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Don’t know what the pagefile.sys file is good for and you can’t delete it? Learn more about this system file in this tutorial and why you shouldn’t delete it.

What is pagefile.sys?

Pagefile.sys is a file (system file) created and used by system (XP,Windows7, Windows  as ‘virtual’ memory and it is saved on hard drive. When physical RAM is fully used and there is need for more physical RAM, any data loaded in RAM and not in immediate use, can be swapped to the page file and thus free physical RAM for immediate use. The swapped data can be transferred back into physical RAM if needed at any time. Windows doesn’t work well without a page file.

Virtual memory is usually at least as large as installed physical RAM. But recommended size for a Page File is 1.5 to 2 times the installed physical RAM. so,Pagefile.sys can be quite big in size. Again, an unnecessarily huge Page file will increase boot time of the system. So, making the Page File too large will not necessarily improve performance.

Deleting Page File is not recommended. But if the size of the Page File is so large, that it increases system boot time or you need some urgent disk space, you may need to delete the Page File.

Follow these steps carefully to delete pagefile.sys file.

Steps to get rid off pagefile.sys

1. First of all open Computer or My Computer. Here you can see all the hard Drives and Portable Media drives attached with your PC.

2. Now, click on "System properties”, near the top of the window to open the System control panel.

3. Next, click on the Advanced system settings option. A small "System properties” window will pop up.

4. Under Advanced tab, click on Settings.

5. In "Performance Options” window, select
Advanced tab. At the bottom you can see the amount of disk space is currently used as virtual memory. Click on the Change button.

6. Next, in Virtual Memory window uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” box.

7. Select No paging file option and click on Set.

8. Finally press OK and reboot your system. pagefile.sys will not be there in your system.

If you find pagefile.sys is still in your system, open "Virtual Memory” window again and manually set the custom size to 0 MB (for initial and Maximum both). Reboot system. You will find pagefile.sys is now of 0 MB. You may manually delete this file now.

Do not delete pagefile.sys manually, before its size reduced to 0 MB