Optimal position for swap file

[UlfZi]

I read the hints from MDGUI how to ensure un-fragmented swap file.
As result, the page file would be at the end of the partition.

Wouldn't it be better, to have the page file mor at the beginning of a partition (and the hiberfile at the end) ?
In my understanding, swap file should have fast access, which is at the first sectors of a disk.
It's heavily used and should not throttle the system as much as even possible.

What are your opinions?
Is there any good recipe to ensure that?

[Darlis]

If you mean the tip from Markus Hörls site

Tip: Move the swap file to another volume, reboot, defragment, and move the swap file back. If you don't have a second volume then temporarily make the swap file small, for example 100 MB.

This will put the pagefile behind all other data, not at the end of the volume.
It depends on the amount of RAM and the running programs if the pagefile is used more often or not. A good place would be near the frequently used files, like at the beginning of the disk or before the spacehogs zone in MyDefrag.

See this post for exactly placing the pagefile: http://www.mydefrag.com/forum/index.php?topic=3692.0

[quanthero]

In my experience, page file is not frequently accessed if one has enough RAM. I was watching Windows Resource Monitor on my laptop with 2GB RAM while performing activities such as launching programs, playing music and movies, and page file was accessed only 2-3 times during 5 minute interval; other files were accessed much more frequently. Thus, in my opinion, having page file in the beginning of a volume is not necessary.

Regarding hibernation file, everything depends on one's situation. I personally put my laptop to sleep frequently (instead of shutting it off), hence hibernation/resume speed is important for me. Thus, I used PerfectDisk to move my hibernation file to the middle of my system volume, which provides reasonable read/write speed for hiberfil.sys.

[UlfZi]

If you mean the tip from Markus Hörls site

Tip: Move the swap file to another volume, reboot, defragment, and move the swap file back. If you don't have a second volume then temporarily make the swap file small, for example 100 MB.

This will put the pagefile behind all other data, not at the end of the volume.

That's what I meant. (my disk is used > 80 %, so that little in-exactness doesn't matter)

It depends on the amount of RAM and the running programs if the pagefile is used more often or not. A good place would be near the frequently used files, like at the beginning of the disk or before the spacehogs zone in MyDefrag.

Exactly, IMO best between zone 3 and 4.
I have set my pagefile to 1 GB fix + 500 MB variable for emergency. I would like to have the fix part unfragmented at optimal place.

See this post for exactly placing the pagefile: http://www.mydefrag.com/forum/index.php?topic=3692.0

Thanks for that hint. It unfortunately needs some effort to manage.
How to note the developers of MyDefragGUI to find a smart build-in solution?

[UlfZi]

In my experience, page file is not frequently accessed if one has enough RAM.

That sounds like: "you must not care about your brakes, when driving on a huge salt lake" 
Actually me page file is in frequent use as I often have several huge applications in use at same time.

Regarding hibernation file, everything depends on one's situation. I personally put my laptop to sleep frequently (instead of shutting it off), hence hibernation/resume speed is important for me. Thus, I used PerfectDisk to move my hibernation file to the middle of my system volume, which provides reasonable read/write speed for hiberfil.sys.

I do the same, but as that happens only 2..3 times a day I don't care about 5 more ore less seconds.
Hibernation file is always used in 1 chunk in contrast to page file, which is often used in random chunks. If fragmented, and at the end of the volume speed decreases significantly.

[Darlis]

I wouldn't recommend to place the hiberfile at the end either, but considering that your disk is almost full, there is not much of a difference.

Page- and hiberfile are usually movable when booting from a CD, like BartPE or rescue systems like they come with computer magazines sometimes. You could just make a script to move the these files to the location you want them to be.

[UlfZi]

I wouldn't recommend to place the hiberfile at the end either, but considering that your disk is almost full, there is not much of a difference.

The problem is, that I always start my Windows with sysinternals pagedefrag to ensure page file in best condition, but it too replaces the hiberfile so after optimization with MyDefragGUI slow opto I found hiberfile fragmented in the 1% gaps, and pagefile was at the end of all files (=slow performance). Note: http://www.mydefrag.com/forum/index.php?topic=3703.0

Page- and hiberfile are usually movable when booting from a CD, like BartPE or rescue systems like they come with computer magazines sometimes. You could just make a script to move the these files to the location you want them to be.

Would be nice, if MyDefragGUI would provide such a script, which would create the needed gaps in same run of "slow opto" prepared for sysinternals pagedefrag to move hiber+page file in desired position.

How can I ensure, Markus Hörl would note my suggestion?

Where can I find a good collection of scripts with brief description including the default ones from MD+MDGUI to compare/extend?

[jeroen]

How can I ensure, Markus Hörl would note my suggestion?

Try to contact him via his website. I know he visits this forum, but this forum is really only for MyDefrag.

Where can I find a good collection of scripts with brief description including the default ones from MD+MDGUI to compare/extend?

I know of no such collection. You can find some scripts in various postings here on the forum.

[UlfZi]

Much thanks.

Where can I find a good collection of scripts with brief description including the default ones from MD+MDGUI to compare/extend?

I know of no such collection. You can find some scripts in various postings here on the forum.

Would be nice to have on your home page. 

[TROMBONE PLAYER]

Way back in the day, when I was the computer operator for a PDP 11/24, we had two hard disks. One was for all the programs and such, the second was used only for swapping. Of course, that was an old UNIX system, but even today, swapfiles are best put on a separate (but not huge) hard disk. Quanthero is correct; swap files (page files) are not frequently accessed if you have enough system memory. They are only used when there isnt enough memory.
Better to invest in more memory than a separate hard disk. We use at least 8GB per machine.

[Kasuha]

They are only used when there isnt enough memory.

This is not true, too. The system may swap out idle application memory blocks and reuse them as disk cache even if the machine has lots of memory. The fact is that it does not happen often and the user usually does not even notice it's happening.

[TROMBONE PLAYER]

Unfortunately true. But on Win 2003 server, when there are 20 users logged in to the computer using SQL Server simultaneously, more memory does a much better job than a bigger swap file.

[UlfZi]

Swap files (page files) are not frequently accessed if you have enough system memory. They are only used when there isnt enough memory.

Thanks for your repeated lesson. 
Sounds like: Air-bags and safety belts are not frequently accessed, so ...

Better to invest in more memory than a separate hard disk. We use at least 8GB per machine.

Nice for you, but (1) AFAIK Windows XP doesn't manage more than 3 GB, and (2) my laptops main-board limit is 2 GB.
Hopefully those facts would upvalue my original question for you.

... a much better job than a bigger swap

It's size is not the question here, it's position and fragmentation matter.

[BloodySword]

Laptop hard disks especially on older ones are very slow. Can you upgrade to a newer one? Does your Laptop have SATA? There are 500GB drives wich are really fast for under $60 / €50.

I have tested it: I moved the pagefile.sys using a small trick to the beginning of the drive and did not notice any speed improvement when the system swaps (I work with very large pictures). My laptop has a very fast HDD, too. I bought a 4GB DDR2 memory module in ebay wich is shipped soon. I have one 2GB and one 1GB module and I will remove the 1GB module and replace it with the 4GB one, so that I have 6GB of RAM. I'm using Windows 7 x64. I'm looking forward to see how fast it is! :3

[UlfZi]

Laptop hard disks especially on older ones are very slow. Can you upgrade to a newer one? Does your Laptop have SATA?

No I only have ATA, but a relatively new HD. Max RAM is 2 GB at my Laptop, and I'm running WinXP.

Don't understand me wrong! My question is not, how to have a most fast system in general, it's only how MyDefrag could improve it on a given environment. Buying a better-faster-larger Hardware would almost ever have more effect on the speed, than tweaking around with defragmentation.

I have tested it: I moved the pagefile.sys using a small trick to the beginning of the drive and did not notice any speed improvement when the system swaps (I work with very large pictures). My laptop has a very fast HDD, too.

Very much thanks. This is the kind of answers I was looking for.
May be at your HD is no difference, because your HD is buffered internally, so the real hardware speed behind doesn't matter.
If it would be easier to determine the location e.g. by help of MyDefrag, I guess, more such testing would be available.