Comments on: Boost Windows Start-Up : [ClearPageFileAtShutdown] http://www.hkeyusers.com/boost-xp-start-up-clearpagefileatshutdown/ Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:53:39 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Larry Miller http://www.hkeyusers.com/boost-xp-start-up-clearpagefileatshutdown/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Larry Miller Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:53:39 +0000 http://hkeyusers.com/2007/10/16/boost-xp-start-up-clearpagefileatshutdown/#comment-36 A very confused article. By default Windows does NOT clear the pagfile on shutdown. Setting the value to 1 will enable clearing the pagefile, not disable it. In a highly secure environment it may be desireable to set this value. However, this makes sense only as part of a comprehensive security policy. By itself it will do very little. Clearing the pagefile means overwriting the contents with zero's, it will not delete the pagefile. This will increase shutdown times. Whether the pagefile is cleared or not has NO impact on startup times. At bootup WIndows pays absolutely attention to the previous contents of the pagefile. The pagefile is never cleared on bootup. Most users will be best served by leaving the setting on it's default value. Larry Miller Microsoft MCSA A very confused article.
By default Windows does NOT clear the pagfile on shutdown. Setting the value to 1 will enable clearing the pagefile, not disable it. In a highly secure environment it may be desireable to set this value. However, this makes sense only as part of a comprehensive security policy. By itself it will do very little. Clearing the pagefile means overwriting the contents with zero’s, it will not delete the pagefile. This will increase shutdown times.

Whether the pagefile is cleared or not has NO impact on startup times. At bootup WIndows pays absolutely attention to the previous contents of the pagefile. The pagefile is never cleared on bootup.

Most users will be best served by leaving the setting on it’s default value.

Larry Miller
Microsoft MCSA

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