WinUAE detecting and making use of the swap file
 

Hi,


Could it be possible for WinUAE to detect and make use of the swap file ?
I noticed some PC game (Mechwarrior IV, presumably) issues a warning when it doesn't detect any swap file upon setup (on a non-c partition). Of course, it's still possible to play this game without any swap file, but I assume performance is slightly degraded.

Similarly, I figured out WinUAE detecting the swap file on the partition on which it runs and using it to improve overall performance.


I didn't give this very deep thoughts I must say, so the pointless request monicker may come down faster than expected !

Lolz :-D

wtf?

Just code a deliberate memory leak patch for NewDeli and the swap file will most certainly be used.

All of the above. :D Best ever and that even before I had my first coffee. Yay! :D

This just
made my day!

oh no here comes another 4 page thread that no one understands, well perhaps just one person knows ......

Come on, write up an explanation instead... People might get the idea that the EAB is where non experts get mocked, it just looks bad. At least I'd like to think that the moderators here would want to perform in more exemplary manner than stooping down to a pointing and laughing level.

The swap file is automagically used by applications. Nice that the game gives a warning, but some people might not want to use a swap file (for various reasons). Put the swap file on a different HD (if you have more than one) than the OS to increase performance (of the 'swap file'). That's about it.

I don't remember having any contracts that says I need to answer, or answer 100% politically correctly when OP should have researched it first. (try answering each and every question here without annoying anyone and then and only then you are allowed to try again)

--

Quick so called answers:

If someone mentions "swap" file: just ignore it, it is about Windows 9x/ME. (or he/she is totally confused about the topic anyway: better ignore it too :D)

Page file is more complex topic, it isn't about simple "store stuff to file when memory is low", far from it. Just forget it :)

Normally I would agree, but this time the question/request was intended as joke to begin with, right? (If not I humbly apologize, but can't help feeling the mockery might be the best medicine after all then.)

I am not sure using "virtual memory" wouldn't have brought a certain degree of confusion, but in any case, I can assure you I wasn't referring to Windows 9x/ME in this very thread :crying .

It seems to me the swap file itself bears different names for different Windows OSes but is basically there for the same purpose (or apparent purpose, if you prefer).
cf. http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/swapfile.htm

@TCD
Precisely. I created a new page / swap file on the partition where WinUAE is running (again, a non-C one) and I am left wondering whether WinUAE will use it or not. e.g. I don't think creating a page / swap file on a 100% data partition brings anything in terms of performance.

@Toni
Nobody made a similar request on EAB, AFAIK. This said, maybe it would have been better to ask (in OTT) for a method to make ANY program use the swap file.

I said HD, not partition. Like Toni said, it's better to leave the topic alone :)

@NewDeli:

Using a swap file makes things slower, not faster. A swap file should only be used if there is not enough RAM left. Putting the swap file on another harddrive might be faster than having the swap file on the system drive, but both options are much slower than not using a swap file at all.

That said, Windows does not use the swap file anyway if there is enough RAM, so having one or not does not make any difference unless your PC is underequipped.

NewDeli,

While taking a risk here trying to reply seriously (in all the mockery, sorry about that); you probably want to avoid having WinUAE using swap for best performance, not the other way around.

EDIT:

Cheers thomas, you beat me to the punch. ;)

NewDeli,

At the risk of repeating stuff already said, all software use the "swap file" (really a term of bygone era, should be called pagefile on windows) if needed.

Windows (like most modern OS) use address space virtualization and pagefile is an important part of that concept (also why it shouldn't be disabled - ever; not even if you have enough memory).

OS will handle all your software paging needs when needed.

Googling Windows XP + swap file only leads to 10 million less results compared to
googling Windows XP + page file but it's OK, I shall call it page file if that pleases you.

To broaden a bit the topic, does anyone know if WinUAE uses RAM as efficiently in Windows Vista / 7 as in XP ? It seems to me each OS involves rather different memory management / system cache techniques.

Maybe instead of looking at random google sources, you should go to the source instead for correct terms. It's not about pleasing me... :rolleyes

Interesting question ;) You might find your 'answer' here : http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=584515&postcount=32

Are you sitting at your desktop wondering if MS Word uses RAM more efficiently under different OS's?

What about Notepad?!?! That could be using RAM less efficiently too!

Just use your computer for what it's for.

Life is too short for this kind of crap :)