Move Windows temp files and paging file off SSD?

[GLaDOS]

Hi all, I'm rebuilding a Windows install on my gaming computer (mostly used for playing Flight Sim, and a few other various games). I've reinstalled Windows and am starting to make configuration changes.

I've seen it suggested in a few places that moving the pagefile and the temp files off of an SSD onto the first partition of a mechanical HDD can prolong the life of an SSD, due to the reduced writes on the drive. I currently use a Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD. I just had a couple of questions around this:

1. Is this still recommended for SSDs (or is this older advice given during the early days of SSDs?)

2. If still recommended, can I have the page file and the temp files on the same drive/partition?

3. How big should the partition be for both (assuming it's possible)?

If I do move page file and/or the temp files, it would be on a 1TB mechanical drive with 2 other partitions. I would put the pagefile/temp file partition first. Just wanted to see if this was still recommended by the community here.

Would very much appreciate any thoughts, feedback, or advice. Thank you as always!

 

[carnageX]

1. Yes it's still generally recommended. Or if you don't need any pagefile at all you can disable it (depending on the amount of memory you have).

2. & 3. Are you saying you want to make a dedicated swap partition for the pagefile? Not really necessary IMO - just move the pagefile onto your HDD and disable it on your system drive (SSD).

 

[GLaDOS]

1. Yes it's still generally recommended. Or if you don't need any pagefile at all you can disable it (depending on the amount of memory you have).

2. & 3. Are you saying you want to make a dedicated swap partition for the pagefile? Not really necessary IMO - just move the pagefile onto your HDD and disable it on your system drive (SSD).

Thanks CarnageX, I appreciate the feedback.

My thought behind giving the page file and temp files it's own partition was just to make system imaging easier. If I put the temp files and page file on the same partition as my data, when I go to create a system image of the machine, it will read that drive as a system drive and include that in the system image. By putting the page file and temp files on it's own partition I thought I could keep my system image to just the C drive and that partition and have a much smaller system image that didn't include the actual data (which I back up separately).

 

[carnageX]

Fair enough - as long as you have a good enough reason .

 

[GLaDOS]

Fair enough - as long as you have a good enough reason .

Much appreciated.

Any idea how large a partition for a page file and the temp files should be (assuming the page file is not disabled)? I was guessing about 20GB but that was just a shot in the dark more than fact.

 

[carnageX]

Depends if you want to set the page file to a fixed size or let it be system-managed. If system-managed, it could easily get double your RAM if under the right circumstances.

Temp files can be pretty dynamic as well - all depends on how often you plan on clearing it out - otherwise you'll start seeing the "Low space" warning popping up frequently.

 

[cb600fshornet]

Yeah the page file should really be moved from the SSD onto a mechanical drive (or turned off if you have plenty of RAM).

 

[1etherer]

Yeah the page file should really be moved from the SSD onto a mechanical drive (or turned off if you have plenty of RAM).

What would you say is enough RAM to say its ok to turn it off? I have my pagefile on my SSD so curious...

 

[cb600fshornet]

Depends how much the PC is using and what you do with it. For me 8GB is more than enough, for others they may need a little more!

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

I wouldn't turn the paging file off, ever... Some programs, (actually many) depend on the pagefile being there for some reason. Honestly if you find your self using the pagefile extensively I would store the page file on a pair of cheap Raid0 mechanical disks.