What are pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys, and how do I delete them?

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Asked By CuriousCoder42 On

I'm having an issue with my laptop's storage filling up quickly, and I've already tried deleting apps and checking temporary files and the recycle bin. I'm mostly using this laptop for programming, and while I need to keep my library files, they take up about 25 GB. I've noticed that pagefile.sys is 25.2 GB and hiberfil.sys is 6.1 GB. Can someone explain what these files are and if there's a way to get rid of them?

3 Answers

Answered By CodeNinja On

Also, just a heads up that 12.5 GB in vscode-cpptools is a lot, but you might want to check if it's safe to remove. Generally, remove any extensions you don't use, but keep the tools you need for your programming.

Answered By TechWizard88 On

The pagefile.sys file is used by your system to store data when it runs out of physical RAM, basically acting as overflow storage. The hiberfil.sys file stores the contents of your RAM when your laptop goes into hibernation. To get rid of them, you can disable paging in your Windows settings, but be careful as that can lead to performance issues if your system runs low on RAM. Disabling hibernation is a straightforward way to remove hiberfil.sys. However, I'd suggest considering upgrading your storage or using an external drive for your files instead.

SpaceSaver1 -

You can actually set limits on the size of the page file rather than disabling it entirely in your system performance settings. The more RAM you have, the less you’ll need the page file.

Answered By DataDude On

Pagefile.sys acts as a backup for RAM on your hard drive when usage spikes. You can adjust its size through the Advanced System Properties under Performance settings. Hiberfil.sys is tied to the hibernation feature and will mirror the size of your installed RAM. To disable hibernation, just run "powercfg -h off" in the Command Prompt as an admin. If you want to manage your disk space better, tools like WizTree or WinDirStat can help you see what’s consuming the most space.

HibernationHacker -

Is it possible to just limit the sizes instead of turning them off completely?

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