When I read about WIN386.SWP and PAGEFILE.SYS, I usually read almost identical explantions about the two files. I have both on my PC at different sizes. PAGEFILE is 589,824KB and WIN386 is 196,608KB WIN386 is current with timedate just a few moments ago. PAGEFILE is about 27 hours old. What's the difference between the 2 files? Are they both necessary ?

Do you have a dual boot system? WIN386.SWP is the win9x swap file. I believe PAGEFILE.SYS is the winxp swap file.

Thanks. That answers the question. Yes it is dual booting - WIN98SE and 2000PRO. I fail to see MS logic in two differnt names. Only one is in use at a time and it is "scratch pad". But this isn't the 1st MS - "why'd they do dat"

Are you dual booting this PC?

Yup, a little late on hitting the refresh! The files may only be in use at one time, BUT, if you had set them up as fixed (contiguous) files, you would not want XP stepping on the 98 one, or vice-versa. You CAN have 98 call the SWP file, Paging.sys, if you like. But, I have no idea what will happen when XP boots and finds a SYS file that isn't XP. And again, vice-versa.