I'm getting conflicting info on the subject. I've been running with no page file for a long time without ever having any sort of problem, but I've seen people say 4gb of RAM is too small to not have one. So, do I need it? Do I set it to system managed or enter a custom value? Thanks.

You're never going to get a definitive answer on this. I personally think it's better to have one, even on a SSD, as it's there should it ever be needed and isn't doing any hard when it's not.

Luckily, RAM memory is cheap now days. I bought an extra 4gb, 8gb total. FSX seems to have some sort of memory leak, I have seen it use up to 3.8gb virtual memory with no addons exept for the NGX.

Some Programs will Crash on you if there is no availabe page file. For Most computer configurations that only have 1 hard drive the best bet is to let Windows set it for you. If you have more than 1 Hardrive you should put the Page File on the Fastest Drive. I have 3 Hard Drives on my system and they are all rated at the same speed and are the same size. C: is Windows D: is Programs such as PhotoShop, Videos and Music. E: is FSX and Addons. When I am flying C: and E: are naturally Active and not much going on with Drive D: if anything. So the obvious place for the Page File would be here. While Windows is getting what it needs from C: Drive, FSX is getting what it needs at the same time from E: Drive and if needed Windows can spin up D: for Paging. Essentially you have 3 drives that can all be accessing data at the same time. Now think if you had this all on 1 Hard Drive? Performance would decrease cause everthing would have to be shared. Of course if you move your page file and have no Pagefile on C: Windows won't be able to save any info if you have to Debug a Crash but I have never had any issues with the way my system is currently set.

Luckily, RAM memory is cheap now days. I bought an extra 4gig, 8gig total. FSX seems to have some sort of memory leak, I have seen it use up to 3.8 gig virtual memory with no addons exept for the NGX.

Suggesting a hardware upgrade does not give me any info regarding my OP.

If you got 4GB without page file, then you're limited to 4GB of Ram. Taking into account that FSX can easily eat up 2GB+, that only leaves 2GB for OS+other applications running. Once those 4GB are taken, all applications requesting additional memory will crash with and OOM exception, inluding system critical processes. I see some reason running non-page file configuration on XP, where the memory management is pretty messed up, and the OS will cache memory pages even when there is plenty of physical ram available + every access of HDD is really hurting a XP system. But on vista and 7? No, the memory mamangement was reworked for those, and the OS is keen on using all available ram.

If you got 4GB without page file, then you're limited to 4GB of Ram. Taking into account that FSX can easily eat up 2GB+, that only leaves 2GB for OS+other applications running. Once those 4GB are taken, all applications requesting additional memory will crash with and OOM exception, inluding system critical processes. I see some reason running non-page file configuration on XP, where the memory management is pretty messed up, and the OS will cache memory pages even when there is plenty of physical ram available + every access of HDD is really hurting a XP system. But on vista and 7? No, the memory mamangement was reworked for those, and the OS is keen on using all available ram.

Thank you, Matus. I'm a long time simmer and my info that it was better to run it without a page file probably dates back to my XP days. I was not aware of the improvements in memory management. Very informative!

i am pretty sure windows is not even intended to run without a page file. Paging is at the core of the memory management. There are a lot of software products that will not start without it too. So bottom line - use one. But do not use the automatic setting - set its size according to your ram - e.g. if you have 4g, make it 4096.

Luckily, RAM memory is cheap now days. I bought an extra 4gb, 8gb total. FSX seems to have some sort of memory leak, I have seen it use up to 3.8gb virtual memory with no addons exept for the NGX.

It's not a memory leak - large amounts of usage don't mean "leak." It's just inefficiently programmed. A leak is when the usage keeps increasing without end infinitely for no reason - that's not what FSX does. I've let it run for over 24 hours before, it does stabilize.

Leave it on and let windows do it's thing - MS are not idiots, if it wasn't needed it wouldn't be there. Some, especially older programs actually reply on it being present. Chris Farrell

Leave it on and let windows do it's thing - MS are not idiots, if it wasn't needed it wouldn't be there. Some, especially older programs actually reply on it being present. Chris Farrell

This is extremely good advice. MS does not recommend disabling the pagefile - there are reasons for its use besides running out of physical RAM (virtual memory). Just leave it on system managed.

This is extremely good advice. MS does not recommend disabling the pagefile - there are reasons for its use besides running out of physical RAM (virtual memory). Just leave it on system managed.

Thank you, Ryan. Always good to hear it from the pro's. I'd submitted a ticket regarding a freeze when the CPU had reached 100%. Would my page file being off had anything to do with that?

Sorry Chris I see what you wanted to know mostly did not have anything to do with the page file. One thing to keep in mind on memory is that with 32 Bit windows whatever devices in your system have onboard memory will need to be mapped in the first 4 gig of system memory. That means if you have a GTX Video Card with 1.5 gig memory onboard it has to me mapped by windows and so instead of 4 gig of memory you only have 2.5 gig of usuable memory. The reason I bring this up is because video cards are getting insane amounts of memory on board these days and it used to be 4 gig was enough for anything but now its not. 64-bit windows does not have this limitation and can use all 4 gig of your memory. People think that just because FSX is a 32 bit application and can only use a max of 4 gig of ram that, that is all you need system wise. But what if FSX is using all your memory? What is Windows going to use? To run FSX optimially and give your other addons and Windows enough Ram I always suggest 6 to 8 Gigs of System Memory.

I'd submitted a ticket regarding a freeze when the CPU had reached 100%. Would my page file being off had anything to do with that?

Your CPU reaching 100 percent usage has nothing to do with the memory. It just means its getting overloaded, and and as much as you hate to hear it, probably means you need to upgrade to something faster.

I'm getting conflicting info on the subject. I've been running with no page file for a long time without ever having any sort of problem, but I've seen people say 4gb of RAM is too small to not have one. So, do I need it? Do I set it to system managed or enter a custom value? Thanks.

CUSTOM Value ( recomemded size, with MIN = max ). This will result in the least about of Page File Fragmentation. Page File is NOT "all" about size. It gets fragmented with use, and FSX is not very good about managing the fragmentation.Eventually, it will request a chunk of Page File, and altough there is a lot free, there will not be a big enough Free block for it to acquire. Then OOM. There is like still a significant amount of FREE page memory available, but none of it is in a big enough block, that the request for the big block can be satisfied, This is where you might get some milage by using a "memory defragger".... but when it runs "occasionally", you will get a small Freeze, as it defrags. But a small 2 second frreze every 30 minutes, is better than a Crash !! Also, remember that the page file is on Disk, When you power down, it may still contain allocated data block, and they can be unavailable now, even after you reboot. There is a registry setting that will CLEAR your page file on shutdown. ( mainly for security purposes)It does slow down the shutdown process... BUT, each time you then restart windows, you have a CLEAN, (and therefore defragged) page File, with 100% of it available. ------------My recommendation would therefore be(1) Set page file, o your fastest drive, to Max recommended size, User managed, with Min = max.(2) Set registry to clear page file o shut down ( Google for info -- be careful messing with registry !!) One thing youb have to LOVE about MS FS. It forces you to have to know a lot about your computer,and how to optimize and maintain it !!! Geoff

Sorry Chris I see what you wanted to know mostly did not have anything to do with the page file. One thing to keep in mind on memory is that with 32 Bit windows whatever devices in your system have onboard memory will need to be mapped in the first 4 gig of system memory. That means if you have a GTX Video Card with 1.5 gig memory onboard it has to me mapped by windows and so instead of 4 gig of memory you only have 2.5 gig of usuable memory. The reason I bring this up is because video cards are getting insane amounts of memory on board these days and it used to be 4 gig was enough for anything but now its not. 64-bit windows does not have this limitation and can use all 4 gig of your memory. People think that just because FSX is a 32 bit application and can only use a max of 4 gig of ram that, that is all you need system wise. But what if FSX is using all your memory? What is Windows going to use? To run FSX optimially and give your other addons and Windows enough Ram I always suggest 6 to 8 Gigs of System Memory. Your CPU reaching 100 percent usage has nothing to do with the memory. It just means its getting overloaded, and and as much as you hate to hear it, probably means you need to upgrade to something faster.

Ref GPU mapping to your memory. Thast an increasingly bigger issue with Video cards with large amounts of memory, -- (Thank you Nvidia !!) and IT IS NOT NECESSARY There is a Patch to stop that unnecessary mapping, which will free up all that address space ! If interested GOOGLE it. Way too much to put in a psot. Geoff

Some Programs will Crash on you if there is no availabe page file. For Most computer configurations that only have 1 hard drive the best bet is to let Windows set it for you. If you have more than 1 Hardrive you should put the Page File on the Fastest Drive. I have 3 Hard Drives on my system and they are all rated at the same speed and are the same size. C: is Windows D: is Programs such as PhotoShop, Videos and Music. E: is FSX and Addons. When I am flying C: and E: are naturally Active and not much going on with Drive D: if anything. So the obvious place for the Page File would be here. While Windows is getting what it needs from C: Drive, FSX is getting what it needs at the same time from E: Drive and if needed Windows can spin up D: for Paging. Essentially you have 3 drives that can all be accessing data at the same time. Now think if you had this all on 1 Hard Drive? Performance would decrease cause everthing would have to be shared. Of course if you move your page file and have no Pagefile on C: Windows won't be able to save any info if you have to Debug a Crash but I have never had any issues with the way my system is currently set.

Thank you! I missed this one the first time. And for the others as well. My information on this subject was way out of date. And only had one person suggest running out and spending money on hardware! That's refreshing.