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From: cballen@hubcap.clemson.edu (charles allen)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms,comp.sys.novell
Subject: Re: Windows on diskless workstations
Message-ID: <1991Apr18.162708.20756@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 18 Apr 91 16:27:08 GMT
References: <1991Apr18.015949.26790@npd.Novell.COM>
Organization: Clemson University
Lines: 44

From article <1991Apr18.015949.26790@npd.Novell.COM>, by jlamb@npd.Novell.COM (Jason "Nematode" Lamb):
> In article <1991Apr17.130557.14349@hubcap.clemson.edu> cballen@hubcap.clemson.edu (charles allen) writes:
>>From article <8621@crash.cts.com>, by viki@crash.cts.com (Victoria Harkey):
>>> 
>>> Regarding the swapfile in windows on a diskless workstation. Set up a RAM
>>> drive for each workstation. Use the own cpu's RAM for swapping... very
>>> fast.
>>> 
>>I've seen people posting previously that they used a ram drive for the 
>>swap file.  Wouldn't it be more efficient to tell windows NOT to use a swap
>>file in the case of a diskless station OR a crammed hard drive, and allow
>>windows to access 100% of the RAM as RAM?  I thought the whole purpose of
>>a swap file was to extend your RAM beyond what you actually have to store
>>idle applications, etc.  If you use your RAM for a RAM drive, you aren't
>>gaining anything and you are loosing flexiblilty.  That's what I think.
>>I could be wrong.  Please let me know if I'm missing something.
>>- Charles A.  
> 
> Basically your instinct is right. Since Windows and Windows Apps employs its
> own DOS extender (in two of its three modes) and can let its Apps have access
> to a larger protected mode address space, the more memory for Windows, the 
> merrier...
> 
> Only catch is this. You can't tell Windows not to use a swap file. And if it
> comes down to using a network workstation's resources for swapping, this is
> the preferred order..... 1) Local Hard Drive.. 2) Local RAM Drive..
> 3) NW386 Server drive.. 4) NW286 Server drive.. 5) Version 1.01 of Windows..
> ;-)
> 
> (Swapping is really only a major issue with Windows in 386 Enh mode. It's
> then that Windows uses swap file extensively for some operations, as well 
> as for virtual memory support)
> 
> Jason Lamb
 
RTFM page 507.   "To prevent Windows from swapping, edit your SYSTEM.INI
file and set Paging=No in the [386enh] section of the file."
 
OK, this is only for 386enh mode.  If you have to run in REAL or STANDARD
mode, it looks like a swap file is required, in which case a RAM disk may
be the way to go for certain situations like a diskless workstaton.  As a
note, page 529 of TFM says it should have at least 512K of free space.
Have a nice day!
- Charles A.