Caveat lector (translation: "reader beware")

James Woodruff offers a suggestion in response to the item in my May 14 column, "Can you save space by capping the pagefile size?":

• "I have used a suggestion from [a Web-based computer book] and moved the pagefile to another HD and sized it equal to my PC's RAM in both the initial and maximum size blocks. I also run Diskeeper and Spin Rite, so defrag isn't a major problem. Works for me."
  

Glad it's working! But if the book said only to "move the pagefile to a second hard drive," it sold you short. You see, that (quite dated) advice is based on the idea of giving the pagefile its own private space so it will never become fragmented. That's simply not necessary anymore.

Following the wrong advice on tweaking the pagefile can actually reduce rather than enhance your system's performance.

Alas, the Web is filled with outdated and incomplete Windows-tuning tips, like the above. My lead item in this week's WindowsSecrets column gives you the correct, current info on pagefile tweaks--- ones that actually can boost performance.

The other items this week include:

* Tracking down recommended free backup software

* Must adding software always slow things down?

* Free unformatter handles FAT, NTFS, Linux, more

The guys who run WindowsSecrets put my column in the paid-subscription section which operates on the honor-system principle: You decide what the content is worth, and whatever you decide to pay lets you in to *all* the paid-edition content (not just my column) for a full year.

Full info (you start by signing up for the spam-proof free version) here:
http://windowssecrets.com/

Thanks for checking it out!