Can You Move Pagefile to Another Drive [Move Virtual Memory]

Oliver updated on Nov 14, 2024 to Partition Master | How-to Articles

Pagefile.sys usually takes up a large amount of disk space, leaving your C drive out of space. Is there any way to move pagefile to another drive? Continue reading and you'll find the solution.

Can you just move pagefile.sys ?
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Pagefile.sys is a system file in Windows that serves as a virtual memory allocation to extend the available physical memory (RAM) on your system. And it's used to store crash dump information when the system encounters a blue screen error. However, like the example above, many users are troubled by the pagefile because it usually takes up a large portion of the space on the C drive.

But worry not. This page from EaseUS will show you how to move pagefile to another drive with practical methods. By doing so, you can free up your disk space and improve system performance. Read on to learn the details.

Is it safe to move Pagefile sys to another drive?

Before we start, you might wonder, "Is it safe to move Pagefile sys to another drive?" Well, it is generally safe to move pagefile.sys from the C drive to another drive.

However, if not configured correctly, moving the pagefile can lead to system crashes or instability. So you'd better resort to professional help or be very cautious when manually operating.

How to Move Pagefile to Another Drive - 2 Ways

Now, let's see how to migrate pagefile.sys from C drive to another one safely.

Workable Solutions Difficulty Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Way 1. Move Pagefile to Another Drive Automatically Easy Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, navigate to...Full steps
Way 2. Move Pagefile to Another Drive Manually Complex

Step 1. Press "Windows" + "I" to open Settings...Full steps

Way 1. Move Pagefile to Another Drive Automatically

If you are not familiar with system configuration modification, the best choice is to move pagefile.sys to another drive via a professional tool. EaseUS Partition Master Professional offers a one-click feature to move pagefile.sys to another drive safely.

Follow the guide below to move the pagefile with ease:

Notice:
Make sure there's sufficient available disk space on the destination drive.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, navigate to "Partition Manager," right click the C drive, and select "Data Migration."

Step 2. Select the data you want to migrate and click "Next" to continue.

Step 3. Select a target partition to migrate and click "Start" to execute the task.

Step 4. After the migration, the available space on the C drive will be increased.

This tool not only moves pagefile.sys from the C drive to a different drive, but it also provides other practical features to help you free up your C drive:

Besides moving pagefile.sys to another drive, there are also other methods to solve the pagefile huge issue. Click the following link to learn more.

How to Fix Pagefile.sys Huge Issue on Windows 11/10

Pagefile.sys sometimes takes up a lot of disk space. If you find the pagefile.sys on your C drive is large, check this article to learn how to fix it and free up the storage space. Read more >>

Way 2. Move Pagefile to Another Drive Manually

For those who prefer to modify the system manually, this part will show you how to move pagefile via Windows settings and increase C drive space.

Step 1. Press "Windows" + "I" to open Settings.

Step 2. Go to "System" > "About" and hit "Advanced system settings" beside Related links.

Step 3. The System Properties will pop up. Now, go to the "Advanced" tab and hit "Settings" in the Performance section.

Step 4. Then, in the Performance Options window, go to the "Advanced" tab and hit "Change" in the Virtual memory section.

Step 5. In the Virtual Memory window, uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives."

Step 6. Select the C drive in the box and choose "No paging file." Hit "Set" and then "Yes" when prompted.

Tip
Disable the paging file on the primary drive before storing the virtual memory file on another drive. But, even if the paging file remains on the main drive, you can still set virtual memory on another drive to enhance system performance.

Step 7. Select a destination drive where you want to store the pagefile and then choose "System managed size" > "Set" > "OK."

Step 8. Apply the changes and restart your PC to complete the process.

Notice:
You need to unlock the bitlocker partition, if any, to allow Windows to set a pagefile on that volume.

After restarting your computer, Windows will create a new pagefile.sys file in the destination drive automatically. However, it's worth noting that incorrect system configuration can lead to system errors or computer crashes.

Therefore, if you are not confident about the manual operation, please go back to Way 1 to do it safely with professional assistance from EaseUS Partition Master.

Conclusion

Moving pagefile.sys to another drive can be helpful in freeing up C drive space. This page covers two detailed methods to help you with the task. EaseUS Partition Master provides more functionality for you to get more available space for the C drive.

Don't forget to share this page with other users who also encounter the pagefile large issue and want to free up the C drive.

 

Move Pagefile to Another Drive FAQs

Q
1. Can a pagefile be moved to another drive?
Yes, you can move the pagefile to another drive via Windows settings. However, it's highly recommended to do it via a professional disk manager tool like EaseUS Partition Master to avoid any risks.
Q
2. Is it okay to delete page file?
It is not recommended to delete the pagefile.sys file, as it plays a crucial role in Windows' virtual memory management. Deleting pagefile.sys can lead to system instability, crashes, and performance issues.
Q
3. Is it OK to turn off Pagefile?
It is not OK to turn off Pagefile because Windows moves infrequently accessed modified pages from RAM to the pagefile.sys on the hard disk drive when the computer runs out of physical RAM to handle active processes and applications.