What does this message mean on my computer ?

Question

This is the message : Running low on virtual memory

Answer 1

It means that you are running low on virtual memory.

Virtual memory or virtual memory addressing is a memory management technique, used by computer operating systems, more common in multitasking OSes, wherein non-contiguous memory is presented to a software (aka process) as contiguous memory. This contiguous memory is referred to as the virtual address space.

Virtual memory addressing is typically used in paged memory systems. This in turn is often combined with memory swapping (also known as anonymous memory paging), whereby memory pages stored in primary storage are written to secondary storage (often to a swap file or swap partition), thus freeing faster primary storage for other processes to use.

In technical terms, virtual memory allows software to run in a memory address space whose size and addressing are not necessarily tied to the computer's physical memory. To properly implement virtual memory the CPU (or a device attached to it) must provide a way for the operating system to map virtual memory to physical memory and for it to detect when an address is required that does not currently relate to main memory so that the needed data can be swapped in. While it would certainly be possible to provide virtual memory without the CPU's assistance it would essentially require emulating a CPU that did provide the needed features.

Usually it is nothing to worry about - the memory management in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 is very poor.

Answer 2

You don't have enough memory chips (DDR RAM) to handle your PC's usage, therefore your hard drive is being used as a temporary container to hold the memory, called "virtual memory".

If your hard drive is almost full or if your Virtual Memory settings are too low, you will get that message.

Answer 3

when u r running a game or a program which needs more RAMS, the PC use a certain place on your hard disk to use it as RAMS, so when it become full, these error message appears to you, to solve it , you have to make the Virtual memory bigger and you can make ti as follow:
right click on MY COMPUTER, and then choose properties, and then press Advanced, and choose Settings in the PERFORMANCE area, and then press advanced and you will find in Virtual memory area, press change, and change the INITIAL SIZE to be 1000, and the Maximum to be 3000, but in this case you have to free 3 GIGA from you C partition, and this message will not appear to you again.

Answer 4

Virtual Memory is space allocated on your hard drive for those times that your physical memory (RAM) is not enough.

To increase the amount of virtual memory go to Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance > Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory "Change" > Custom Size > adjust as needed. 1.5 times your physical RAM is a good minimum and 3 times your physical memory in MB is good for your maximum.

Answer 5

usually it means your hard drive is almost full so windows cant use much space on you hard drive to create a page file or virtual memory try to keep at least 1/2 to 1 gig of space on your drive and you should never get this again

Answer 6

sounds like you have too many auto start programs

Answer 7

maybe you have too many programs running and they are using up all of your RAM.

Answer 8

No clue. That happens to me too, though.