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PC very slow, pagefile.sys not created ?

B

B

Flightless Bird
I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home,
and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows directory
to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file (even
after searching other windows directories).

In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
available reduced.

Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again ?

Thanks in Advance
 
B

Bert Hyman

Flightless Bird
In news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca>
wrote:

> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows

That's not where it goes.

It's in the root directory of whatever drive you place it on.

If there's just a c: drive, look for c:/pagefile.sys

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN bert@iphouse.com
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
See...

Help! My computer is slow!
http://miekiemoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/help-my-computer-is-slow.html

Troubleshooting checklist for a slow computer
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic44694.html

What to do if your Computer is running slowly
http://www.malwareremoval.com/tutorials/runningslowly.php

B wrote:
> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
> Home,
> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows directory
> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file
> (even
> after searching other windows directories).
>
> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
> available reduced.
>
> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again
> ?
>
> Thanks in Advance
 
B

B

Flightless Bird
Sorry, I meant 'not found in' C:/, not C:/Windows.


"B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
> Home, and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower
> over time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows
> directory to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the
> file (even after searching other windows directories).
>
> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
> available reduced.
>
> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again
> ?
>
> Thanks in Advance
>
 
J

John

Flightless Bird
Uncheck - Hide protected operating system files

or

C:/dir pagefile.sys /a

"B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:qrZao.64350$lS1.26089@newsfe12.iad...
> Sorry, I meant 'not found in' C:/, not C:/Windows.
>
>
> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
> news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
>> Home, and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower
>> over time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows
>> directory to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find
>> the file (even after searching other windows directories).
>>
>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
>> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
>> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
>> available reduced.
>>
>> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again
>> ?
>>
>> Thanks in Advance
>>
>
>
 
D

Don Phillipson

Flightless Bird
"B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...

> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
Home,
> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows directory
> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file
(even
> after searching other windows directories).
>
> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
> available reduced.

1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
is in C:/ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
manage it" rather than fixing a file size.

2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
malware of all types.

3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
 
P

Paul

Flightless Bird
B wrote:
> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home,
> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows directory
> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file (even
> after searching other windows directories).
>
> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
> available reduced.
>
> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again ?
>
> Thanks in Advance
>

What does CPUZ show for the speed of the hardware ?

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

If you use Task Manager, are the graph panes idle or busy looking ?
(If you can't figure out a way to get here, use control-alt-delete.
Or try Start:Run and enter taskmgr.exe )

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/img/2002/11/p4_306/task_manager_1.jpg

Does the computer have a separate video card, or is the monitor
driven by the motherboard itself ? The motherboard video option
"shares" system memory, so if you have 512MB installed, 64MB of
that could be claimed by the built-in graphics. Sometimes there
is an option in the BIOS to adjust the shared memory.

Installing more memory, isn't always an option. On one of their
motherboard chips, Intel thought it would be fun, to support up
to 512MB sized memory DIMMs, place three DIMM slots in the computer,
and then restrict the computer to have no more than 512MB total memory.
Their competitor at the time, VIA, allowed 1536MB total memory,
in other words, no restrictions. So in some cases, you have
to live with that 512MB limit, since the hardware doesn't allow
more memory to be successfully added.

If the computer has antivirus software, you might see the disk
light staying on for long periods of time. The AV software
could be scanning, or there could be malware present.
I've had my computer lock up completely, due to the
AV software getting into a fight to the finish with
some other utility. I was using some of the Sysinternals
programs when that happened.

There are plenty of weird things that happen to computers.
Which is why, it's a good idea to post the make and model
number of the computer, in case it's one of the lucky ones.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/dell-facing-massive-e6400-and-e6500-overheating-and-underclockin/

Paul
 
B

B

Flightless Bird
I had already unchecked the 'Hide protected operating system files', which
is why I'm finding it so strange that the file doesn't appear.

As for the 'C:/dir pagefile.sys /a', how do I use this instruction ? (at a
DOS prompt ?)




"John" <a> wrote in message news:eE2FM5yPLHA.2068@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Uncheck - Hide protected operating system files
>
> or
>
> C:/dir pagefile.sys /a
>
> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
> news:qrZao.64350$lS1.26089@newsfe12.iad...
>> Sorry, I meant 'not found in' C:/, not C:/Windows.
>>
>>
>> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
>> news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
>>> Home, and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even
>>> slower over time with very few processes running. I looked in the
>>> C:/Windows directory to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but
>>> couldn't find the file (even after searching other windows directories).
>>>
>>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
>>> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create
>>> the pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
>>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
>>> available reduced.
>>>
>>> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once
>>> again ?
>>>
>>> Thanks in Advance
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
 
B

B

Flightless Bird
Thanks Pete. I have cleaned off as many files and unnecessary programs, but
still have just over 5 GB available on this 30 GB drive. Can't figure out
what's hogging the space ... just a couple GBs of music, and a couple GBs of
Ipod related apps.


"(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid> wrote in message
news:8ddq66t5tmdhmgl317bqhlvkc6qbcs6bhh@4ax.com...
> Per Don Phillipson:
>>1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
>>is in C:/ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
>>manage it" rather than fixing a file size.
>>
>>2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
>>malware of all types.
>>
>>3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.
>
>
> 4. Check available space on C:/. Last year I saw a PC where
> the backup files for system updates had eaten up C:/ and
> only a few K were left. Got rid of the backup files and
> the system's performance returned to normal.
> --
> PeteCresswell
 
B

B

Flightless Bird
I did correct the file location as the root of C:/, not the Windows
subdirectory, and also changed folder options to not hide 'system files;,
but the file still doesn't appear.

Performed numerous scans with Malaware Bytes, MS Malicious Software Removal
Tool, Spybot and AVG, and managed to rid the PC of a few trojans a couple
weeks ago.

I think the RAM is a key factor, now I just have to determine the
Motherboard type, and see what the cost of purchasing new RAM will be. (the
machine is about 4 years old, and runs an INTEL cpu running around 1.6Ghz if
I recall correctly).

Thanks for your input




"Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message
news:i4ibvv$l18$3@speranza.aioe.org...
> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
> news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>
>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
> Home,
>> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
>> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows
>> directory
>> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file
> (even
>> after searching other windows directories).
>>
>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
>> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
>> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
>> available reduced.
>
> 1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
> is in C:/ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
> manage it" rather than fixing a file size.
>
> 2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
> malware of all types.
>
> 3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.
>
> --
> Don Phillipson
> Carlsbad Springs
> (Ottawa, Canada)
>
>
 
J

John John - MVP

Flightless Bird
At a command prompt issue this command and see what it returns:

cscript %systemroot%\system32\pagefileconfig.vbs

You can copy and paste to the command prompt. To start the command
prompt enter CMD in the Start Menu Run box.

John

B wrote:
> I did correct the file location as the root of C:/, not the Windows
> subdirectory, and also changed folder options to not hide 'system files;,
> but the file still doesn't appear.
>
> Performed numerous scans with Malaware Bytes, MS Malicious Software Removal
> Tool, Spybot and AVG, and managed to rid the PC of a few trojans a couple
> weeks ago.
>
> I think the RAM is a key factor, now I just have to determine the
> Motherboard type, and see what the cost of purchasing new RAM will be. (the
> machine is about 4 years old, and runs an INTEL cpu running around 1.6Ghz if
> I recall correctly).
>
> Thanks for your input
>
>
>
>
> "Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message
> news:i4ibvv$l18$3@speranza.aioe.org...
>> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
>> news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>>
>>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
>> Home,
>>> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
>>> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows
>>> directory
>>> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file
>> (even
>>> after searching other windows directories).
>>>
>>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
>>> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
>>> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
>>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
>>> available reduced.
>> 1. Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
>> is in C:/ (root directory.) The best policy is to "Let Windows
>> manage it" rather than fixing a file size.
>>
>> 2. Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
>> malware of all types.
>>
>> 3. Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.
>>
>> --
>> Don Phillipson
>> Carlsbad Springs
>> (Ottawa, Canada)
>>
>>
>
>
 
J

John

Flightless Bird
Yes, command prompt.

"B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
news:rBabo.1295$cE1.187@newsfe18.iad...
>I had already unchecked the 'Hide protected operating system files', which
>is why I'm finding it so strange that the file doesn't appear.
>
> As for the 'C:/dir pagefile.sys /a', how do I use this instruction ? (at a
> DOS prompt ?)
>
>
>
>
> "John" <a> wrote in message news:eE2FM5yPLHA.2068@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Uncheck - Hide protected operating system files
>>
>> or
>>
>> C:/dir pagefile.sys /a
>>
>> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
>> news:qrZao.64350$lS1.26089@newsfe12.iad...
>>> Sorry, I meant 'not found in' C:/, not C:/Windows.
>>>
>>>
>>> "B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
>>> news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>>>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
>>>> Home, and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even
>>>> slower over time with very few processes running. I looked in the
>>>> C:/Windows directory to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but
>>>> couldn't find the file (even after searching other windows
>>>> directories).
>>>>
>>>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
>>>> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create
>>>> the pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
>>>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
>>>> available reduced.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once
>>>> again ?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks in Advance
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
 
L

~*Laughingstar*~

Flightless Bird
PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>> See...

PAB, could it be the recent flock of updates from MS? Mine's doing that too,
and so is my Dell Mini - unusual. Everything 'checks' out all right with MS
Security Essentials, also ran a few others solidly recommended here; haven't
yet run HijackThis but . . .it's a chore for me to deal with it.

Thus, my question . ..
>>
>> Help! My computer is slow!
>> http://miekiemoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/help-my-computer-is-slow.html
>>
>> Troubleshooting checklist for a slow computer
>> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic44694.html
>>
>> What to do if your Computer is running slowly
>> http://www.malwareremoval.com/tutorials/runningslowly.php
>>
>> B wrote:
>>> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win
>>> XP Home,
>>> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower
>>> over time with very few processes running. I looked in the
>>> C:/Windows directory to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but
>>> couldn't find the file (even
>>> after searching other windows directories).
>>>
>>> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options
>>> --> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to
>>> create the pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size
>>> of 766 MB.
>>> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk
>>> space available reduced.
>>>
>>> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once
>>> again ?
>>>
>>> Thanks in Advance

--
~Ciao~
Cj.·´¯`:..><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

NJ State Dept of Health Polio Warning Wallet Card
http://pnnj.org/anesthesia/Anesthesia-Warning-Card.pdf (please pass
on)
 
D

Db

Flightless Bird
what i would first do is
to execute a clean boot

by disabling all startups
and non microsoft svcs.

next i would proceed with
a disk tune up, ie

chkdsk,

removing temp files and

then a defrag

--
--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

DatabaseBen, Retired Professional

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This NNTP newsgroup is evolving to:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx


"B" <brad_roberts@cogeco.ca> wrote in message news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP Home, and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be
> getting even slower over time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows directory to see if Virtual Memory had
> been created, but couldn't find the file (even after searching other windows directories).
>
> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options --> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and
> tried to create the pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space available reduced.
>
> Any ideas on how to get this machine running at a decent speed once again ?
>
> Thanks in Advance
>
 
P

PA Bear [MS MVP]

Flightless Bird
I'm VERY remiss to drag this thread even further off-topic, LS. If you'd
like to begin your own, new thread, we can discuss it there. Thanks!


~*Laughingstar*~ wrote:
> PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>>> See...
>
> PAB, could it be the recent flock of updates from MS? Mine's doing that
> too,
> and so is my Dell Mini - unusual. Everything 'checks' out all right with
> MS
> Security Essentials, also ran a few others solidly recommended here;
> haven't
> yet run HijackThis but . . .it's a chore for me to deal with it.
<SNIP>
 
J

Jose

Flightless Bird
On Aug 19, 10:13 am, "B" <brad_robe...@cogeco.ca> wrote:
> I did correct the file location as the root of C:/, not the Windows
> subdirectory, and also changed folder options to not hide 'system files;,
> but the file still doesn't appear.
>
> Performed numerous scans with Malaware Bytes, MS Malicious Software Removal
> Tool, Spybot and AVG, and managed to rid the PC of a few trojans a couple
> weeks ago.
>
> I think the RAM is a key factor, now I just have to determine the
> Motherboard type, and see what the cost of purchasing new RAM will be. (the
> machine is about 4 years old, and runs an INTEL cpu running around 1.6Ghzif
> I recall correctly).
>
> Thanks for your input
>
> "Don Phillipson" <e...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message
>
> news:i4ibvv$l18$3@speranza.aioe.org...
>
>
>
> > "B" <brad_robe...@cogeco.ca> wrote in message
> >news:eek:1Yao.57957$f_3.53423@newsfe17.iad...
>
> >> I'm trying to help a friend with a very slow PC. She's running Win XP
> > Home,
> >> and has 512 MB RAM, but the machine seems to be getting even slower over
> >> time with very few processes running. I looked in the C:/Windows
> >> directory
> >> to see if Virtual Memory had been created, but couldn't find the file
> > (even
> >> after searching other windows directories).
>
> >> In Control Panel I opened System Properties --> Performance Options -->
> >> Advanced, which opened the Virtual Memory window, and tried to create the
> >> pagefile.sys Virtual Memory file with a recommended size of 766 MB.
> >> It still didn't appear in C:/Windows, nor was the amount of disk space
> >> available reduced.
>
> > 1.  Virtual memory = PAGEFILE.SYS and its default location
> > is in C:/ (root directory.)   The best policy is to "Let Windows
> > manage it" rather than fixing a file size.
>
> > 2.  Check no. 1 for slow operation is a reliable check for
> > malware of all types.
>
> > 3.  Improvement no. 2 for slow operation is to add RAM.
>
> > --
> > Don Phillipson
> > Carlsbad Springs
> > (Ottawa, Canada)

Do this and we will know a lot about your system and the pagefile
setup, your motherboard, your RAM, etc. (there will be no guessing).

Click Start, Run and in the box enter:

msinfo32

Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select
All, Copy and then paste the information back here.

There will be some personal information (like System Name and User
Name), and whatever appears to be private information to you, just
delete it from the pasted information.

This will minimize back and forth Q&A and eliminate guesswork.
 
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