"640K should be enough for anybody." -Bill Gates, 1981

Sure, it was 15 years ago, but even in this day "16MB should be enough for anybody" doesn't hold true, either. When Windows95 runs out of available memory in the form of RAM, it creates more memory out of the space on your hard drive. Until recently, it was hard to tell just how much it was using because that would require a cumbersome peek into C:\WINDOWS and a look at the WIN386.SWP file. And even that value was misleading. That's where SwapMon comes in.

SwapMon will make educated decisions on how much memory you should upgrade to and provide suggestions for stretching your existing resources to save your time and well earned money.

• Full version

  • Full setup package including all necessary documentation

  • SWAPHELP.HTML - program documentation in HTML format

• EXE-only upgrade

  • SWAPMON.EXE - solo executable

  • SWAPHELP.HTML - program documentation in HTML format

  • FILEID.DIZ - file description

• Simtel version

  • Full setup package excluding core Visual Basic 5 runtimes.

  • SWAPHELP.HTML - program documentation in HTML format

• Windows 95/98/NT. Sorry to all you Win 3.x die-hards.

• 16-bit Color Resolution. So you can best see the color-gradient in the mini swapfile-size tracker display.

• Menubar

  • File

    • Exit - initiates shutdown sequence and saves settings

  • Options

    • Marquee - Allows summary data to be scrolled in the system tray and window caption instead of the simple x.x MB display.

    • Minimize to Tray - Saves space, trust me.

    • Always on Top - Keeps the info easily visible by placing it above all "regular" windows.

    • Reset - Clears record-keeping statistics.

  • Tools

    • Swapfile Wizard - Provides swapfile history analysis and provides recommendations on improving system performance.

    • Virtual Cache Wizard - Lets users adjust virtual cache settings for Windows leading to better swapfile usage.

  • Help

    • On the Web - takes you to the SwapMon homepage for on-line assistance where available.

    • Registration - details and links for when you decide to register this program

    • Check for Update - loads your browser and takes you to the Swapmon download page

    • About - Shows version and registration information.

1. Q. I run the program but it crashes with an "Overflow" error. What's wrong?
   A. You've got me on that one. I've run various simulations on my machine and nothing seems to generate an Overflow error. Based on user-feedback, after a half-dozen or so retries, the program should start fine and you won't experience further problems.
2. Q. Okay, I got it running but what do those numbers mean?
   A. The first line "Minimum Size: #.##MB" and "Maximum Size: #.##MB" tell you the current session's minimum and maximum swapfile sizes. The second line provides "record" sizes showing the computer's absolute minimum and maximum sizes that were recorded since the first time you ran or the last program reset. The significance of these figures is to show you the extent of your swapfile usage-- especially the absolute maximum figure. That figure is useful in determining a permanent swapfile size.
3. Q. What's that little black square supposed to show? How do I interpret the use of red/yellow/green in the graph? Is it only swapping when red?
   A. That is the swapfile history graph. The height of a bar is determined by the absolute minimum and maximum values, and the resulting bar height is given by the swapfile size at that time. The graph scrolls to the right to show you a summary of the last two minutes' readings. When the absolute minum and maximum change, the graph readjusts itself accordingly. The upper and lower bounds of this graph is defined by the Record
   Maximum and Record Minimum data. As far as color coding: Typically, your computer should be in the green-yellow area. When it is in the red area, it means you are using programs which require a relatively large swapfile. The operating system is always swapping whenever the current swapfile size is greater than zero.
4. Q. What do I do with the Diagnosis provided in the Swapfile Wizard?
   A1. Create a permanent swapfile using the recommended size. The best way to do this is to restart your computer with absolutely minimal software loaded at startup. This is typically acheived by holding the Shift key as the Windows interface is started. Once Windows is running, run your defragmenter program with the "Consolidate space" feature turned on. This will ensure that future permanent swapfile will reside in a mostly contiguous block of hard drive space. Once the defragment process is over (it can often take several hours) go to your swapfile settings in Control Panel/System/Performance/Virtual Memory. Tell windows to "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings." Set the minimum and maximum values to the value recommended by the program. Hit Ok and let Windows restart your computer. You will hopefully notice an improvement in your swapfile efficiency.
   A2. Buy more RAM as recommended by the Wizard. However, before you spend your well-earned cash, double check with a real (human) advisor on purchasing more RAM. Although there's no such thing as "too much" RAM for Windows.
5. Q. At what point can I trust the swapfile wizard's recommendations?
   A1. As any statistics person will tell you, the more observations you have, the more reliable your conclusions. I recommend letting SwapMon monitor your computer for several days of normal usage. Normal means your typical usage of the computer whether it is just crusing the Internet or rendering high-quality graphic animations. A week's worth of readings of your computer "at work" is far more valuable than a week of readings when your computer is just sitting there doing nothing.
   A2. Sometimes, after extended use your values can be misleading. For example, if you have been using a simple word processor like Wordpad for several weeks, then decide to use MS Word 97 from now on, without the proper Reset, SwapMon's analysis will be based much upon your history of using Wordpad. The lesson: flush your records when switching to a computer lifestyle with more resource-intensive applications.
6. Q. The virtual cache wizard says to select the memory size that best matches my PC. How do I know what settings to use?
   A. The "Optimize for" menu at the top of the applet offers various RAM amounts. Just choose the one closest to your computer's amount.
7. Q. How do I undo the virtual cache wizard's changes if it causes problem?
   A. In previous versions (pre 1.51) there was no undo capability, though any ill-effects were almost unnoticable. Version 1.51 added the Undo button to the applet which will force Windows to use the original default settings for the virtual disk cache.
8. Q. I set my swapfile to be fixed at 200MB but SwapMon reports that it's only 25MB! What's wrong?
   A. Nothing is wrong. SwapMon reports the portion of the fixed swapfile that Windows is actually using. After all, it wouldn't be much use if it just said "200MB" the entire time, would it? :)
9. Q. Do I really need that "virtual cache wizard"?
   A. Windows 98 and NT have superior virtual cache management, so tweaking the settings will do little, if anything. However even the last releases of Win95 do little to change its poor virtual cache management capabilities inherent from the first release. Furthermore,