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What could mess up my pagefile?
Showing all messages in thread #1252042260
Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum
The following are all of the messages in this thread (6 in all), shown in chronological order. Click any message subject to view that message by itself or to view the thread hierarchy.
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What could mess up my pagefile?
Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Posted by Jeff Leites
(87 messages posted)
I had been getting random stop errors from every few days to every few weeks for
over a year. Nothing that I could replicate. It was suggested that it could be
a memory problem. I became suspicious that it was more likely a virtual memory problem
(maybe something old getting swapped in). I tried clearing the page file, but I
still got an occasional stop error. After the last one, over two months ago, I changed
my registry to clear the pagefile on every shutdown. My system has been stable ever
since then (knock on wood ;-) ) So I've been wondering, what the heck could be
wrong that was messing up the pagefile every so often.
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re: What could mess up my pagefile?
Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Posted by normanw
(1284 messages posted)
Possibly a bad sector in the area previously used by the pagefile
before you cleared it. It would be a good idea to run your disc
manufacturer's diagnostic utility or, better Spinrite, which is an
excellent utility for any serious user's software toolbox. It's not
too expensive and is worth every penny. You can learn more at
GRC.com. (My only connection with Gibson Research is as a user of
their website and a satisfied customer.)
‘There’s always tomorrow. At least, there always has been, so far.’ – Keith Waterhouse
On Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 10:31 pm, Jeff Leites wrote:
>I had been getting random stop errors from every few days to every few weeks for
>over a year. Nothing that I could replicate. It was suggested that it could be
>a memory problem. I became suspicious that it was more likely a virtual memory
problem
>(maybe something old getting swapped in). I tried clearing the page file, but I
>still got an occasional stop error. After the last one, over two months ago, I
changed
>my registry to clear the pagefile on every shutdown. My system has been stable
ever
>since then (knock on wood ;-) ) So I've been wondering, what the heck could be
>wrong that was messing up the pagefile every so often.
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re: What could mess up my pagefile?
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 2:10 am
Posted by C K
(6910 messages posted)
Swap file addresses correspond with physical memory addresses, so bad RAM can put
errors into the swap file for any number of reasons or effects. Generally, the chances
are pretty good that you do have a hardware issue, and it can be just about anywhere
along the data path to or from the HDD. Once data is on the HDD, it doesn't change,
so it is either corrupt before it gets there, when it read back into the system or
the HDD has issues as normanw indicated in his reply, and the HDD is losing or corrupting
the data.. Bad memory controllers or slots, as well as cache memory can cause similar
issues. Hopefully, it isn't bad cache, as that means a bad CPU if it is a new enough
system.
You can try an age old trick by removing the memory modules and cleaning the contacts
with a pencil eraser, then reinsert them. If you don't know how to do it safely
to avoid static, then I wouldn't recommend it, but it has revived machines that were
thought to be dead or have bad RAM here on the forum in the past. I've used the
trick to revive many machines over my carrer in building and repairing systems.
I also clean the slots too though, as I know how to do it safely...
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re: What could mess up my pagefile?
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 3:42 am
Posted by Jacob6601
(2174 messages posted)
Since clearing the pagefile eliminated (fingers crossed) the problem, I am leaning
towards a duplicate, yet different, library. For example, your browser may use the
standard sample.dll supplied with xp, but your (seldom used) burning app may use
a slightly modified sample.dll, which gets swapped in because of a later date. After
burning, when the browser is opened the slightly modified sample.dll crashes it.
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re: What could mess up my pagefile?
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Posted by Jeff Leites
(87 messages posted)
I like your theory, but I just did a duplicate DLL scan, and found over 1,800 sets
of duplicate DLL files! I don't think I stand of chance of successfully cleaning
that up and having a working machine.
On Friday, September 4, 2009 at 3:42 am, Jacob6601 wrote:
>Since clearing the pagefile eliminated (fingers crossed) the problem, I am leaning
>towards a duplicate, yet different, library. For example, your browser may use the
>standard sample.dll supplied with xp, but your (seldom used) burning app may use
>a slightly modified sample.dll, which gets swapped in because of a later date. After
>burning, when the browser is opened the slightly modified sample.dll crashes it.
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re: What could mess up my pagefile?
Friday, September 4, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Posted by Jacob6601
(2174 messages posted)
I never said you would find it! At least not very easily.
The only way is to keep a log of the apps used, and find the (infrequent) one that
is opened just before the errors. That app would keep it's dll's in it's home directory,
not .\system32.
Other duplicates, like xp copies from system32 to dllcahe, are normal (and exactly
the same). Even most modified libraries will not cause problems.
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