Learning how to delete a pagefile.sys can be a seriously handy trick for users, especially considering your PCs performance can be adversely affected by huge files that reside in your hard drive’s storage.
Pagefile.sys is responsible for the storage of data needed by the PC, but can’t be handled by the machine’s random access memory (RAM), usually because it has hit or is nearing capacity.
Otherwise known as ‘virtual memory’, a huge pagefile.sys can indicate that it might be time to upgrade the system’s RAM and that virtual memory is being relied on too heavily.
Virtual memory is only used when RAM reaches its limits and only the least-used data that are typically held in RAM is sent there, usually. Regardless of whether your pagefile.sys file is located on an HDD or solid state drive (SSD), it’s a good idea to keep some disk space available in case virtual memory is required to keep everything running.
Pagefile.sys can become bloated quickly, resulting in performance slowing. If you’re coming across the file for the first time and are not experiencing any performance issues, then the file itself can often be shrunk, freeing up space for other storage needs.
How to delete a pagefile.sys in three easy steps
Luckily, deleting a pagefile.sys is a fairly straightforward process that can be done in a matter of minutes.
This guide will run you through the three easy steps to achieve this, and breathe fresh air into your struggling device.
Step 1: Locate pagefile.sys
Because pagefile.sys plays such an important role in the smooth running of Windows, by default it’s hidden to the user to prevent accidental deletion. This means that finding the file requires a little more effort than simply launching Windows Explorer and searching for it in the text field.
At the bottom of the next window, you should see a Virtual memory section, complete with the amount of virtual memory that your operating system (OS) has allocated for your pagefile.sys file.
Step 2: Remove pagefile.sys
To make any fixes, select the Change button, and then take a look at the options in the next window.
To remove your pagefile.sys altogether, just make sure the no paging file box is ticked. Accept the changes and this will free up disk space.
Step 3: Force pagefile.sys to remain one size
You may find that you need virtual memory, but you can stop things from getting out of hand.
To reduce the amount of space your PC will allocate for virtual memory, just deselect Automatically manage paging file size of each drive and, instead, select the custom size option.
After that, you’ll be able to input just how much of your HDD will be reserved for virtual memory.
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Check the radio button next to “Show hidden files, folders and drives” and click “Apply” and you'll be able to see pagefile. sys
sys
sys is a filename extension used in MS-DOS applications and Microsoft Windows operating systems. They are system files that contain device drivers or hardware configurations for the system. Most DOS .
The first thing to understand here is that under no circ*mstances should you ever seek to delete Pagefile.sys. Even if you have ample physical memory, the computer still needs this element to ensure smooth operations.
In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab and click Performance Options. In the Performance Options dialog, under Virtual memory, click Change. In the Virtual memory dialog box, select a drive. Under Paging file size for selected drive, type new values for initial and maximum sizes for the disk.
On the Windows Server computer on which Connection Server is installed, navigate to the Virtual Memory dialog box. By default, Custom size is selected. An initial and maximum page-file size appear.
By default. pagefile. sys is around 12GB in size. However, this will vary depending on how many resources your PC uses and the amount of physical RAM it has.
The big problem with disabling your pagefile is that once you've exhausted the available RAM, your apps are going to start crashing, since there's no virtual memory for Windows to allocate—and worst case, your actual system will crash or become very unstable.
Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Session Manager > Memory Management. Double-click ClearPageFileAtShutdown. Change the Value_data to 1. Reboot.
Although hiberfil. sys is a hidden and protected system file, you can safely delete it if you don't want to use the power-saving options in Windows. That's because the hibernation file has no effect on the general functions of the operating system.
The pagefile (sometimes referred to as page file or paging file) is a Windows system file whose full name is pagefile. sys. By default, it is located in the root directory of the system drive, typically the C: drive. Figure 1 shows the file on the C: drive as it appears in Windows Explorer.
In the Performance Options window, go to the Advanced tab and click on “Change…” under Virtual Memory. Uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives”.Select the system drive with the large pagefile.sys, choose “No paging file,” and then press Set.
The Windows Pagefile is used for virtual memory operations by the Windows kernel. Windows pagefile sizes are set during installation, and normally do not have to be changed. However, if you add memory to your system after initialization, you may need to increase the “initial pagefile size” on the primary boot drive.
Because you never know what was stored there, it's a good idea to clear the page file at shutdown in Windows 10, 8, and 7. We don't recommend you do this with a computer that is shut down every day, but it's perfect for those who occasionally reboot or shut down.
The pagefile. sys file, also known as a page or paging file, is a default system file found on Windows operating systems, including Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server. A page file is a way for Windows to virtually extend the available memory on a system.
Although hiberfil. sys is a hidden and protected system file, you can safely delete it if you don't want to use the power-saving options in Windows. That's because the hibernation file has no effect on the general functions of the operating system.
For systems with more RAM, you can make the paging file somewhat smaller. You could trim the paging file to 2 GB on a 16 GB system, for example, or to 3.5 GB on a 32 GB system without running into any noticeable performance problems.
Introduction: My name is Neely Ledner, I am a bright, determined, beautiful, adventurous, adventurous, spotless, calm person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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