Windows XP: The optimal size of the swap file

The swap file is the lifeblood of Windows. It steps in as a useful helper when the Working memory is running low. This can be caused by having many complex applications or games open at the same time. If you do not adapt this file to your personal requirements, you are wasting the performance potential of your computer. A poorly configured Swap file slows down the system due to unnecessary computing work. There is a rumor on the Internet that every swap file must be three times as large as the working memory, as warp speed. I have studied this topic intensively. This is how you set the swap file:

Configure the size of the XP swap file

1. Click with the right mouse button on "Workplace" and select the entry "Properties". Now navigate through "Extended" > "System performance > Settings > Extended > "Change" until they finally stand in front of the following window:

2. You are now faced with selecting the hard disk on which the swap file should be located. If you have several hard disks in your computer, you should always choose the faster one to ensure fast access to the file in the event of storage bottlenecks. You can find out more about hard disks and their speed here.

You will notice that Windows has already selected a setting itself, as certain values are already set under Initial size and Maximum size are to be found. However, this is not exactly optimal, as the dynamic enlargement or reduction of the swap file requires more computing time. I therefore recommend entering the same values in megabytes in both fields.

Example: 

3. Now let's move on to the optimum size for your system. You need to think carefully about which of the three profiles you belong to.

Optimally adapt the swap file to the XP user

Standard user: They mainly use the computer to work with office programs such as Word or to surf the Internet and receive e-mails. They also like to watch a movie after work or enjoy an older game of the caliber of Age of Empires, Settlers 3 or Final Fantasy 8. They never open more than 3-5 programs at the same time.

Initial size: 384MB
Maximum size: 384MB

Player: They use their PC as a gaming station and, with high-quality high-end hardware, also have the necessary computing power for elaborate, complex and new games such as Aquanox or Elite Force. These games use huge textures, which quickly fill up the RAM and force Windows to swap out the rest of the system. The remaining components, such as map data, sounds, music, voice output or artificial intelligence, can also be very memory-intensive, which is why I recommend a very large swap file:

Initial size: 768MB
Maximum size: 768MB

Pro: You constantly have several complex programs open at the same time and work with image, video and sound editing programs that require at least 512 MB of RAM during operation. I spoke to a number of sound and video professionals who gave me advice on the optimum swap file. My own experience with image editing and many open programs such as web design applications, MusicMaker and complex games also influenced my choice of high-end user swap file:

Initial size: 1024MB
Maximum size: 1024MB

After you have changed the values according to your profile, you must click on Ok and restart the computer. Depending on the type of work you do, you will notice a significant performance boost.

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.