your system has no page file

[barnegattech]

Windows XP get this error during log in. The pagefile.sys does not exist. Changing the settings for virtual memory has no effect. What to do?

 

[bcastner]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/242447

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;259151

If you are making the settings and they do not appear to be retained, disable your antivirus software and then make the change. There are reports that NIS 2004 and 2005 prevent making persistent changes in the virtual memory settings, as one example.

 

[barnegattech]

virus software is not running.
also it turns out that there is no page file.
how does one create it.

 

[Gloryhound]

There is always a pagefile in windows xp. It may be hidden and a system file. To see them you may have to enable the options to see them in folder options. Windows has to create the pagefile Automatically. If it's not doing it then you may be faced with having to reinstall.

 

[bcastner]

right-click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Performance --Settings, Advanced, Virtual Memory -- Change.

Also, this note from my second link is very important:

Utilities that work with the paging file may not work if the System account does not have proper permissions on the volume that the paging file is configured to use. For example, if the NTFS permissions are set incorrectly, the paging file does not appear in System Monitor or Windows Diagnostics, but it does appear in the System tool in Control Panel.

If you modify the NTFS permissions on a volume in Windows, the System account may be inadvertently removed from the partition. If this occurs, the System account cannot manage some system resources such as the paging file.

By default, the Everyone group has Full Control permissions on an NTFS volume. This permission might have been removed to provide additional security. Individual accounts, such as the Administrator account, may have been added. However, the Everyone group includes the System account. Removing the Everyone group without adding the System account as an individual account renders the paging file unusable.

 

[barnegattech]

The system is creating a temporary file instead. I am able to see system files and also performed a search and can not find the file. Windows also tells me that it does not exist and is creating the temporary.

 

[bcastner]

Again, this is an indication that System does not have NTFS permissions required on the pagefile volume. See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315270

 

[barnegattech]

I had tried that as well.

 

[bcastner]

Check everything related to security, whether formally classified as Anti-virus or not.

It is not enough to disable these softwares. Start, Run Msconfig, and stop every service entry and every startup entry.

Or, boot into Safe Mode as Administrator by hitting F8 early and often, and follow the steps above.

This issue is either some security software blocking the change, or, the NTFS permissions issue that I provided two links above.

It might be wise to try two soft resets:

. One on the security principles involved:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=313222

. The other does not lose user data or installed applications, but it does lose Service Pack information and Hotfixes, but I would use this if none of the above worked:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341

 

[barnegattech]

been there, done that.
At this point, I'm just going to do a reinstall but I thank you all for your help.