07 July 2010, 03:23 | #1 |
Banned
|
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 ! |
07 July 2010, 08:02 | #2 |
-
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Helsinki / Finland
Age: 43
Posts: 9,861
|
Lolz :-D
|
07 July 2010, 08:08 | #3 |
WinUAE developer
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland
Age: 49
Posts: 26,505
|
wtf?
|
07 July 2010, 08:18 | #4 |
old bearded fool
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bangkok
Age: 56
Posts: 775
|
Just code a deliberate memory leak patch for NewDeli and the swap file will most certainly be used.
|
07 July 2010, 08:36 | #5 |
move.l #$c0ff33,throat
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Berlin/Joymoney
Posts: 6,863
|
All of the above. Best ever and that even before I had my first coffee. Yay!
|
07 July 2010, 10:27 | #6 |
Lesser Talent
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Age: 42
Posts: 7,957
|
This just
made my day! |
07 July 2010, 11:04 | #7 |
The 1 who ribbits
|
oh no here comes another 4 page thread that no one understands, well perhaps just one person knows ......
|
07 July 2010, 11:07 | #8 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Sweden
Posts: 2,269
|
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.
|
07 July 2010, 11:17 | #9 |
HOL/FTP busy bee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Germany
Age: 46
Posts: 31,522
|
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.
Last edited by TCD; 07 July 2010 at 13:14. Reason: just for the sake of it ;) |
07 July 2010, 11:34 | #10 |
WinUAE developer
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland
Age: 49
Posts: 26,505
|
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 ) 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 |
07 July 2010, 11:42 | #11 | |
old bearded fool
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bangkok
Age: 56
Posts: 775
|
Quote:
|
|
07 July 2010, 12:01 | #12 |
Banned
|
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 .
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. |
07 July 2010, 12:03 | #13 |
HOL/FTP busy bee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Germany
Age: 46
Posts: 31,522
|
I said HD, not partition. Like Toni said, it's better to leave the topic alone
|
07 July 2010, 12:42 | #14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Germany
Posts: 6,985
|
@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. |
07 July 2010, 12:49 | #15 |
old bearded fool
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bangkok
Age: 56
Posts: 775
|
NewDeli,
While taking a risk here trying to reply seriously (in all the [ Show youtube player ], 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. Last edited by modrobert; 07 July 2010 at 12:51. Reason: late reply |
07 July 2010, 13:18 | #16 |
The Spanish Songstress
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Finland
Posts: 114
|
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. |
07 July 2010, 13:47 | #17 |
Banned
|
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. |
07 July 2010, 14:01 | #19 | |
HOL/FTP busy bee
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Germany
Age: 46
Posts: 31,522
|
Quote:
|
|
07 July 2010, 14:01 | #20 | |
Lesser Talent
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Age: 42
Posts: 7,957
|
Quote:
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 |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
WinUAE not detecting USB Connected 209MB HD | Darcey | support.WinUAE | 35 | 15 July 2014 16:40 |
WINUAE: swap between Native screen and RTG possible? | CFou! | support.WinUAE | 14 | 12 March 2013 12:44 |
GameBase not detecting WinUAE (or any emulators at all) | yoshimitsuhiro | project.MAGE | 1 | 15 March 2009 21:38 |
Making ADF file from Amiga Disk on a PC - Possible? | kappowser | New to Emulation or Amiga scene | 8 | 03 June 2008 18:23 |
Making bootable MS-DOS disk as ADF file for multi-level emulation | Minuous | support.Apps | 13 | 18 June 2003 09:01 |
|
|