windows swap file, opinions experiences

Luis G

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
Recently I've been having problems with the hard disk on my laptop, and I don't have 200USD to buy a new one. Sometimes the system halts when reading a file, and the disk does a weird sound. I have my backups and if it fails completely I'll be safe.

The problem is going from bad to worse, now I'm having KERNEL_INPAGE_ERROR BSODs, and the modules failing are always related to the disk, I assume it is a problem with the disk and the swap file. I hope I'm right :confuse3:

So now I disabled it, is it really that bad to not have a swap file? the puter has 512MB of RAM and I rarely use that much.

edit:
specs:
512MB of RAM
40GB seagate disk
p4 2.4GHz
winxp sp1
 
What OS do you have on it? I think I've heard that xp does ok without one, earlier versions do not.
 
catocom said:
Run a thorough scandisk.
Click to expand...

Scan disk finds no damaged sectors, *I think* it is a random problem related to seeks, not a particular sector of the disk.

When I ran spinrite tests, it stopped from time to time with hard disk temperature warnings (over 65ºC), so it might be the disk dying, or some protection within the disk drive that is causing the glitches.
 
With 512 mem the default swap should be about 768mbs, but you can try reducing it
to about 128-256 and see how it does.
and or also...
If you have more than one partition, you can try using a different partition for the swap.
 
Back it up, get the low level format utility from the manufacturer of the drive, run it and then do a restore.

$200 for a new drive? I don't know where you are buying your computer stuff from but you are defiantely getting ripped off. I can get a 60GB 7200RPM Hitachi 2.5 inch drive for right around $90-$100.
 
PostCode said:
Back it up, get the low level format utility from the manufacturer of the drive, run it and then do a restore.

$200 for a new drive? I don't know where you are buying your computer stuff from but you are defiantely getting ripped off. I can get a 60GB 7200RPM Hitachi 2.5 inch drive for right around $90-$100.
Click to expand...

I'll have to take a look around, I had the idea that the price range was well over $150. I already backed up my personal data, over 20GB over the LAN to the other puter.

I think the problem is with writing not reading, now with the swap file disabled I get no BSOD but the system halts from time to time when I save a document or when emule is downloading. During the backup process (only read) the system never halted. The disk is screwed anyway.

About the low level format, I believe that current low level format is not what used to be in the old times, right now it is more like a wipe utility. Am I wrong?
 
Well I just ordered a Toshiba 60GB for $160, best price I could find. Getting other brands meant longer wait and I have a bunch of work to do.
 
After hours and hours of installing software........I'm back again :D


*Still have much to do :(
 
And the moral of the story is that service pack 2 for windows xp is crap.

The wireless network dropped from time to time and Visual Studio 97 wouldn't work properly with it.

The installation and uninstall went flawlessly however.
 
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