hard drive.


The initial paging file is created automatically on the hard drive on which the operating system is installed. By default, paging files are not created for other drives, so if necessary, they must be created manually. When a paging file is created, it is given an initial and maximum size. In Windows 8, the page file is called pagefile.sys

In Windows 8.1, the paging file size is set to at least twice the total amount of physical memory installed on the computer. This helps avoid page file fragmentation, which can cause system performance degradation. When manually managing virtual memory, page file fragmentation can be reduced by setting its initial size to be at least equal to the total amount of physical memory.

If the amount of RAM installed is 4 GB or less, the maximum page file size should be at least twice the amount of RAM. If the amount of installed RAM is greater than 4 GB, the maximum size of the paging file should be at least one and a half times the amount of physical memory (or as recommended by the computer manufacturer). This helps maintain the integrity of the file and write data to it in the form of contiguous blocks (if possible with the available volume space).

Setting up virtual memory

To configure virtual memory, follow these steps:

Open dialog box Performance Options, to do this, press the key combination + Q and in the search field of the sidebar that appears Search type systempropertiesperformance and press the key Enter ↵

In the dialog box that opens Performance Options go to the tab Additionally

On the tab Additionally window Performance Options click the button Change...

A dialog box will open Virtual memory

This window provides the following information:

  Disk [volume label] And Swap file (MB). Information about the current system virtual memory settings. For each volume, its paging file (if any) is indicated. The paging file size range specifies its initial and maximum sizes.

  Total paging file size on all drives. This section contains information about the recommended amount of virtual memory for the system and the currently allocated amount. Please note that (in most cases) the system disk has already been allocated the recommended amount of paging file, as indicated by the selected switch System selectable size

By default, Windows 8.1 manages the paging file size for all drives. To manually manage virtual memory, clear the checkbox

In the list of drives, select the drive for which you want to configure a paging file.

Set the switch Specify size and enter values ​​for the initial and maximum paging file sizes.

Click the button Set to apply the specified settings.

After completing the settings, click the button OK. If a window appears asking whether to overwrite the old file pagefile.sys new, press the button in it Yes

If you change settings for the paging file that is currently in use, you will be prompted to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. Click the button OK

OK. When closing the window Properties of the system A message appears stating that the computer must be restarted to apply the changes.

Automatic virtual memory management

To configure Windows 8.1 to automatically manage virtual memory, follow these steps:

On the tab Additionally dialog box Performance Options click the button Change to open the dialog box Virtual memory

Check the box in this window Automatically select paging file size

Close all open dialog boxes by clicking the button in them one after the other OK

Don't have enough random access memory (RAM) to surf the Internet or run a modern game? Before increasing its size, try setting up the swap file. It is quite possible that your PC or laptop will work much faster. Read below about what it is and how to enable the page file in Windows 7, 8 or 10.

First, a little theory. The page file is a special file that Windows accesses if the PC does not have enough current RAM to operate. Simply put, this is virtual memory that is added to the current one, as a result of which the speed of the laptop or computer improves.

Let me give you a simple example. You want to run a game that requires 4GB of RAM. And you only have 3 GB. What to do in this case? Increase virtual memory and Windows will “take” the missing 1 GB from this special file. This way you can launch the game and play it.

Of course, there are several points here:

  1. Increasing virtual memory can slow down your computer. After all, the speed of access to RAM is much faster than to a hard drive (namely, the paging file is stored on it).
  2. Using this function creates an extra load on the HDD drive and reduces its operating time.

How to increase virtual memory in Windows 7

For this:

  1. Go to Start - Control Panel - System.
  2. Click on “Add. options".
  3. Find the Performance section and click on Settings.
  4. In the new window, select the “Advanced” tab.

This is where virtual memory is configured. As a rule, the currently used size is already indicated here (in the screenshot below it is 8173 MB, i.e. 8 GB). To increase virtual memory in Windows 7, click on the "Change" button.

The same window will appear where you can configure the paging file.

If your PC or laptop slows down, it means there is not enough RAM and it needs to be increased. To begin, uncheck this box. All buttons will become active and you can enable the page file in Windows 7 and configure it as you wish. To do this, check the box next to the “Specify size” line and write down the original and max. volume. For example – 4096 MB (that’s 4 GB).

Important: to avoid brakes and glitches, the initial and max. the size must be the same. For example, 4096 MB (as in the screenshot above).

By the way, what is the optimal size of the paging file? There is a lot of advice on this issue on the Internet, and the calculation formulas are also intricate.

The best option would be to increase your computer's virtual memory by 50% of your RAM. That is, the swap file for 4 GB will be 2048 MB. And for 8 GB of RAM you can specify 4096 MB. As a result, the total memory will be 6 and 12 GB, respectively - this should be enough for all occasions.

If your PC has a lot of RAM installed (for example, 8 GB), and you only work on the Internet, then you can completely disable the page file. After all, as I said above, it loads the hard drive, which sometimes slows down the PC.

However, this is not recommended. Perhaps after a while you want to start a game or video processing, and an error will pop up that there is not enough memory. And you will most likely forget about virtual memory. As a result, you will waste a lot of nerves before you fix this problem.

In general, if you need to increase virtual memory in Windows 7, specify it manually. And if you need to restore the previous values, check the very first box and close this window.