My startup disk with windows 98 has very little free space on it, and
fills up fast with the win386.swp file keeps increasing. Is it
possible to have the win386.swap file on a different partition and how
do I go about doing this?

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Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 02 Sep 2004 22:16 PDT

Howdy vaac-ga,

Do you have a second partition and/or a second drive on your computer?

If you do, then there is a way to place your win386.swp on that partition
and/or second drive.   Even if you don't there might be a way to keep the
file from growing in size.

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

Hi vaac!!

Here is the info that are you looking for, I hope that this helps you!!

"How to move the swap file location in Windows 9x and Windows ME:

   1. Click Start / Settings / Control Panel and double click the System icon.
   2. In System Properties click the performance tab.
   3. Click the Virtual Memory button.
   4. Select the option "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings".
   5. Specify the hard disk drive where you wish for the win386.swp
file to reside."
From "What is win386.swp":
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000358.htm

Take a look at that page, you will find valuable additional info
related to the swap file.


Please also take a look to the folowing pages:

"How to configure Windows 95/98/Me for optimal use of system resources":
At the Virtual Memory section (the last section on the article) you can read:
"By default, Windows will use whatever free space is available for its
swap file. This is inefficient, and can slow down the computer,
especially if the hard drive is highly fragmented. (See first section
for information on defragmenting the hard drive). This can be
misleading; when the swap file is not in use, the swap file does not
take up space, so you may be led to believe you have more space than
you would have when programs are running. To avoid this, you can
create a permanent swap file with a fixed size. The recommended size
of a swap file is 2.5 times the size of the physical RAM up to a
maximum of 512 MB, so if you have 64 MB of RAM, your swap file size
would be 160 MB."
This article have some other useful advices.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2000072514215039 


"SpeedGuide.net: Windows 9x Tweaks"
http://www.speedguide.net/read_articles.php?id=170


-----------------------------------------------------

Search strategy:
change location swap file 98


Feel free to request for further assistance if it needed.

Best regards.
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 05 Sep 2004 19:37 PDT

Thanks, livioflores-ga, for your informative answer. But I am at a
loss as to where to find the page
"How to configure Windows 95/98/Me for optimal use of system resources"

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 05 Sep 2004 20:36 PDT

Hi vaac!!

The link to the page "How to configure Windows 95/98/Me for optimal
use of system resources" was posted in the answer, it is:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2000072514215039

If you have problems with long address links use the following Tiny URL:
http://tinyurl.com/5m84

Regards.
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 08 Sep 2004 20:52 PDT

I have downloaded and read the website
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2000072514215039
and am not clear how to do certain things called for therein:
In "A. Configure Windows to show all files" I do not know how to start
Windows Explorer.
If this is done only for no other reason than to locate the "Temp"
folder, I know how to do this in MS-DOS Prompt but not how to go
though windows explorer. Is this done only for the purpose to erase
(or move out)the unneeded files in temp? If so,  how will this improve
performance since the disk space occupied by these files is negligible
compared to total disk space? How do I get the "%temp%" file and what
do I do with it?

In the section "To change the location of the Temp folder" I assume I
can edit the autoexec.bat in MS-DOS Prompt. The executive.bat has no
lines SET TEMP=C:\Windows\Temp or
SET TMP=C:\Windows\Temp. Shall I insert them? How did the temporary
files get into  WINDOWS\TEMP
without such a line present in autoexec.bat? Are both lines needed?
Shall I change these lines to
"set temp I:\temp" and "set temp i:\tmp" if I have limited space on c:
but a lot of room on partition I: which is on the slave disk? Are both
lines needed?

Thanks for any clarification.
vaac-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 09 Sep 2004 09:45 PDT

Hi vaac!!

In "A. Configure Windows to show all files" I do not know how to start
Windows Explorer:

1- Click Start button and then click Run.
2- Type "explorer" (without quotes) and press Enter, an Explorer
window will be displayed.

The "%temp%" is a shorcut used to get the TEMP folder.
Note that the disk space occupied by temp files is not always
negligible compared to total disk space, it depends on your system
configuration. If you have not enough space available in your disk for
a proper swap file, your system  will run slowly.


About how "To change the location of the Temp folder", I am not sure
about the answer to your question, but the following will help you:

"TEMP:
In Windows 95, 98, and ME, you need to relocate this in two places.
The first is in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. To move the Temp folder to the
H: partition, for example, the lines would be:

    SET Temp=H:\TEMP
    SET Tmp=%TEMP%

You also must make a change in the Registry. Go to the following key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
    Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Files

Edit the Folder value (in the right pane) to be the location you
desire for the Temp folder."
From "Planning Your Partitions"
http://aumha.org/a/parts.php


I hope that this helps you.

Regards.
livioflores-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 09 Sep 2004 09:53 PDT

To modify the registry:
"Windows Registry Tutorial : Editing the Registry - WinGuides Article"
http://www.winguides.com/registry/article.php?id=1&page=3

---

Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 09 Sep 2004 20:00 PDT

Thanks, livioflores-ga, for your clarification. Unfortunately I still
cannot figure out what to do. Typing "explorer" w/o quotes results in
a window but there is no "%temp% in it. If the whole purpose is to
access the "temp" file is to delete or move the files in it, please
say so as I can do this in MS-DOS Prompt without needing explorer. If
the purpose is other, then I don't know what to do.

Start, run, registry, ok also gives "cannot find the file registry.."
and I annot find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...  I can also not access the url
"http://aumha.org/a/parts.php>"

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 10 Sep 2004 05:49 PDT

Hi!!

Yes, the whole purpose is to access the "temp" file is to delete or
move the files in it.

When the Explorer window is open you must type %temp% in the address
box to get the TEMP folder.

To modify the registry:
Start --> Run --> in the Open box type "regedit" (w/o quotes).

Regards.
livioflores-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 12 Sep 2004 14:46 PDT

Thanks, livioflores-ga, for your detailed instructions how to get to
Temporary files. I followed them and changed "c:\windows\temp" to
"i:\temp" w/o quotation marks, and also added the lines:
SET Temp=I:\TEMP
and SET Tmp=%TEMP%
to the autoexec.bat
After starting the computer and getting windows/temp I found nothing
added to this file after Sept. 10, and attempting to access i:\temp
gave "file not found".
Also my e-mail became unaccessible, although other websites needing a
password worked ok.
Reversing the above changes and restarting did not cause anything to
go differently.
I wonder how soon shoul the registry i:\temp be created by the
autoexec.bat, and how soon or when should temporary files appear in
it.
Thanks for any help 
vaac.ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 12 Sep 2004 15:36 PDT

One thing (and very important): Do you have a partition I:\ in your system?
If not let me know which partitions do you have available under My PC Window.

In the affirmative case:

-Did you modify the registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
    Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Files  ?

(Remember to edit the Folder value (in the right pane) to be the location you
desire for the Temp folder - i:\temp)


Try creating by yourself the folder TEMP in the disk I: .


Regards.
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 14 Sep 2004 14:10 PDT

Sorry, livioflores-ga, that I have to bother you again for more
clarifications. Yes, I do have a partitinm I:, although it is on a
different phisical disk which is the slave of the disk on which the
partition with windows 98 is. But wether or not I have partitin I: is
irrelevant, since I have changed back on
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\   
Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Files from "I:\temp" to
"c:\windows\temp" and put a "; "  an a space in front of the lines SET
Temp=I:\TEMP and SET Tmp=%TEMP% in the autoexec.bat.

Still nothing appears in the c:\windows\temp file when I start and
begin using the computer. It would be helpful if you could let me know
what computer activities are supposed to load sonething into the temp
file.
 
Thanks for any help 
vaac.ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 14 Sep 2004 20:37 PDT

I think that you must put the following lines in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

    SET Temp=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
    SET Tmp=%TEMP%

Please make sure that the directory C:\WINDOWS\TEMP actually exists.

NOTE:
The "; " and the space and the lines SET Temp=I:\TEMP and SET
Tmp=%TEMP% are not necessary.


Hope this helps you.

Regards.
livioflores-ga

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 14 Sep 2004 20:39 PDT

A clarification for the NOTE:
The "; " and the space and the OLD lines SET Temp=I:\TEMP and SET
Tmp=%TEMP% are not necessary.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 21 Sep 2004 14:13 PDT

I did put SET Temp=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP and SET Tmp=%TEMP% into the
AUTOEXEC.BAT. Still nothing loads into the windows\temp file. I would
appreciate if you cold let me know what computer activity will cause
files to go into windows\temp. I have run diskscan c:, defragmant c:,
loading files from the internet, and opening up acrobat 6.1 to c:, and
still nothing loaded into the windows\temp file.
Thanks for any help 
vaac.ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 22 Sep 2004 07:42 PDT

Please do the following:

Open a explorer window:

Start --> Run --> type explorer --> press enter.

In the address box type %temp% and press enter. Please tell me which
full address path (folder) is showed.


In addition, please post the text of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Thank you.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 22 Sep 2004 13:33 PDT

Thanks, livioflores-ga, very much for your clarification. Pressing
Start --> Run --> typing explorer --> pressing enter gives a screen
that has the various partitions and the files and folders in the root
directory of c: on the left side. The right side has the files and
folders of c:. There is no address box.
My autoexec bat is:
SET Temp=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
SET Tmp=%TEMP%
; SET Temp=I:\TEMP
; SET Tmp=%TEMP%
doskey
dir windows\*.swp
dir windows\temp


uuu
uuu
dir \windows\*.swp
pause
dir i:\temp
dir e:\temp
echo Stopping at DOS
pause
where "uuu" is a *.com file moving the curser  (in DOS) up.

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 22 Sep 2004 20:45 PDT

Hi again!!

We need a different method to find your TEMP folder:

Open the TEMP explorer window:

Start --> Run --> type %temp% --> press enter.

Please determine which is the full address path (folder) showed and
tell me the result.


Regarding to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file I think that you must delete the lines
; SET Temp=I:\TEMP
; SET Tmp=%TEMP%

To modify it open it with the Notepad:
Start --> Run --> type notepad --> press enter

Good luck!!

livioflores-ga

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 04 Oct 2004 08:45 PDT

Thank you for rate this answer.

Although your original question was about the swap file, not the TEMP
folder, I gladly tried to find an answer to your problem with the TEMP
folder.

Several programs use the TEMP folder:
Acrobat reader
ACDSee
MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc)
Internet Explorer
Antivirus
Etc., etc.

One suggestion:
Open an Explorer window on i:temp and see the modification date of the
msievent.log and adobe directory (change view to details at View
menu), if they are recent, the temp folder is this one.

Also try with  Start --> Run --> type %temp% --> press enter, this
will open the Explorer at your TEMP folder.

Regards.
livioflores-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 04 Oct 2004 09:28 PDT

The following links may be clarify something to you:

"Temp Files Explained:
http://www.compukiss.com/sandyclassroom/tutorials/article778.htm

"Finding the "Temp" directory":
http://windows.about.com/library/tips/bltip700.htm


Programs that use the TEMP folder are the file compression programs
(WinZip, WinRAR), when you open a file directly from inside a .zip
file the compression program writte the file in the TEMP folder and
then open it. When you close the file and/or the program, the temp
file is deleted.


Regards.
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 05 Oct 2004 13:30 PDT

Thanks, livioflores-ga, for your answer and references, and thanks
again for all the information you gave me.

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 06 Oct 2004 20:10 PDT

You are welcome vaac!!
I hope that I can help you in the future again.

Regards.
livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by vaac-ga on 11 Oct 2004 12:11 PDT

For your information: 
On attempted loading of an update, temporary files were introduced not
in c:\windows\temp but in i:\temp. They were not erased until I shut
off and restarted the computer next day. Even next day these erased
files could be seen through Norton's unerase or debug.

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 11 Oct 2004 18:40 PDT

Hi!!

So finally you found the TEMP folder!!

I will rate this question now since with all the time you put in, you
certainly deserve a rating and I cannot keep spending time on
something which will not be resolved without unreasonablle amount of
time and effort. And maybe my computer is too messed up. But something
which will help me is if you could list which computer activities will
cause files to go into the TEMP file which DOES exist at
c:windows\temp. If you can't answer since this question is now closed
you can still add this as a comment. Start --> Run --> type notepad
--> press enter gave i:temp with adobe as a directory and msievent.log
as a file. c: contains windows\temp full of old files from long ago.

Hi! You might want to first make sure you can dump any unnecessary
files from your PC by running disk cleanup as described here: 
www.theofficeexperts.com/cleanyourpc.htm

You can also do a search for *.avi (movie) and *.wav (sound) files and
delete any that are larger in size. 98 had a couple of huge AVI files
that nobody ever used--like one that showed you how to click and drag
files using Windows explorer.

You might also want to consider taking any picture files you have and
Winzipping them with Winzip from www.winzip.com, particularly if
you're not using them.

I cannot answer your question as it was asked, but I'm the last one to
want to mess with my operating system files when I know ways to get
around it.

Also, you said "Startup disk" and I assume you mean hard drive. There
*is* a Windows 98 Startup disk that you would use to boot up your PC
in the event of a hard drive crash, and I assume you are NOT talking
about this boot disk, which is a floppy disk that came with (at least
my) Windows 98.

I was under the impression that the swapfile was supposed to erase
most of itself each time the PC is shut down. I once had a PC where it
started not to do this, and eventually grew to mammoth proportions. I
am pretty sure the computer had gone wrong, in this, and eventually
had to reformat and reinstall Windows. Is there a natural limit or
percentage size for the swapfile, above which something is clearly not
as it should be?

wolvies