jwcolby
jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Sun Jun 10 22:01:37 CDT 2007
MS recommends 1.5 times the ram size, although other places you see twice the ram size. There is an upper limit that the wizard will not allow you to exceed, which IIRC is twice the ram size. John W. Colby Colby Consulting www.ColbyConsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jon Tydda Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 10:41 AM To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues' Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Petulant PC Yeah, that's what I always heard too, although when I did my MS course a couple of years ago, the trainer was saying that surely a pc with small amount of RAM would nee a bigger swap file, to make up for it... Made sense to me. I give all the PCs at work a 2gb swap file and be done with it. Jon -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby Sent: 09 June 2007 14:30 To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues' Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Petulant PC Isn't this cute: "Many sources recommend using a swap file several times as large as your system memory, though a large file takes longer to search through. A good setting is 2.5 times the amount of system memory. So a PC with 256MB of RAM should have a 640MB swap file." PC Magazine 3/11/2003 John W. Colby Colby Consulting www.ColbyConsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Fred Hooper Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2007 5:10 AM To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues' Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Petulant PC sysinternals has a utility that defrags swap files (and some other non-defragable files). It runs during boot before windows loads. -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 1:47 PM To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues' Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Petulant PC Jim, We all know what fragmentation does to file access, and if the swap file is dynamically created, then it could have dozens or even hundreds of fragments, just the luck of the draw. The theory is that with a dedicated partition you can build a fixed size swap file, which is built all at once, in a partition with no fragmentation so the swap file is never fragmented. If you must put your swap file on the main C: drive, then DEFRAG the disk very well, and then create a fixed size so that it never changes. It will likely still be somewhat fragmented but won't get more fragmented. Even if you allow the system to dynamically change the size of the swap file, theoretically it adds / subtracts from the end of the file so it still isn't fragmented. However you will see some speed impact as it stops what it is doing to "grow" the swap file. That's the theory. Does it work that way? Yes. Does it have a major impact? How do you tell? Does it "waste space"? Yea. But with a 93gb (real) hard disk, setting aside 4 gig or so for a dedicated swap partition (for 2 gigs of real RAM) is not going to break the bank. In fact I have read that you really should have a fixed size swap file on EACH disk. Whatever I was reading claimed that XP would use the swap file on a given disk for swapping the data being used from that disk. I have no idea whether that is true or not and seems to be taking it to extremes. John W. Colby Colby Consulting www.ColbyConsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Hale, Jim Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 12:26 PM To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Petulant PC <I like to run a dedicated swap file partition> What advantages have you seen from this? Doesn't this "waste" space if the partition is too big? Jim Hale *********************************************************************** The information transmitted is intended solely for the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of or taking action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. As a recipient of this email, you are responsible for screening its contents and the contents of any attachments for the presence of viruses. No liability is accepted for any damages caused by any virus transmitted by this email. _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com -- This email has been verified as Virus free Virus Protection and more available at http://www.plus.net _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com