Cryptocurrency mining programs and OS built-in software require a lot of RAM to store temporary data to perform calculations. Without them, it is impossible to mine tokens, so you need to create or, if there is not enough space, increase the swap file for mining. To change its size, you will not need to install special software or understand the console. The OS developers have provided tools to customize the storage size.
Why to increase the swap file for mining
This tool is used to expand the computer’s RAM. The file is located on the hard disk. In case Windows does not have enough RAM to store data, the OS uses swap. Thanks to the virtual memory, programs continue to run normally.
If the mining software does not have enough space to save files, problems will appear. The number of incorrect or outdated orbs will grow, causing the income to drop drastically.
Although computers are equipped with 8-16 GB RAM, a file is still needed. Data that is not used at a certain point can be moved into it. They are not deleted, so the farm will quickly return to them if needed.
Virtual should not be confused with RAM and VRAM. They differ in technical features, so you can’t replace one with the other. Video memory and RAM work quickly under high computational loads, because of which BIOS, temporary data of miners are loaded on them.
The hard disk is used as additional storage. It’s slow, but it’s better than stopping an application on Windows. Although virtual memory is inferior in speed, you can not completely disable the file. Even if there is enough RAM now, bugs and other problems are possible when an unexpected load appears.
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When the computer does not have enough memory to save program data, the “blue screen of death” may appear. While the PC reboots, it is not mining cryptocurrency, so the miner loses income for a few minutes.
How to increase the swap file
Creating virtual memory will take a little time because the OS has a built-in utility to manage the size. If the computer is equipped with several disks, it is recommended to run paging on the fastest one. An SSD with no system files on it will do.
Before creating a new configuration, it is worth checking the load on RAM during the operation of the PC and the parameters of video cards. The minimum swap parameter to be set depends on them.
Optimal size
To determine the number of GB that should be allocated for swap, you need to add up the memory capacity of the graphics cards and add 4 GB. Using this formula, you can quickly calculate the optimal size. The table below shows two example configurations.
| Number of GPUs | Video memory | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
If the user sets a large size, the system will ignore RAM. Windows will save all the data for Efirium Classic mining on the disk. As a result, the computer will become slow and cryptocurrency mining will become unprofitable.
In cases where, on the contrary, the user has set a small file size, the OS will detect this as a disconnect. System utilities will only work with RAM. Therefore, it is important to set the optimal size.
How to set the value of the parameter
Windows OS has a utility for changing the swap. The user will not have to work with the command line, as there is a program with a graphical interface.
Windows 10
If there is not enough virtual memory for mining cryptocurrencies on video cards, you need to spend no more than 5 minutes to create additional storage. To increase the swap file for mining on Windows 10, you need:
- Go to Settings and select the “System” option. If you can not find the section, it is worth using the search bar. After that, you need to open the “About System” tab.
- At the end of the page, find “System Information” and click on the link.
- In the “Advanced System Settings” tab, near the “Performance” item, select “Settings”.
- In the “Virtual Memory” block, uncheck the checkbox next to “Automatically select file size”. You need to do this in order to manually set new settings.
- Specify the size taking into account the number of video cards.
- Click the “Set” button to save the changes.
Next, you need to restart the computer. After this, the file will become larger and will be able to accept data from all programs without problems.
Windows 11
In the new version of the OS, the order of actions does not differ much from the previous one. Instructions:
- Open “Settings” and click on the “About System” link.
- In the window that opens, expand “Device Specifications” and click on “System Protection”.
- Through the new page, you need to go to the “Advanced” tab and click on “Change”.
- Disable automatic volume detection to set manually.
- Select a disk and check the box next to “Specify size”.
- Fill in the two fields – enter the maximum volume that is needed for the OS to work, taking into account the number of video cards.
- Save the new settings and restart your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
π How much space can swap take up?
Large GPU farms allocate up to 1TB to store temporary data. This volume is due to the large number of video cards.
π Which is better – HDD or SSD?
HDD is 2 times slower. Therefore, it is better to put SSD for swap storage.
β‘ Should I mine on the built-in GPU?
No. Since the card uses RAM instead of video memory, more data will be stored on the hard disk. If possible, it is recommended to disable the GPU.
π₯ What version of RAM should I put on the farm?
In 2023, only DDR4 is common. Outdated DDR3 RAM models are undesirable to install because they have a lower maximum frequency. This affects the performance.
β¨ Which OS is best for cryptocurrency mining?
If the amount of RAM is limited, it is recommended to choose Linux. It consumes less memory, so you can mine cryptocurrency even with 4 GB.
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Author: Saifedean Ammous, an expert in cryptocurrency economics.
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