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For attachement read "printed below".
Regards,
Ton Maas
ms-irb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dismiss the ".nospam" bit (including the dot) when replying.
============================================
See my answers below (and the attachement that explains this subject a lot more).
----- Original Message -----
From: John Sellers <ay286@xxxxxxxx>
To: <metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: zaterdag 19 juni 1999 16:56
Subject: RE: Faster MS Win 6.5 Explorations Using Cache???
> Thanks for tour well written mail. In my system I have the option of
> placing the Swap file in any partition and or drive. What this means is
> that it exists on the hard drive and the use of it involves transfer of
> data back and forth from RAM and hard drive.
This option to user was introduced in Win95 (see attachement for more)
Since the Swap-file's main function is TO EXTEND MEM CAPACITY and as this
cannot be achieved by adding any more physical RAM chips (there are only 4x
entries (slots) reserved on Motherboard for the MEM's RAM chips) then Win9.x tricks
the PC's OS (Win9.x) by letting it think that there are more RAM's Mb's available than
there are actualy physicaly installed (thus virtualy it could be made possible).
The naming convention within the OS for this precense of more surrogat RAM is the
virtual memory or VRAM.
In the old DOS days, add-in cards were used for this, but also "consuming" one always
needed extension slot (now for cards) and as such these were in Win9.x replaced by
this build-in virtual memory (VRAM) feature.
>From this its other more specific fuctions are:
it's first function is: (Safety)
- to be an emergency outlet when (installed physical) RAM overflows with data
- to provide an emergency "write" enabled outlet for OS/program/processor when
they (hardware) crash (when write actions for data were about to follow or not completed,
eg as to do no damage to any hardware)
it's second function is: (Temp Storage)
- to be a temp-storage file for the to be (for that Win9.x session only) later saved
information, eg the RAM-fuction of a temp database where the OS(Win9.x) can fall
back on (or grep from) for the by user "added" information
(where "added" means general cut,copy,paste routines by user and the by a browser
or other programs used Intellisence feature's actions, like f.i. when filling in forms on the
web, the names and adresses etc. are then "automaticaly" remembered, ready to use
and will be directly shown to user as an option).
it's 3td function is: (RAM's extension)
- to be an extension of the already installed RAM, having the same functionalities as RAM,
and is seen by system as "installed" RAM , i.e. whatever RAM can do temp storing, the
swap-file can do as well, but naturaly only by read/write to and from this on-disk stored file
Win386.swp (that is why disk+file maintenance and SCSI for disk standard is so very important
eg for speed-ing of tasks).
> Is it logically to assume that the RAM disk is actually in RAM and if one
> assigns the swap file to the partition that designates that portion namely
> the RAM disk, then data would then be transferred from RAM to RAM. I would
> think that transfer rate should be faster than going back and forth to the
> hard drive.
The RAM disk is not a disk in RAM(see above), it is either the (surrogate RAM) card or file.
The OS automaticaly "switches" (actualy continues) on/to the virtual memory, and will at
that time of instance, not know the difference between these 2 types of "hardware" for
memory storage.
(that is too, why disk+file maintenance and SCSI for disk standard is so very important
eg for speed-ing of tasks).
> Another alternate method I have tried has to assign the max and min values
> to a fixed value for the swap file (usually 3 or 4 times ones RAM memory
> size). Of course this value should be set high and then by trail and error
> adjusted downward until the user sees loss of operational speed. This in my
> experience has achieved an increase of speed by two or more times speed,
> however Microsoft recommends that this not be done but they put it in the
> software.
2 to 2.5 times is adequate enough to manualy keep this file ready usable for the OS.
(2x the installed RAM is the file's maximum extension, source: Microsoft's KB).
Keep in mind that when the disk gets (too) full, and that happens very easely, that
then there is no guardian angle that will assist the OS, or that will come to this or any
other occuring (perhaps temp) memory problem's rescue. Damage done to RAM chips
can easy be done (and will not be visable to user or to OS), as well as damage done
to the processor or other hardware(like BIOS,CdRom etc.) hardware that will be
derived from an I/O outlet.
Therefore, this option is not advised to use.(It is more of a feature used by Techies
solving the arisen problems).
==================================================
>From the Swap File Overwriter v1.2 program's Help.
The program's Help+Support on the swapfiles for subject.
Swap-file Overwriter
ftp://ftp.zdnet.com/pub/private/sWlIB/utilities/file_utilities/swapfove.zip
Home
http://www.kagi.com/vfstudio/
http://www.kagi.com/vfstudio/fantasy.htm
===========================================
Swap File Overwriter1.2 - Intro
Safe destruction of Windows 95/98 swap file containing your unencrypted passwords
and other confidential data. Simply a must for any security-conscious user!
Are you concerned with safety of your login data including ISP, Hotmail, MailCity,
FTP and PGP passwords and private or sensitive documents? Do you realize that much
of your Clipboard contents (Copy, Cut and Paste operations) could have strayed into
your Windows 95/98 swap file from where it may be retrieved even after your PC has
been shut down? Are you aware that much of your data loaded into the RAM only could
have landed up in the swap file where it may stay for a long time? The solution is
simple - overwrite your swap file! This application will increase your safety -
a single mouse click will shred your swap file mercilessly and indiscriminately.
See the Web site for further details. Download link supports resuming.
Sat 21 Nov 1998 22:04:45
size: 190 KB
For the Swap File Overwriter to be functional, you need to separately download its "special engine" :
- the overwriting 32-bit MS-DOS mode component, file SCORCH.COM (4KB only) and copy it to
the COMMAND subfolder of your main Windows folder.
You may download this file from "The Real Delete Homepage" (the home of Scorch), clicking on
the following link:
http://www.mist.demon.co.uk/realdelete/scorch.zip
Scorch utility needs to be acquired separately, as its license does not allow for it being incorporated
into any other program or product. Check for the license conditions of this file before using it:
- its documentation clearly specifies the conditions under which its use is free indefinitely.
Scorch is Copyright © 1996 Iolo Davidson
-----------------------------------------------------------
Help: What Is The Swap File
(...and do I need one?)
(Note that this is only one(1) page out of many given in program's Help)
Swap file, or Virtual Memory as it is also called, is an invention of a modern computer
operating system designed to facilitate the system's work when - to put it very simply
- a part of the hard disk is set aside and is used as an extension of the
system's Random Access Memory, the so-called RAM.
In Windows 95/98 it is the somewhat mysterious file called WIN386.SWP by default
residing in the main Windows folder or, if the system's handling of Virtual Memory has
been customized, in the root of any of your hard drives with sufficient free space.
You may decide that you want to have it at a faster and less busy drive where its better
performance may be achieved. Windows 95/98 enables the user to make also some other
customizable decisions as to the actual way how this file behaves and does its job.
You may, e.g., decide that you want your system to automatically handle the size of the
swap file and adjust it according to its particular needs for optimal performance (this is the default).
You also may choose to set the maximum and/or minimum size of this file if your hard disk has
ample free space and you want to be generous in its handling of the system's resources.
And finally, if your RAM is really very, very big (but really very big indeed) you may opt to
altogether scrap the use of the swap file, disable it and fully rely on your large memory instead.
-------------------------------------------------------------
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the above settings?
This question can be basically narrowed down to two more precise sub-questions - what are the
advantages and disadvantages of enabling the swap file (and using it) or disabling it and relying
on your RAM only.
All these settings do basically the same thing depending on what your hardware allows them to.
When your PC does have the swap file enabled, then the system uses it and may write into it when
needed (among other things) many of the Copy, Cut and Paste operations, depending on the quantity
of user input the PC has to process as well as the time they remain in memory. As can be expected,
the longer they remain there the bigger the probability that they may get into the swap file (from where
they can often be easily retrieved if you know how to do it - see topic How To Search It For A String
for details). This finding may be by itself quite alarming for many users who naively think that
"Cut and Paste" is pretty harmless and leaves no traces of what had actually been done. Here even
military-grade encryption software will not help you if you recklessly serve the clue to your confidential
data on the inconspicuous tray of the swap file. Hence a simple conclusion may be made - disabling
the swap file is the safest thing to do and... let's go for it right away! Slow down, however, if you do not
want to be halted by the consequences. A word of caution is very much desirable now. If you do not
have a really large memory you may run into trouble by not only slowing down your system very
significantly and below a reasonable pace but mostly may end up unable to restart it at all.
So those of us who cannot boast having been fitted with extraordinary memory chips better keep close
to earth, accept the swap file's existence and concentrate on tricks that may neutralize its inner coward
features and generally not widely known risks as much as possible.
If your RAM is of a limited or average size, the reply is pretty easy and unambiguous - you do need the swap file.
Therefore, you better learn how to live with it and how to effectively defeat it - before it may (possibly and
under certain circumstances) ...defeat you.
Last but not least - some programs, and games in particular, are written in such a way that they anticipate
the existence of the system's swap file and fail to operate if they do not find it. What's even worse is that
the error messages you may get will not give you a clue as to what had really happened. Be careful with
disabling the swap file even if you have literally hundreds of megabytes of RAM as it may prevent you from
operating some of your applications unless you reenable the swap file and let the system using it again.
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