Disable paging of drivers and kernel core

1 January 2000 by Snakefoot | Comment » | Trackback Off
There is an option to force the kernel core and drivers to stay in RAM (non-pageable) and not swap to the harddisk. When the option is enabled, then it will lock a "large" amount of RAM, that the paging algorithm cannot touch, even if it might be able to make a more optimal use of the RAM.

By default it is possible for the kernel core and the drivers to mark themselves as non-pageable, so it is only in rare situations that one should force all to become non-pageable. If having plenty of RAM available then this option doesn't make any difference, as it will have no need to page out the kernel core and drivers.

To force the core into RAM edit this DWORD registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \System \CurrentControlSet \Control \Session Manager \Memory Management]
DisablePagingExecutive = 1 (1 = Force to RAM, 0 = Allow to page, Default = 0)

More Info MS KB Q184419

Note until Win2k SP4 a flaw existed which could cause the system to hang when this registry entry was enabled. More Info MS KB Q323608

Credits ArsTechnica.com

Updated: 12 May 2007

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