Page file corrupt

[markiezzi]

Hello,

I am helping a client over the phone. She has been getting page file low messages on startup using windows XP. I have had her manually try setting the parameters for the page file size but nothing is taking. My question is where is the pagefile located on her C: drive? and if she deletes it will it rebuild itself or will it damage the operating system?

Thanks
Mark

 

[seedubya]

Where have you gotten the idea that it's corrupt? Normally you'll get these messages if the hard disk is full or near to. The pagefile is located in the root of the C drive and cannot be just deleted. Honestly, (because this is REALLY BASIC technical stuff) you should consider getting a professional before you break something. It's not just your own PC you're f***ing with.

On a seperate but related note, why are you selling your services if you're this inexperienced? There's not shame in inexperience but there's a lot of shame in fooling clients into thinking you know what you're doing.

 

[markiezzi]

Hi,

Thanks for the put down. She has 40GB of hard drive space left. We have tried to set the page file to different size values but windows resets it to 256 no mater what option we choose. So I see your a senior member so I guess that is what Bryce will like to make this site out to be now..a flaming war zone.. I don't know everything about computer repair so that is why I am posting a question. I'm sorry that my question offened you. I guess you are the ultimate computer technician and probably are a rich man in Ireland but in the US you wouldn't be sh*t. I will now have to post messages on other sites and put this site down because of you..assh*le... I will make sure I send a message to Bryce to let him know how nice his senior member is and to ask for a refund on my Business Kit he sold me.

Thanks

 

[purple_minion]

Hi,

Thanks for the put down. So I see your a senior member so I guess that is what Bryce will like to make this site out to be now..a flaming war zone.. I don't know everything about computer repair so that is why I am posting a question. I'm sorry that my question offened you. I guess you are the ultimate computer technician and probably are a rich man in Ireland but in the US you wouldn't be sh*t. I will now have to post messages on other sites and put this site down because of you..assh*le... I will make sure I send a message to Bryce to let him know how nice his senior member is and to ask for a refund on my Business Kit he sold me.

Thanks

If you think HE was rude you obviously haven't heard anything from ME! He stated politely, and quite correctly that if you can't locate where the pagefil.sys file even is you have no business attempting to fix computers for other people and charging money. While you need to start somewhere starting with your customers isn't the best place. How would you feel going to a doctor because you had an issue and he doesn't even know how to use a tongue depressor? What a lot of people online has said is that there needs to be a computer repair license to prevent this exact scenario. While I disagree on one level I also agree as well. When you go somewhere for a service you don't know the service yourself and so don't know what to look for in that service. If you did most likely you would do it yourself. This is why government regulates some of these and requires a license to protect the consumer. Also while you may have thin skin from a blunt but VERY RELEVANT comment no one else would take offense to that here. As someone who has been a member since 2007 with 42 posts I'd think you'd have figured out if you like the site or not by now. Also some people just love to complain because we don't have pepsi.

EDIT: Also start using firefox and the god damn spell check. It's easy I use it all the time.

 

[markiezzi]

I see others posting rather simple question on here also..I don't put them down..I just keep reading onto the next post..Why do you need to put someone down..so now we started this and every new person out there that visits the site and reads this will see what assholes the senior members are and they will be afraid to ask for your help..

 

[purple_minion]

I see others posting rather simple question on here also..I don't put them down..I just keep reading onto the next post..Why do you need to put someone down..so now we started this and every new person out there that visits the site and reads this will see what assholes the senior members are and they will be afraid to ask for your help..

He wasn't an asshole, he was giving blunt advice saying it you don't understand the simple pagefile or how to find it then you really need to get more experience before servicing customers. Unless you go up to your customers and say I don't know much but I want you to give me a chance, well fine... that's up to them. However if you don't tell them that they it's not being honest when they are looking for a professional. I don't think he was rude or flaming you, he was stating what he saw. Also people that visit these forums aren't supposed to be your average joe, it's for people that have a business repairing computers and a few enthusiasts, ie people that have a clue. I don't pretend to know anything about networking and I've got a plan to setup a server here at home and read some info on it, and I don't comment on those things here because I lack in that knowledge. Even seedubya said there isn't any shame in not knowing because you're not born with computer knowledge built into your brain. How is he starting a flame war? If you don't know to search out for pagefile.sys or go under System in control panel to set the size and location of the pagefile, well that's really basic. Apparently you tired to set the size which means you most likely were in the tab in system, so why didn't it show you the location? Also have you tried learning yourself on basic questions by doing a google search for "XP pagefile" or "XP pagefile corrupt." You could sub in Vista or 98 or whatever where appropriate of course. You should try and build up a self reliance because for one it's going to be faster to get an answer, two you will learn more researching, three people on here won't know it all, and four you are taking up busy peoples time with basic newbie questions.

 

[seedubya]

The best defense is to be offensive, huh? Did I perhaps hit a raw nerve? I stand by what I said. There's no shame in inexperience but not knowing what and where the pagefile is and how to delete it is equivalent to some guy calling himself a mechanic and not knowing where to look for the spark plugs - it's THAT basic. BTW, if I was in the States, I might not amount to sh1t but I'd still know where to find the paging file.

@Mods - if I'm out of line here, let me know.

@markiezzi - One more thing - you want to flame me - fine but keep it on the thread. Your PM to me is pasted below.

Don't put me and my business down like that you piece of sh*t.. I asked a simple question just looking for some ideas about a pagefile.. Maybe you just don't know and want people to think you are the greatest nerd out there.. Senior member my ass..f u..

 

[abe]

.... and to ask for a refund on my Business Kit he sold me.

Thanks

I havn't bought the Business Kit yet, but does it have a clause saying thet people on the forums have to treat you nice.

and BTW what do you have against the Irish.

and yeah noone was knocking you down and I think you need a little more experiance maybe get a job at a repair store and study as much as you can,google is your friend. the amount of info that can be found and the web amazing and very helpful after a year or two until you will be more experianced.


Abe

 

[markiezzi]

I am sorry for snapping back at you guys. I guess I was just expecting a simple answer such as it is located in windows\system32 folder hidden. I looked for it on 2 computers I have here and was not able to find a pagefile.sys that is why I posted the message. Thought maybe someone else had a pagefile problem. This is the first computer I have had that problem show up. I did use google and thats where I came up with deleting it someone suggested it on another message board so I figured I would run it by you guys.

I don't want to fight with you guys anymore..

 

[l337]

its a hiden file in the c drive root and im almost 100% u cant wipe it via windows so get ur fav boot cd and del it and let windows re create it would be something id try

 

[seedubya]

I don't want to fight with you guys anymore..

Fair enough. I'm sorry for being so blunt. I could have been nicer about it. My wife says I have the social skills of a cement block.

There are a few ways you could delete the pagefile.

One is to set it to 0 in System Properties/Advanced/Performance options/Advanced/Virtual Memory.
Two, you could use a program like Unlocker mark the file for deletion on reboot.
Three you could, as l337 says, use a boot disk.

Edit:

I just reread one of your replies and saw that it keeps resetting the size to the previous value. When you change the sizes in System Properties/Advanced/Performance options/Advanced/Virtual Memory make sure that you click the "Set" button, it's easy to miss and clicking Apply or OK won't actully change the size.

If none of the above a possible workaround by changing the pagefile's location is posted below - copied verbatim from a post on techsupportforums

start>run>regedt32
when you get into the registry, drill down to the following dword:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CURRENTCONTROLSET>CONTROL>SESSION MANAGER>LEFT CLICK ONCE ON THE MEMORY MANAGER FOLDER. IN THE RIGHT PANE DOUBLE CLICK PAGING FILES.CHANGE PATH FROM X:\PAGEFILE.SYS TO X:\WINDOWS\PAGEFILES.SYS, WHERE X IS YOUR SPECIFIED DRIVE.NOW YOU WILL BE ADJUST TO USE PAGEFILE.SYS

 

[markiezzi]

ok, thanks for the help and again please accept my apology to everyone in this thread..I started off on the wrong foot.

It makes it tough to use a boot CD or to try and tell the lady over the phone. She lives about 30 miles away and is using dial up so a remote type client won't work to well either.

I did have her try setting it a few times and had her hit "set" then ok then apply and it told her to reboot but everytime it comes back with a message box saying low virtual memory or no page file. It sits at the "loading user setting" logon screen. I told her to hit <ALT> <TAB> to bypass the screen and get to the desktop that is when she sees the message.

I will keep searching and reading up on the problem. She may have to do a complete re-install.

Thanks
Mark

 

[Rider]

Try this:

Go to the system properties, then go to the advanced tab and click the settings button under performance. Now go to the advanced tab in the Performance Options window. Click the Change button at the bottom under Virtual Memory. Make sure your C: drive is highlighted (for most systems anyway). Now tick the option for No paging file and hit the set button. This will get rid of the page file all together. Now reboot. Note: you don't have a page file now so the computer might act a little quirky but we're going to fix this. After you reboot run a defrag then go back to the Virtual memory settings as described above but this time tick the option for Custom Size. Set it to around 2G for both Initial and Maximum. Note: the values are in MB so your values should be about 2048 for both. You can set it higher if you like but I don't recommend going lower. I think you mentioned a 40G HD so you probably don't want to go higher either. As mentioned earlier, make sure you're hitting the set button after every change you make.

In a nutshell, this will get rid of the pagefile, remove all the cluttered space on the harddrive, and create a new pagefile that resides on one spot on the hard drive and isn't fragmented. A lot of times, particularly on systems with a system managed size, the pagefile becomes fragmented and that can cause performance problems.

I hope this helps. And keep learning. Some of us believe the only stupid question is the question you don't ask. I am very good with computers but I have little formal computer education, I'm all self taught so I am full of questions that are obvious no-brainers to some. For the most part, if you keep your questions worded and presented in an intelligent manner you will get help here.

And the "Senior Member" thing, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that is determined solely on the number of posts you have. It doesn't indicate knowledge level.

 

[Resler]

I think you get the Senor Member title at 100 posts and Member at 15 or 25.

 

[seedubya]

@Rider - no-one said anything about questions being stupid Rider just that it's unfair and possibly unethical to pretend to be something you're not. If you're going to be snide at least get your facts straight.

 

[Rider]

@Rider - no-one said anything about questions being stupid Rider just that it's unfair and possibly unethical to pretend to be something you're not. If you're going to be snide at least get your facts straight.

Snide? I wasn't being snide, I was encouraging him to get better. Get my facts straight? The "fact" is I made a simple statement. At some point, I had no clue what a pagefile was or what it did. It did not make me any less inteligent or any less competent. I just didn't know, I learned. This guy asked a simple question about a subject he wasn't knowledgable on. That doesn't make him unethical or incompetent. It would have been unethical if he attempted to blindly tackle this problem with out first educating himself. When a person gets bashed for asking about something then he is going to be less likely to ask in the future. Way to be a mentor genius.

My comment was not meant as a stab at you or anyone else. I answered his question and simply tried to encourage him to continue to build his knowledgebase.

Did you answer his question? Not initially, you basically told him to get lost, get out of the business. Then you decided to attack me for trying to give the guy a little advice. This forum is here to help people of various levels of knowledge. It's not your place to tell them they shouldn't be here or in the business. The world, or this forum for that matter, does not revolve around you seedubya. Get over yourself.

My post was not intended for any purpose other than answering his question and encouraging him to get better. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that's what this forum was for. I wasn't aware that it was here for seedubya. If I am wrong and this forum is all about you then count me out. If I'm right, then stick to the purpose of the forum. Help the guy if you can. If you can't help or choose not to help him move on to the next thread. Quit trying to drive people away. You seem to do that alot.

 

[eric76]

I followed this post from the start, and Rider you have risen to the occasion. This is a tech board where people ask questions, and he asked a question. I'm sure he's young and he doesn't know everything about computers, but neither does anyone else. Fixing computers on a daily basis does not involve the page file very often. If it wasn't for Google, a lot of "senior" techs would also be lost. I say give the kid a break, he's just trying to do the right thing in his life.

 

[Rider]

Thank you Eric. A kind word now and then is a nice change.

 

[seedubya]

At some point, Rider, everyone on this forum didn't know what a pagefile was. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not knowing something. There are techs on this board who've forgotten more than I know. That being said I probably have more experience than many others. That is NOT my point. My point is, was and will remain that not all of us went recruiting clients at that level of inexperience. I find that seriously ethically questionable behaviour. That is why I have advocated and will continue to advocate for a licencing system for computer techs as the only rational, fair and ethical way to protect customers.

BTW - I didn't attack you for giving advice. I didn't attack you at all. I did answer what appeared to be a snide comment from you. You say it's not. Fine. Whatever. Sorry for mistaking your intent etc. etc. None of which even remotely affects my main point about the ethics of selling services while vastly inexperienced. Despite your opinion of me as an arrogant egotist, Rider, I do actually make comments because I believe what I'm saying.

 

[Comtech Solutions]

@Markiezzi - a couple of things to learn here:

1) Adjsuting Windows settings via client over the phone may not be the best approach.

2) I've done remote assistance over slow connections before. Might be easier if you were physically seeing her computer. Even better, can you have her drop off the machine or charge her a service call/pickup fee?

3) Might be a good chance to upsell some RAM.....

Good luck.