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virtual memory settings ..
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 15:11
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.. for a machine running 2 gb ram ? for make benefit production of the musics programs working smoother ... etc
thnx : )
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 16:21
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fuzzikitten
Annunaki
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 19:05
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a common recommendation for the paging file is 1.5X the amount of ram you have.
But with 2 gigs it's doubtful you'll need much of a paging file.
Remember that when you have to start using virtual memory that it's SLOW - literally the CPU is using the harddrive for additional RAM and the access time is MUCH higher. Better to get more ram and have a smaller paging file.
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 19:22
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Alias
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 19:54
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orange
Fat Data
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 20:23
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musicxp.net tip is for small amounts of ram although its correct.
free ram xp will cause clicks and pops in audio apps
best is to set the same amount of virtual memory like ur real ram memory amount.
smaller amounts want do any difference but can cause a system freeze if by any chance thay try to access virtual memory but fells short.
larger amounts than ur real ram will cause a performance decrease but in such a small amount that cpus like c2d or very fast amds is not noticable!
orange
 http://www.landmark-recordings.com/
http://soundcloud.com/kymamusic |
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Dharma Lab
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Posted : Aug 9, 2007 22:05
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Virtual Memory is one of those mysterious things that most people don't have a firm grip on. A little bit of knowledge has often led people to make changes that in the end were harmful.
The short & quick answer is, unless you are seriously hurting for hard drive space, set your virtual memory to 2X's your RAM (both min & max).
Here's the long answer: All program use virtual memory, because windows protects the physical memory address (apparently not sufficiently though, i.e. buffer overrun attacks...but that is another story). So all memory being used is 'virtual memory'.
What we are really talking about is the paging file. The paging file settings are labeled 'virtual memory' in the windows advanced performance settings, and so that is what it gets called. The paging file is the hard drive space that windows uses when it runs out of physical memory, to swap things currently running in memory that don't need to be, or aren't in use. This includes paged windows system files, also know as kernel memory. Basically, windows will keep it's system files in physical memory as much as it can (thereby making use of free RAM when it can for system files). However, what most people don't know is that things do get stored to the paging file regularly, even when there is plenty of physical memory space free.
Setting a small virtual memory is not a good idea, and turning it off is actually worse, even if you have a ton of RAM. Letting windows manage it is also a bad idea, because it wastes time resizing the paging file as it needs to.
Setting a static, large virtual memory size will only waste a little hard drive space, and allow plenty of spillover memory. Believe it or not, lots of programs use virtual memory for things even when RAM is available. Changing the size of the page file later on can lead to a fragmented page file, which can only be defragmented with 3rd party software, as windows cannot do it itself. A fragmented page file can have worse performance.
If you want to increase your system performance, after you first install windows, set the virtual memory to a static 2X RAM size, reboot & defrag the drive. Doing this before programs get installed means it's on a faster part of the drive. Another option is having virtual memory on more than 1 drive (i.e. both the 1st & 2nd hard drives). I don't recommend having no page file on your system drive (C drive usually), so always leave one, even it's only 50-100MB. Also, setting page files on multiple partitions of the same drive is a no-no.
With drive sizes huge & cheap, there is no reason anymore why anyone really should skimp out on virtual memory.
Specialy circumstances & hardware setups (raid) might lead to doing something different from what I've recommended here, so this is not the deinitive answer. But, this advice applies to probably 98% of the users out there.
Keep The Faith,
Christian K. |
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sy000321
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 01:19
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i agree with Dharma Lab, but i would go with windows suggested virtual memory file size at least with 2000/XP, no clue about vista.
if you get that annoying message saying "no virtual memory free available, windows will increase it" go and buy more ram, because you've clearly need more ram and you'll get bad performance above that threshold, in my experience.
microsoft doesnt give clear specifications on this subject but i believe that when an application is developed to use virtual mem it goes smothly but when windows forces apps to use virtual mem things go terrible  and most apps dont do that themselves
fragmented swaps are terrible for performance, avoid them, i thinks it's the best advice you can have 
roll a joint or STFU :) |
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Vermeee
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 03:25
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but isnt 2 gigas of ram enough to run everythin smooth ? |
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 14:40
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oh yea. . sry .. everything is working pretty smooth here .. i just wondered if using this virtual memory thing can enhance performance further .. soo .. should i just let windows manage it or what ? i need numbers here !.. im not so nerdy unfortunately and its a bit of a grey area for me ..
so just tell me what i should put in the `initial` and `maximum` slots . current settings are @ 2048 for both.
thnx
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 15:04
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bump*
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orange
Fat Data
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154
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 15:07
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 10, 2007 23:38
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 orange , i`ll take ur word for it then and leave it as it is .. but im still not sure how this whole thing works .. so if someone have any more inputs on the whole virtual memory thing , it`d be great ..
thnx again guys 
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astrotec
Started Topics :
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193
Posted : Aug 11, 2007 04:45
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loads of ram doesn't do much,
cubase only uses about 30-40mb of ram on my machine 
and with each soft synth it uses just a little more.
anyway virtual memory should be set at 1.5x ram (the recommended value) |
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mk47
Inactive User
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Posted : Aug 11, 2007 09:30
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u lot are confusing me now .. someone pls give me a definitive answer here .. and explain how it works ..
or fukit , maybe ill just leave it here .. everything seems fine
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