Paging File Size
I have 1GB of RAM on my editing system, what should my paging file size (aka virtual memory aka scratch file) be?
150% of physical RAM size is a good balanced number, and this is what we usually recommend. Making it more than 150% does not make much sense, as you essentially begin working with your hard disk as your RAM device, and that's intolerably slow. Setting it to a lesser number may result in "memory full" when there is still room for a tolerable performance. Nowadays, the low cost of RAM allows us to neglect the perceived "balance" and max it out so that the paging limit is never or rarely reached.
Which means that if you have lots of RAM (more than you think you will ever need), then you can set the paging file size to 10% of the physical RAM size, and this will unlikely adversely affect your system's performance. That is, if for some reason you run really low on disk space. Otherwise, just keep it at 10% minimum and 150% maximum.
Keep in mind that all of the above applies to NLE computers primarily; regular "home" computers rarely need 1GB of RAM, while 3D modeling and compositing workstations often need more.
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Alexei, 05 November 2001
150% of physical RAM size is a good balanced number, and this is what we usually recommend. Making it more than 150% does not make much sense, as you essentially begin working with your hard disk as your RAM device, and that's intolerably slow. Setting it to a lesser number may result in "memory full" when there is still room for a tolerable performance. Nowadays, the low cost of RAM allows us to neglect the perceived "balance" and max it out so that the paging limit is never or rarely reached.
Which means that if you have lots of RAM (more than you think you will ever need), then you can set the paging file size to 10% of the physical RAM size, and this will unlikely adversely affect your system's performance. That is, if for some reason you run really low on disk space. Otherwise, just keep it at 10% minimum and 150% maximum.
Keep in mind that all of the above applies to NLE computers primarily; regular "home" computers rarely need 1GB of RAM, while 3D modeling and compositing workstations often need more.
---
Alexei, 05 November 2001