On a Windows 98 machine, the swap or page file is contained in which file?

On a Windows 98 machine, the swap or page file is contained in the file named WIN386.SWP. This file is utilized by the operating system to manage memory and is particularly important for virtual memory operations. When the physical RAM is insufficient for running processes, Windows 98 uses this file to extend the available memory by swapping out inactive pages to disk.

Understanding the context of other choices helps clarify why WIN386.SWP is the correct answer. For instance, pagefile.sys and swapfile.sys are related to other versions of Windows, primarily Windows NT and beyond, where these filenames are used to represent the system’s pagefile in those environments. In contrast, page.swp does illustrate the concept of a swap file but is not the correct file referenced in the context of Windows 98. Thus, selecting WIN386.SWP accurately identifies the specific file associated with virtual memory management in that operating system.