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how to create swap partition on my mac

Hi All,


I am very new to MAC OS and I have VMWare installed on my MAC upon VMware running window7.

And I am using Macbook Air with 8GB RAM the problem is I am running low RAM space and due to this system gets hugs all times.


Rather than upgrading to new lappy just wanted to enquiry is there a chance to create a swap partition ?

if it possible please let me the know the process to make it.


Advanced Thanx

Srinivas

Posted on Jun 26, 2014 3:23 PM

Reply
16 replies

Jun 26, 2014 3:35 PM in response to Srinivas_Gadi

It claims here to be a procedure to create a swap partition which will increase performance at http://www.macrumors.com/2001/09/10/increase-os-x-performance-swap-partition/


Personally I am doubtful about the claim for doing this. In my test some time ago I was not able to confirm any measurable increase in system performance with a swap partition.

Jun 26, 2014 3:50 PM in response to Csound1

Csound1 wrote:


Your Mac already has a swapfile, what is a swap partition?

Exactly what it sounds like. A reserved section of disk that is used for swap. Normally the fastest part of the disk (or a dedicated disk) is chosen.


The OS already handles expanding & swapping RAM to disk. It's only an issue on spinning disks, do you have an SSD Srinivas_Gadi?


I can't see how a swap partition can be that much faster, ultimately if RAM is still writing back to the same disk it will perform within it's capabilities. All the other disk IO will be slowing the process too.


See some of the old posts too…

"swap" partition

Jun 26, 2014 4:06 PM in response to Allan Eckert

As I stated, Allan. I don't know what Windows does. I don't know what VMware does. So, I claim ignorance outside of what I know OS X does. You would be correct that it is logical that VMWare would simply use the OS X API and use the OS X swapfile or Windows would create it's own swapfile on the pseudo-disk. I just don't know what it does nor what Windows does. So I'm pleading ignorance. 😀

Jun 26, 2014 4:09 PM in response to Allan Eckert

2010 called and left a message.


Create a partition, tweak a plist, cross fingers, reboot…

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/1465/how-can-i-move-virtual-memory-swap -files-to-a-different-drive-or-partition


Please let us know if you try it Srinivas_Gadi, just backup thoroughly before you begin.


The VM being a 'disk container' on the Mac is a red herring - the RAM used by the VM is still swapped to the swap location on the host OS.

how to create swap partition on my mac

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