Does Win8 still need virtual memory?

Virtual memory is a technique for computer system memory management. It makes the application think that it has continuous available memory (a continuous complete address space), but in fact, it is usually divided into multiple physical memory fragments, and some are temporarily stored on external disk storage, when needed Data exchange is performed.

Systems that use this technology make it easier to write large programs and use real physical memory (such as RAM) more efficiently than systems that don't use virtual memory technology.

Virtual memory is not just a way to expand physical memory with disk space —— this just expands the memory level to include the hard drive. Extending memory to disk is a result of using virtual memory technology, and its effect can be achieved by overriding or swapping inactive programs and their data onto disk. The definition of virtual memory is based on the redefinition of the address space, that is, the address space is defined as "continuous virtual memory address", thereby using the "spoof" program to make them think they are using a large block. "Continuous" address.

Through the above introduction, we can find that the use of hard disk on virtual memory is not accurate, and it also gives a very clear statement that using virtual memory will not slow down the speed of physical memory. On the contrary, it will make physical memory more efficient!

Then the second question of the first paragraph will understand, can't open virtual memory? Open!

How much virtual memory is open?

Now the first question is left, how much is the virtual memory? How to set it up? The following quotes a piece of information (quoted from the wiki). Windows uses the system partition to implement virtual memory. The page file pagefile.sys (with hidden, system properties) in the root directory is saved. When the physical memory and page files are not enough, the system will automatically generate temppf.sys (meaning temporary pagefile, temporary page file) to make up, the size of temppf.sys is between the size and maximum value of the page file.

Because virtual memory uses a hard disk, files that are not continuously written on the hard disk will generate disk fragmentation. Therefore, if the file or partition used to implement virtual memory is too fragmented, it will lengthen the seek time of the hard disk and affect the system. performance.

There is a misconception that Windows systems frequently read and write pagefile.sys will produce disk fragmentation, but it is not. Because the pagefile.sys file is created, the continuous form of the distribution in the partition is fixed. The internal file read and write does not increase or decrease the file size of pagefile.sys. Temppf.sys created by the system will cause disk fragmentation only after the page file is warned.

If you don't like watching the above paragraph, you can take a look at what I have summarized:

If you set up virtual memory that is not enough, you will create temporary virtual memory, and this temporary virtual Memory will cause performance degradation, and will produce disk fragmentation

Virtual memory settings This depends mainly on what configuration of your computer,

1, if your memory is less than 4G, then it is recommended to virtual The memory is set to 1.5 times or 2 times your physical memory;

2. If your memory is 4G-8G, then it is recommended to set the virtual memory to 1x or 1.5 times your physical memory;

3, 8G or more, then it is recommended to set the virtual memory to 1x physical memory.