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Windows 10 Paging file question

Jimkirk363
By Jimkirk363
in Windows
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Now i know by default windows uses a paging file but my question is simply this...

I have 32GB of ram, can i disabling the windows paging file without it causing any issues in system stability?

Thanks

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Yes, as long as you don't run out of physical RAM, you can. If you start an app that needs more than 32 GB you would run into issues. However, having a page file allows Windows to move stuff that isn't actively used out of physical memory, making more available to running apps, so it can still be an advantage.

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Technically yes, but in reality no. The problem isn't Windows by itself. Its the software you might be using. For example Adobe requires pagefile. I don't know for what, but their software tend to act up if page file is disabled. Softwares might be coded to save stuff on pagefile, maybe to allow low-RAM systems to be used without major issues.

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No. You will experience programs closing at unexpected time and strange behaviors. If you can afford 32GB of RAM, I am sure you can afford a SSD of adequate size so that page file is not an issue.

 

When the pagefile is turned off, the more you use your system the worse it will get. Remember that in RAM, programs are stored in single blocks. They aren't split. There is no fragmentation in RAM. Also, programs in RAM cannot be moved while in RAM. So you will fall into situations where you have free RAM, but programs will crash or not even startup as you are out of RAM for it as your free space, is split in multiple free space blocks, but not enough for your application to grow (might have another process consuming RAM in the way of your application that needs more RAM as it loads things in) or use to get started. Pagefile fixes all these issues, as you allow the OS to move things in RAM, by unloading and reloading things at different places and, expand RAM if ever needed... well you have 32GB, so probably not going to need this, at least today.. but later, maybe.. depending on what you do with your PC. I remember the days where 512MB of RAM was like 64GB of RAM today, and seen as "impossible to reach"... well guess what? 4GB is now becoming considered that none acceptable even on a budget system.

 

So maybe if you have 32GB of RAM and you just surf the web, you'll be fine. But I assume you got 32GB and a powerful CPU with it to do productivity work, and actually using a lot of RAM, will probably be a problem.

 

Disabling pagefile has only 1 upside, reduction in storage space. Consider inf how cheap drives are, this is a non issue. The downsides are huge, and you won't like losing work.

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