Windows95 uses a special file on your hard disk called a virtual-memory
swap file (or paging file). With virtual memory under Windows95, some
of the program code and other information are kept in RAM while other
information is temporarily swapped to virtual memory. When that
information is required again, Windows95 pulls it back into RAM and, if
necessary, swaps other information to virtual memory. This activity is
invisible, although you might notice that your hard disk is working. The
resulting benefit is that you can run more programs at one time than
your system's RAM would usually allow.

On Windows 3.x, users could enhance performance by changing virtual
memory settings. However, in Windows95, this is much more likely to
decrease performance. By default, the swap file on a computer running
Windows95 combines the best features of the old temporary and permanent
swap files used in Windows 3.1, and uses improved virtual memory
algorithms and access methods for better performance.

A Windows95 swap file is dynamic, so it can shrink or grow based on the
operations performed on the system and based on available disk space. A
dynamic swap file is usually the most efficient use of resources. The
swap file can also occupy a fragmented region of the hard disk with no
substantial performance penalty.

Under Windows95, the swap file can reside on a compressed drive if a
protected-mode driver (that is, DRVSPACE.VXD) controls the compressed
drive. DriveSpace marks the swap file as uncompressible and, to reduce
the risk of fragmentation, places the swap file as the last file in the
sector heap, which allows room for the swap file to grow.

To optimize swap file performance on a computer with multiple hard disk
drives, you may want to override the default location of the Windows 95
swap file. The swap file should be placed on the drive with the fastest
performance (unless that disk is overused). For example, if a user
primarily loads all of the software from the same drive in a computer
that has multiple drives, performance may be boosted by placing the swap
file on one of the drives that is not as busy.

To adjust the virtual memory swap file

        1.      In the System option in Control Panel, click the
                Performance tab.

        2.      On the Performance property sheet, click the Virtual
                Memory button.

        3.      To specify a different hard disk or set limits on the
                minimum or maximum reserved space, click the option
                named Let Me Specify My Own Virtual Memory Settings.
                Then specify the new disk in the Hard Disk box or type
                values (in kilobytes) in the Minimum or Maximum boxes.
                Then click OK.


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                                                   Matthew Wood

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