My PC tells me my virtual memory is low. how do I fix this?

Answer 1

Whenever your computer runs out of RAM memory (which is a chip in the computer) it will move some of the files your not using at the second to the hard drive temporarily. (You will see that heppen sometimes if you are scrolling a document, and suddenly it stops and waits for a second or two before the scroll continues. It had to go get that part of the document off the hard drive)

Windows normally creates a small file to use for this called a "swap file" or "virtual memory". If you open too many programs, you can overfill that swap file. That is when you get the message. It is not really an error. It is just Windows telling you that it is going to increase the size of that swap file. While is is annoying, it is not dangerous to your PC (unless your hard drive is totally full - but that is another problem)

You can reduce the frequency of Windows having to increase the swap file by adding additional RAM memory. Then it uses the swap file less often. You can also reduce the number of programs you have running in the background (Do a search on "msconfig" and learn how to use that to reduce background porgrams).

But beyond those, there is no much you can do to solve the problem. Just be aware that it is just a "message" that Windows is doing something, not a warning or an error. It is not dangerous to your PC.

Answer 2

Click Start, then open the Control Panel.
Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.
Click the Advanced tab.
Under Performance, click Settings.
Click the Advanced tab.
Under Virtual memory, click Change.
Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file (virtual memory) settings that you want to change. In almost every case, this will be your C: drive.
Click to select the "System managed size" option, then click Set.
Click OK three times and restart your computer.

Eliminate Non essential programs & add a RAM

Answer 3

Buy More memory and install it in you pc.<--easy fix

or clean you the drive that uses the virtual memory most of the time it is the C: drive but you can change it to a drive that has more room for virtual memory.

Answer 4

Rt click "My Computer", select Properties. Select the Advanced tab>Performance Options. Change the page file size to twice the amount of RAM memory you have installed. Save and close and reboot to make the page file larger. If you don't know how much memory you have, you will see it listed on the General tab when you open Properties.

Answer 5

There is an article that describes what the problem is, what Virtual Memory is, and troubleshooting steps with screenshots here;

http://www.goitexpert.com/en/index.cfm/2007/3/1/Virtual-Memory-Is-Too-Low-Error-and-How-To-Fix-It

Answer 6

Yes if you have got the Memory set to "Let windows set my virtural memory" then thats okay, but if its at "User" then i would change it to "Windows" if it is at windows i would go to the local computer store, and ask for some more memory.

You can do it online now, BUT DONT BUY SECOND HAND, there is most of the time a problem with second hand hardware

Answer 7

stop running some programs if youpress the control key the alt key and the delete key all at the same time once, then you will get a display of what is running right now on your pc. you will be surprised what is happening that you dont even know about sometimes at least thats the way mine is setup I have winMe

Answer 8

I would install more RAM and also buy a larger hard drive. You are getting the error because it is using all of your available RAM and also your hard drive space is very low.

Answer 9

Know your computers limits.. stop doing 20 things at once.