Physical RAM or paging file?

Question

RAM - 2GB 667MHz RAM
PF - 2GB base to 4GB max

is it more efficient to remove the paging file and keep all mem in the RAM? or faster to increase the size of the paging file?

best asnwer includes WHY it is faster, Pros and Cons

Answer 1

The paging file should be 2 or 3 times larger than ram. The page file on your HD is 1000X slower than ram. You should keep the page file, it will only be used when it is needed.

Answer 2

I would not recommend removing the paging file to keep everything in RAM because the computer naturally wants to put the information that is loaded in memory, but not accessed often into the paging file to allow the RAM to perform better. You could probably reduce the size if you'd like, but I wouldn't recommend setting it to zero.



To answer your question on why its faster. Here is how it works. Your "physical memory" is the RAM itself. It is fast, and what is used to run your computer. The paging file is actually your hard drive that is "simulating" RAM. Basically it is acting as if it is RAM, but in reality it is actually something being temporarly stored on your hard drive. Your hard drive is SIGNIFICATLY slower than RAM. If it weren't then there would be no reason for RAM because a hard drive obviously has a much larger capacity than RAM does.



Hope that answers your question!

Answer 3

Well personally I believe it is mostly better to keep all the memory in the RAM and also have a paging file, because while opening multiple applications your system may require more RAM as the amounts stated on boxes of software usually give an indication of using the program by itself. The only disadvantage of having paging RAM is that your hardisk space is minimized slightly, mostly depending on how much you have to start of with.