---
title: "DisablePagingExecutive 1: what it does, the default value, and whether it helps gaming"
description: "Windows may move parts of its own kernel and drivers to the page file when memory is short. What it changes, when it hurts, and how to undo it."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disablepagingexecutive
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Memory"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# DisablePagingExecutive 1: what it does, the default value, and whether it helps gaming

**Short answer:** Windows may move parts of its own kernel and drivers to the page file when memory is short. DisablePagingExecutive set to 1 keeps that code in memory at all times. In the registry it sets DisablePagingExecutive to 1 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.

## In the app

- Switch: Keep the Kernel in RAM (Memory, Pro, Advanced)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1163

## What it does

Windows may move parts of its own kernel and drivers to the page file when memory is short. DisablePagingExecutive set to 1 keeps that code in memory at all times.

In the app the switch is called "Keep the Kernel in RAM", described there as: Stops Windows from paging kernel and driver code to disk. For PCs with 16 GB or more (reboot).

## When it helps

- Systems under real memory pressure, where paged-out kernel code would have to be read back from disk at a bad moment.

## When it hurts

- With enough memory Windows almost never pages this code out, so the setting changes nothing.
- With very little memory it leaves even less for programs.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Registry values:

| Key | Value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management` | `DisablePagingExecutive` | `1` | Your previous value (saved before the change, or deleted if there was none). Windows default: 0 |

Source: Tweaks/pack_extra.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## The same change by hand

Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first.

```bat
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v "DisablePagingExecutive" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
```

Put it back:

```bat
reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v "DisablePagingExecutive" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
```

See what it is set to now:

```bat
reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v "DisablePagingExecutive"
```

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. The app saved what each value was before the change and writes exactly that back, or removes the value if it did not exist.

## Verdict

A harmless setting with a reputation larger than its effect. It makes sense with 16 GB or more, and will rarely be noticeable.

## Questions

### What does the "Keep the Kernel in RAM" tweak change in Windows?

In the registry it sets DisablePagingExecutive to 1 under HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.

### What is the default value of DisablePagingExecutive?

The Windows default of DisablePagingExecutive is 0. Frozen Tweaks sets it to 1, and switching the tweak off puts back the value you had before.

### Is "Keep the Kernel in RAM" safe to switch on?

A harmless setting with a reputation larger than its effect. It makes sense with 16 GB or more, and will rarely be noticeable. The main cost: With enough memory Windows almost never pages this code out, so the setting changes nothing.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off puts back exactly what was there before, value for value.

### Does it need a restart?

Yes, the change applies after a restart.

### Is "Keep the Kernel in RAM" free in Frozen Tweaks?

It is part of Frozen Pro and Elite. You can also make the change by hand with the values on this page.

## Related guides

- [How to Fix Stuttering and Frame Drops: Diagnose Before You Tweak](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/fix-stuttering-frame-drops)

## More tweak explainers

- [Memory compression](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-memory-compression)
- [NVMe interrupt steering](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/nvme-interrupt-steering)
- [LargeSystemCache](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/largesystemcache)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disablepagingexecutive