How to configure a swap file for 4 GB of RAM?

An ordinary user, perhaps, does not pay much attention to the virtual memory of Windows-systems, but advanced users and professionals are aware of the role that the swap file plays in them. Let's analyze the unpretentious configuration and try to consider the swap file for 4 GB of RAM with a standard 2-core processor.

Why do we need virtual memory?

The file pagefile.sys is a system component that is responsible for reserving additional disk space for saving the data of currently executing programs and applications when there is a shortage of RAM.

The size of the paging file (4 GB of RAM in our example) the system initially determines during installation. The essence of its use is that any currently active program loads its executable components into the RAM (the same DLL libraries). When the RAM is fully loaded so that the system does not continue to slow down, but continues execution of the running processes, the components are unloaded onto the hard disk (this is the so-called virtual memory).

But here one should pay attention to one thing: access to the data stored in the RAM is much faster than accessing the hard disk, even if it is an SSD (solid state drive) standard with a maximum reading speed. Therefore, questions related to how much paging file (4 GB of RAM) is required for the normal operation of the system or active programs, many cause misunderstanding. Let us turn to the system itself.

Paging file for 4 GB of RAM: should it be used?

Opponents climbing on the settings of Windows and changing the default settings very often say that this component is better not to touch, but then, you know, there is little that can happen (as it is believed, with the wrong size, even the system can "fly off"). Nothing like this!

In general, for any configuration, there is a single rule: the more RAM bars are installed, the less virtual memory is needed for the system. In the case of 4 GB of RAM, provided that heavyweight applications are not used in the work, the size can be changed or disable the use altogether.

What happens if the paging file (Windows 10, 4 GB of RAM) is disabled?

As a rule, in any Windows system, the use of RAM is subject to uniform requirements. The system reserves about 30% of the "RAM", so to speak, just in case, and uses it only after accessing the swap file.

As mentioned above, access to "RAM" is faster, accordingly, the work of the program with its downloaded data is optimal. What if I disable the use of disk space for backup? As practice shows, nothing terrible will happen. The system will simply access the RAM directly anyway, bypassing the requests to the selected area on the hard drive. In this case, this will not affect the system's performance in any way, and there are no critical failures (this could be seen except in systems like Windows 98 or 2000). For today the problem is solved.

Access to changing settings

Configure the paging file (4 GB of RAM), which in the system is an object called pagefile.sys, can be quite simple.

Access to the virtual memory parameters is carried out in the section of additional system speed parameters called via the standard "Control Panel". For example, in Windows 10, the panel itself is called first (the control command in the Run menu is Win + R), then you go to the System section, then the Advanced Options menu is selected, and then the Parameters button in the Performance section is used.

When you log in, you will immediately see how much space is reserved by the system. To change the settings you need to use the corresponding button. In a new window, you can specify the desired volume or disable the use of virtual memory altogether.

Optimal size

Here you need to follow one unspoken rule: the swap file for 4 GB of RAM according to the unspoken canons should have a size of 1024 MB (1 GB). But it only counts that way.

Naturally, it can be increased or decreased, but too much physical volume should not be installed either. This is fraught with the fact that the system will constantly address not to RAM, but to the hard drive, due to which the performance will be much lower. You can also set the upper and lower limit of variations, which gives a wide field for speed settings.

What in the end?

In principle, if you follow the unspoken rules, the paging file for 4 GB of RAM has a strictly defined size. However, as in any rule, there are exceptions. For example, if an SSD drive is used, the access speed is higher than for ordinary hard drives. In this case, virtual memory can not be touched.

If the system does not intend to use resource-intensive programs and applications, this support can be turned off at all. Believe me, nothing terrible will happen. But the system will only deal with RAM, which will affect the performance. By the way, many users who are optimizing the system act in this way. And there are no critical failures, as some opponents of changing default Windows settings are inclined to say.

And, of course, you need to pay attention to the memory slots used. Naturally, the DIMM standard is already falling into oblivion. But when applying the DDR standard, you should pay attention to the marking (modifications 2, 3 and 4). When you install the memory of one of these standards and the size of the file pagefile.sys can vary within a fairly wide range. In addition, the memory itself has a different speed of loading or reading data, not to mention the amount of stored information. For example, if you have the same 4 GB with DDR4 SDRAM slats from using such support, you can refuse at all, since the "operative" itself covers the system's needs with interest. But the correct solution should be sought in each case, testing the configuration of the computer system.

In combination with all the above factors, it should be said that the reservation of virtual memory in the sense of editing the pagefile.sys file responsible for it must be done very carefully. Of course, you can turn it off. Nothing terrible will happen. However, the specialists who created Windows-systems are also far from being so stupid, and the use of virtual memory has many criteria for setting or not changing the recommended parameters.

You can dig in the system registry, and in the group policy editor, which, in fact, duplicates the registry. But all these actions are for the average user too complicated to be used in practice. Therefore, it is better to apply the methods and settings shown above.

And one more thing at last: in systems with 4 GB of RAM and a processor with two cores, you can easily refuse to use such support. The situation is such that its disconnection not only does not lead to critical failures, but, perhaps, even allows to increase the productivity of the entire system as a whole by direct access to the slots of RAM instead of the disk and the partitions reserved for it. And this, as already understood, has a direct impact on the performance of any system.