Windows 7 / Getting Started

Part 3: Clear the paging file on shutdown

It's possible to have Windows delete your paging file each time you shut down Windows. You may want to do this if you have a multiboot system, wherein each operating system on your PC has its own virtual memory settings. If the paging file from one OS is present while the other is running, it may cause a conflict and will certainly waste a lot of disk space.

If your paging file becomes corrupted or highly fragmented, Windows may load more slowly (or not at all). Deleting the paging file automatically forces Windows to recreate it each time it starts, which may alleviate this problem. (Naturally, if you've gone to the steps to defragment your paging file, as described earlier in this topic, you probably won't want to use this feature, lest it become fragmented again when it's recreated.)

  1. Open the Local Security Policy console (secpol.msc).
  2. Expand the Local Policies branch and click the Security Options folder.
  3. In the right pane, double-click the Shutdown: Clear virtual memory pagefile.
  4. Select Enabled and then click OK. You'll need to restart Windows for the change to take effect.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Windows 7 Performance
  2. Trim the Fat
  3. Tame Mindless Animation and Display Effects
  4. Make Menus More Mindful
  5. Start Windows in Less Time
  6. Eliminate unnecessary auto-start programs
  7. Clean out your Temp folder
  8. Start Windows Instantly (Almost)
  9. Put your PC to sleep
  10. Sleep and Hibernate troubleshooting
  11. Shut Down Windows Quickly
  12. Start Applications Faster
  13. Make Your Hardware Perform
  14. Windows 7 Get Glass
  15. Maximize the Windows Performance Rating
  16. Improve Battery Life
  17. Manage IRQ Priority
  18. Overclock Your Processor
  19. Hard Disk
  20. A Defragmentation Crash Course
  21. Enable automatic boot defragments
  22. If in Doubt, Throw It Out
  23. Optimize Virtual Memory and Cache Settings
  24. Part 1: Virtual memory settings
  25. Part 2: Defragment the paging file
  26. Part 3: Clear the paging file on shutdown
  27. Part 4: Advanced settings for the adventurous
  28. Choose the Right Filesystem
  29. Convert your drives to NTFS
  30. Advanced NTFS Settings
  31. Transfer Windows to Another Hard Disk
  32. What to look for in a new hard disk
  33. Work with Partitions
  34. The Disk Management nickel tour
  35. Create and delete partitions
  36. Resize and move partitions
  37. Alternatives to Disk Management
  38. Different ways to mount a volume