"Windows is currently using a temporary swap file located on drive C. This may prevent an accurate permanent swap-file analysis" error message when switching from a temporary swap file to a permanent swap file in Windows 3.x (87441)

SYMPTOMS

When switching from a temporary swap file to a permanent swap file, the following message may be displayed:

Windows is currently using a temporary swap file located on drive C. This may prevent an accurate permanent swap-file analysis.

This message indicates Windows cannot correctly recommend a permanent swap file setting because of the disk space that is being used by the temporary swap file.

MORE INFORMATION

In determining the recommended size for a permanent swap file, Windows examines the following:

Largest available block of free contiguous disk space.
Total amount of free hard disk space.

If there is a temporary swap file already using disk space, Windows cannot precisely determine the amount of free contiguous hard disk space available. Windows does not calculate how much, if any, of the temporary swap file is contiguous. Switching from a permanent to a temporary swap file does not give this message because the temporary swap file does not need contiguous disk space.

After choosing the permanent swap file, restarting Windows, and going back to the virtual memory settings, there will be a more precise recommended permanent swap file size. This is because Windows knows the exact amount of space being taken by the file and its location on the hard drive.

For further information on how Windows determines the swap file size, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

recommended and maximum and swap and file and size