Here's our Windows NT Tip for.. September 29, 1998
Click Here to see a complete list of all of our previously released Tips!
Move or Split the NT Paging File
One way to speed up your Windows NT system is to place your paging file (also known as the swap file) on some disk other than the system disk. The reason this results in faster operation is that the system files are accessed very frequently and so is the paging file. If you place the paging file on a different disk, you split up the work a bit. Besides, you may have a disk that's faster than the one where NT is installed.

You'll see an even greater speed increase if your system has a separate controller for each drive. And you'll see still more improvement if your controller can perform simultaneous reads and writes.

To change the location of the paging file:

  • Right-click My Computer and select Properties
  • Click the Performance tab
  • In the Virtual Memory box, click the Change button
  • In the Drive window, select the drive where the paging file is currently located
  • In the Paging File Size for Selected Drive box, delete the values currently listed
  • Click the Set button
  • Select the new drive location in the Drive window
  • Enter the new Paging File Size in the Paging File Size for Selected Drive box (pay attention to the recommended values in the Total Paging File Sizes box)
  • Click the Set button
  • Click OK twice to back out of System Properties

At this point you'll be prompted to shut down and restart. When you restart your paging file will be in its new location.

As an alternative, you can SPLIT the paging file across two or more hard drives. Simply leave the values in place for all hard drives that you want to use.