Is there a way to force win11 to use a paging file?

XxXxX · Jan 21, 2025

Win711 said:
Is there anything you can say to convince me that it's not a waste of time? I think windows is running normally; the laptop just doesn't have enough ram and there is no way to tweak the kernel to use the pagefile. Until someone comes up with another solution all I can do is use the memory cleaner to push ram into the pagefile.

have you attempted Windows Ready Boost with a USB stick as posted in post #24
its worth a try if it can increase the Virtual RAM in conjunction with the increased swap file space.
this will allow the system to use RAM .. Virtual RAM .. Swap file giving it a bit more leeway.
best of luck, Steve ..

Win711 · Jan 21, 2025

XxXxX said:
have you attempted Windows Ready Boost with a USB stick as posted in post #24
its worth a try if it can increase the Virtual RAM in conjunction with the increased swap file space.
this will allow the system to use RAM .. Virtual RAM .. Swap file giving it a bit more leeway.
best of luck, Steve ..

I have been thinking about it but I'd have to buy a usb stick since I don't want to risk destroying the ones I already have. The problem is the laptop plays videos 24 hrs a day forever so the stick probably wouldn't last long unless there is a convenient way to shut it off when I don't really need it.

LesFerch · Jan 21, 2025

Win711 said:
That reminds me of using VLC 32 bit and not being able to play videos very well because of, presumably, running out of memory. Upgrading to the 64bit version fixed the problem.

I don't know if I can get win7 on that laptop. I had originally considered an older laptop from ebay, but the last time I did that it came with a virus and stopped working after a couple years. I thought a brand new laptop with 4gb of ram would be enough to play videos uneventfully, but in hindsight I should have gone with ebay.

It may have been a bug that was fixed in the 64 bit version, as opposed to it running out of memory. The 4GB RAM on the current machine being discussed is fully addressable with a 32 bit OS, so there really shouldn't be an advantage running 64 bit software from a memory standpoint. 64 bit apps use more memory, so it could be a disadvantage. I would give Windows 10 32 bit a try. VLC 32 bit may have been fixed or there may be some other video player you can use. If Windows 10 32 bit doesn't work out, then I would try Windows 10 64. It will still be a better fit than Windows 11 on a machine with only 4GB RAM.

zbook · Jan 21, 2025

Win711 said:
Is there anything you can say to convince me that it's not a waste of time? I think windows is running normally; the laptop just doesn't have enough ram and there is no way to tweak the kernel to use the pagefile. Until someone comes up with another solution all I can do is use the memory cleaner to push ram into the pagefile.

The V2 log collector will collect data.

The files can be scanned and read.

Win711 · Jan 21, 2025

LesFerch said:
It may have been a bug that was fixed in the 64 bit version, as opposed to it running out of memory.

The symptom was lurching/skipping along, freezing. What one would expect if out of memory. I doubt it was a software bug since almost certainly that version of VLC came from my quad core desktop that had been running it uneventfully for a long time with 16 gb ram. I didn't even know it was 32 bit until I had a problem with the laptop and discovered a 64 bit was available.

The media player app that came with 11 will play 8k videos just fine, but no other app like VLC will, even the 64 bit. Architecture can definitely make a difference.

LesFerch said:
The 4GB RAM on the current machine being discussed is fully addressable with a 32 bit OS, so there really shouldn't be an advantage running 64 bit software from a memory standpoint. 64 bit apps use more memory, so it could be a disadvantage.

Are you very sure about that? My friend had the same sort of objection at the time and it seemed like I found some reputable substantiation somewhere online that convinced me that 64 bit is more efficient. Are you sure you've pondered it from all angles?

Maybe the lurching/skipping was a result of the cpu not able to process 32 bits as quickly as 64. Maybe it wasn't a memory issue per se, but more of a bandwidth problem.

And the smaller 32 memory footprint could be offset by having to load additional 32 bit libraries just for VLC.

LesFerch · Jan 21, 2025

Well, in that case, why not try Windows 10 64 bit? It will work better with 4GB RAM than Windows 11. Maybe you're worried about Oct 2025, but I'm leaving my machines on Windows 10 (at least as long as Defender and browsers continue to get updates). Better to have something that works.

Win711 · Jan 21, 2025

LesFerch said:
Well, in that case, why not try Windows 10 64 bit? It will work better with 4GB RAM than Windows 11. Maybe you're worried about Oct 2025, but I'm leaving my machines on Windows 10 (at least as long as Defender and browsers continue to get updates). Better to have something that works.

How do I get windows 10?

zbook · Jan 21, 2025

Before moving to Windows 10 please post a V2 share link if you want to document some computer problems.

LesFerch · Jan 21, 2025

Win711 said:
How do I get windows 10?

The general procedure I follow is:

Download ISO: Download Windows 10

Get Rufus and use it to make a bootable USB flash drive with the downloaded ISO. Leave the flash drive inserted.

Hold Shift while selecting Restart to get into advanced startup options, then select Use a device > UEFI OS (i.e. the Rufus flash drive).

Follow the prompts to install Windows. When you get to the disk partitions, remove all existing partitions. The installer will create new ones.

For detailed instructions, see the following tutorial:

Clean Install Windows 10

How to Clean Install Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

hsehestedt · Jan 22, 2025

I have not read every single post in this thread, so pardon me if some of what is said has already been mentioned.

First, Win 11 minimum requirement is 4GB.

Second, a pagefile is not a substitute for RAM. Not everything can be swapped to a pagefile. Also, bear in made that a pagefile, even on an SSD, is a tiny fraction of the performance of RAM. If this was not the case, why spec any minimum for RAM

?

Third, you state that your system cannot be expanded beyond 2GB but also say that the system is only a few years old. Could you please post the exact model of the system? I know of no system built within the last ten years not capable of at least 4GB. If I am wrong, I'll gladly admit it, but I would like the system model so that I can research this myself.

I apologize if I'm being a killjoy here, but I'm trying to keep it real. I just don't see you getting to a point where any system with only 2GB RAM is going to run at a useable level even if you had a 100GB pagefile

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

zbook said:
Before moving to Windows 10 please post a V2 share link if you want to document some computer problems.

That seems like a lot of time walking back and forth with a thumbdrive only to be told "oh your pc is perfectly normal and nothing can be done to improve your situation." I'd be more intrigued if you could point out some example of what might be learned, but as it is all the evidence points towards a laptop that was barely able to support win11, and it seems like that's what the V2 would reveal.

Anyway, it will be a while before I do anything major because I don't have the time.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

LesFerch said:
The general procedure I follow is:

Download ISO: Download Windows 10

Get Rufus and use it to make a bootable USB flash drive with the downloaded ISO. Leave the flash drive inserted.

Hold Shift while selecting Restart to get into advanced startup options, then select Use a device > UEFI OS (i.e. the Rufus flash drive).

Follow the prompts to install Windows. When you get to the disk partitions, remove all existing partitions. The installer will create new ones.

That seems like how I installed win11 on the desktop listed in my specs. I just didn't know where to download win10 and where to get a key.

Before I do all this, are we sure this is the best course of action? The laptop is already all set up that way I want it except for a minor memory problem that could still be circumvented by a memory cleaner, or RamBoost with a thumbdrive, or perhaps an idea someone hasn't posted yet.

And the laptop's only task is to sit under the big tv playing videos and a trading app.

Would 10 use that much less memory to justify all the work? I have 10 on a tablet, but it has a whopping 8gb of ram lol. And I only use the tablet to show people videos and pics, so I have really no idea how 10 is different. I've only ever really used 7 and 11 (and xp, 2k, me, 98, 95).

The tablet shows 27% of 8gb in use, which is the same amount as the 50% of 4gb on the win11 laptop. It doesn't seem any different. Both have defender removed, so it should be a fair comparison.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

hsehestedt said:
I have not read every single post in this thread, so pardon me if some of what is said has already been mentioned.

That's ok it's not hard to repost what was said before

hsehestedt said:
First, Win 11 minimum requirement is 4GB.

I originally thought it was 2gb for a variety of reasons, but I was wrong. The laptop is actually 4gb.

hsehestedt said:
Second, a pagefile is not a substitute for RAM. Not everything can be swapped to a pagefile. Also, bear in made that a pagefile, even on an SSD, is a tiny fraction of the performance of RAM. If this was not the case, why spec any minimum for RAM ?

I'm not sure I'm convinced that a pagefile can't substitute for ram in many instances. How does SSD drive speed compare to SD ram from the 90s? Slow ram may slow processing down but it shouldn't stop.

The min spec is for a decent experience I suppose. A 5hp engine would be enough to move a car but it wouldn't be much fun.

hsehestedt said:
Third, you state that your system cannot be expanded beyond 2GB but also say that the system is only a few years old. Could you please post the exact model of the system? I know of no system built within the last ten years not capable of at least 4GB. If I am wrong, I'll gladly admit it, but I would like the system model so that I can research this myself.

The ram is soldered to the board with no slots available.

hsehestedt said:
I apologize if I'm being a killjoy here, but I'm trying to keep it real. I just don't see you getting to a point where any system with only 2GB RAM is going to run at a useable level even if you had a 100GB pagefile

You're probably right

zbook · Jan 22, 2025

Win711 said:
I have a win11 laptop with 2gb ram

Win711 said:
The only service that was using enough resources to justify the time to learn how to turn it off was defender. I turned off or uninstalled most apps that came with the pc.

Win711 said:
The problem is demand is high and windows would rather crash than resort to the pagefile.

Win711 said:
It's definitely possible it's 4gb and I'm not remembering right. I'll have to check tomorrow, but the problem is the same regardless. Whatever the amount of ram it's not sufficient and windows isn't utilizing the pagefile.

Win711 said:
I tried a ram cleaner last night and it was able to free up enough ram to take it from roughly 75% down to 50%.

Win711 said:
Dad and I both bought one, but I bought mine way before he did and advised him to get more ram, so I'm pretty sure his is twice mine. Since I have the box from his right beside me and it has that model number on it, then that's dad's laptop and therefore mine is half as much, or 2gb. But it's possible I have a 4 and he has an 8, and I'm confused whose box I have here.

Win711 said:
Everyone's intuition was correct that my laptop actually has 4gb of ram. Good call everyone!

And the memory cleaner does work. Once everything is loaded up and running stable, it will bring memory utilization down to 50%.

Win711 said:
static 8gb pagefile.

Win711 said:
I have a win11 laptop with 2gb ram with 10gb static size paging file on a SSD,

Win711 said:
The symptom was lurching/skipping along, freezing. What one would expect if out of memory.

Win711 said:
That seems like how I installed win11 on the desktop listed in my specs. I just didn't know where to download win10 and where to get a key.

Before I do all this, are we sure this is the best course of action? The laptop is already all set up that way I want it except for a minor memory problem that could still be circumvented by a memory cleaner, or RamBoost with a thumbdrive, or perhaps an idea someone hasn't posted yet.

There has been conflicting information throughout the thread.

Many members have tried to offer help.

Without collecting data nobody can be sure.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

Anyway, this memory cleaner seems to really work. GitHub - IgorMundstein/WinMemoryCleaner: This free RAM cleaner uses native Windows features to optimize memory areas. It's a compact, portable, and smart application.

I load the trading app that pushes memory utilization to 90%, then clean the memory down to 50%, then open a video and it all works fine, even with VLC paused in the background.

The only issue is the automatic cleaning doesn't seem to work. I tell it to clean anytime free memory is below 20%, but it doesn't do anything even though free memory stays at 10% for hours.

If that automation would work, I'd say it's problem solved.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

zbook said:
There has been conflicting information throughout the thread.

Many members have tried to offer help.

Without collecting data nobody can be sure.

The only conflicting data was my assumption that the laptop was 2gb instead of 4, but it was and is still irrelevant.

If you'd put that kind of energy into an example of what V2 could show that would be of interest, then I'd be more happy to comply out of intrigue, rather than the laborious task you've chosen of collecting my posts in some attempt to shame me into compliance, which pretty much guarantees I'm not going to do it.

zbook · Jan 22, 2025

The V2 log collector collects files to troubleshoot computer problems:

The files include information on CPU, GPU, RAM, Msinfo32, dxdiag, Windows Error Reporting (WER), event viewer, etc.

kelper · Jan 22, 2025

Emptying your ram by forcing it into a page file is biting off your nose to spite your face! It will just reduce performance. Please try making Windows manage memory as it does a good job and optimises the balance between real and virtual memory.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

zbook said:
The V2 log collector collects files to troubleshoot computer problems:

The files include information on CPU, GPU, RAM, Msinfo32, dxdiag, Windows Error Reporting (WER), event viewer, etc.

What would that data potentially reveal? I think the laptop is working normally, but I'd like to change the way it normally works. I'm looking for a tweak or hack, not a fix or repair.

Win711 · Jan 22, 2025

kelper said:
Emptying your ram by forcing it into a page file is biting off your nose to spite your face! It will just reduce performance. Please try making Windows manage memory as it does a good job and optimises the balance between real and virtual memory.

Why would I care about performance? It's a laptop under a tv that does noting but play videos and a trading app. I never even open the lid.

If I wanted performance I'd buy a better laptop lol. I wanted the cheapest laptop (that's not a chromebook) that I could find at walmart because all it's going to do is play videos for the tv.

Is there a way to force win11 to use a paging file?

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