---
title: "Tips: How can I monitor pagefile usage during a scan?"
url: "https://dm0bkdes5q7a2ls.productfruits.help/en/article/f1bf4fa0-866c-4f30-8c5b-fc85eb5b83ab"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-05-05T02:25:05.014Z"
---

# Tips: How can I monitor pagefile usage during a scan?

To monitor pagefile usage during a Spirion scan, you can use built-in Windows tools or Spirion’s own logs.

Monitoring this is particularly useful if you suspect the **"Memory Trigger System Pagefile"** setting is causing your scans to pause.

Here are the three most effective ways to monitor it:

### 1\. Windows Performance Monitor (PerfMon) - *Most Accurate*

This is the best tool for seeing real-time usage and historical trends during a scan.

1.  Press `Win + R`, type **perfmon**, and hit Enter.
2.  In the left pane, click **Performance Monitor**.
3.  Click the **green plus (+) icon** to add a counter.
4.  In the list, find **Paging File**.
5.  Select **% Usage** and click **Add**, then **OK**.
6.  **What to look for:** If the graph approaches the threshold you set in the Scan Wizard (for example, 90% usage if your trigger is set to 10% remaining), you see the Spirion process (`idffed.exe`) drop its CPU usage to zero as it enters a paused state.

### 2\. Spirion Agent Logs (IDF/SystemSearch) - *Best for Troubleshooting*

When the "Memory Trigger" is hit, the Spirion Agent explicitly logs the event. This is the "smoking gun" for why a scan might be hanging.

-   **Location:** `%ProgramData%\Identity Finder\Logs\SystemSearch\`
-   **What to look for:** Open the latest `IDF` log and search for keywords like:
-   -   `Paused`
    -   `Low Memory`
    -   `Pagefile`
    -   `Trigger`
-   **Log Entry Example:** You might see a line stating: *"Search paused due to low system pagefile (Available: 8%, Trigger: 10%)"*. The Agent then logs periodic checks until the memory is freed.

### 3\. Windows Task Manager - *Quick Check*

While Task Manager doesn't show the "Pagefile" as a single percentage easily, you can see the "Committed" memory, which is the sum of Physical RAM + Pagefile.

1.  Right-click the Taskbar and select **Task Manager**.
2.  Go to the **Performance** tab and click **Memory**.
3.  Look at the **Committed** section (e.g., `12.5/16.0 GB`).
4.  -   The second number (`16.0 GB`) is your total "Commit Limit" (RAM + Pagefile).
    -   If the first number (`12.5 GB`) gets very close to the second number, your pagefile is nearly full.

### 4\. Resource Monitor - *Detailed View*

1.  In Task Manager (Performance > Memory), click **Open Resource Monitor** at the bottom.
2.  Go to the **Memory** tab.
3.  Look at the **Hard Faults/sec** graph.
4.  -   **Tip:** If you see a massive spike in "Hard Faults" while Spirion is scanning a large file, it means the system is heavily relying on the pagefile (swapping). This is usually the moment right before the Memory Trigger trips.

### Summary of Actionable Steps

If you find that the pagefile is consistently hitting the trigger:

-   **Increase the Pagefile:** Manually increase the initial and maximum size of the Windows Pagefile in *System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > Virtual Memory*.
-   **Adjust the Trigger:** If the machine is stable but the scan keeps pausing, you can lower the **Memory Trigger System Pagefile** percentage in the Scan Wizard (for example, move it from 10% down to 5%).
-   **Check for "Leaky" Files:** Look at the Spirion logs to see which specific file was being scanned when the memory spiked. Large compressed files (.zip, .7z) or massive PST files are the usual culprits.