Virtual Memory Too Low.

cassanova · #1 05-31-2009, 04:34 PM

I keep getting a message saying my virtual memory is too low and how window's is doing its thing to free space. Would someone please tell me what I can do to free up some memory? I've uninstalled all programs that I don't use or that the computer doesn't need to function but I"m still gettin the message and at a loss of what to do. I'm running windows xp-pro if that helps.

NJL · #2 05-31-2009, 04:38 PM

something tells me maybe your RAM is going bad...

Vic Winters · #3 05-31-2009, 04:40 PM

Get more/better RAM.

cdef · #4 05-31-2009, 05:01 PM

"Virtual memory" in Windows refers not to RAM, but to the swapout file that is maintained on your hard drive. Read about it on the web, for instance here.

cassanova · #5 05-31-2009, 06:29 PM

That link was somewhat helpful, but I still really don't know what I'd need to shut down on it.

warnergt · #6 05-31-2009, 07:07 PM

That is something that Windows does once in a while when you're using
a lot of memory (like when several applications are running).
I don't believe there is anything you can do about it. It can happen
even if you have a lot of RAM.

What particularly sucks, is that Windows with not allow an application
to allocate memory when it is attempting to create more virtual memory.
Applications can and do fail in these circumstances through no fault of
yours or theirs; it's a bullcrap feature of Windows.

Windows uses disk space for this virtual memory. If you don't have
gigabytes of free disk space, Windows may not be able to grab the
extra disk space that it needs. If this is the case, get a bigger disk drive.
There is no excuse for not getting a bigger disk drive as storage is
pretty cheap (per GB) these days.

fdeck · #7 05-31-2009, 08:02 PM

It could be related to some particular program. There is a kind of bug called a "memory leak" where the program allocates memory recklessly and eventually eats up all available space.

MJ5150 · #8 05-31-2009, 11:00 PM

Check and see what is using the most VM on your machine when you get the error. Then, find out if that app has an issue with a memory leak. I know Quicken does, and it was causing that error on a friends computer until I figured it out. This was after the "experts" at Best Buy told her to buy more RAM, and then a new computer when she went back after the additional RAM did not solve the problem.

Most SW companies will put out a patch to resolve the memory leak.

-Mike

Danny R. · #9 05-31-2009, 11:07 PM

Cick on Start.
Click on "run" and type msconfig
Select "selective startup"
Click on startup (top right side)
I would disable all programs except your antivirus and spyware programs.
Click OK and restart your computer.
That should help!

kserg · #10 05-31-2009, 11:12 PM

How many total process are running? You might have some spyware on your system.

rcarraher · #11 06-01-2009, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

That link was somewhat helpful, but I still really don't know what I'd need to shut down on it.

Virtual Memory refers to the page file, Windows uses this "file space" on the hard drive. You can view the size of the file on Win XP by right clicking on My Computer, Select Properties, now the Advanced Tab, Performance Options. At thebottom of the page will be the size of Virtual Memory (Page File). Ideally this should be half again as large as your real RAM. In other words if you have 1G of Real RAM, Your Page Fiile should be 1.5G. You can select Change, and see and set the options. If you have free spaceon your hard drive (Check this in My Computer by right clicking the hard drive and choosing Properties) and still get this message, set your virtual memory to zero, and reboot. This clears the page file (Virtual Memory) after the reboot, go back to the above pages and select either Custom Size that is half againb as large as real memory, or select System Managed. Before doing any of this tho' I'd suggest you defrag the drive so that when you reset the Virtual Memory, it is on a contigous part ofthe drive.

Geddyfleaharris · #12 06-01-2009, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarraher

Virtual Memory refers to the page file, Windows uses this "file space" on the hard drive. You can view the size of the file on Win XP by right clicking on My Computer, Select Properties, now the Advanced Tab, Performance Options. At thebottom of the page will be the size of Virtual Memory (Page File). Ideally this should be half again as large as your real RAM. In other words if you have 1G of Real RAM, Your Page Fiile should be 1.5G. You can select Change, and see and set the options. If you have free spaceon your hard drive (Check this in My Computer by right clicking the hard drive and choosing Properties) and still get this message, set your virtual memory to zero, and reboot. This clears the page file (Virtual Memory) after the reboot, go back to the above pages and select either Custom Size that is half againb as large as real memory, or select System Managed. Before doing any of this tho' I'd suggest you defrag the drive so that when you reset the Virtual Memory, it is on a contigous part ofthe drive.

Now that is a very helpful post! Thanks! I haven't had one of those warnings in a few years but I always wondered what the heck "virtual memory" was.