How can i increase my virtural memory?

Question

I keep getting a message that windows virtural memory is low....also how can i reclaim momeory in my computer?

Answer 1

If a computer running Windows requires more memory/RAM then there is installed in the system to run a program, etc, it uses a small section of the hard drive for this purpose. This is called “Virtual” memory, or “Swap Filling”. If the “Swap” file is to small, then you will get a warning that the system can’t perform the operation that you have requested because sufficient “Virtual” memory isn’t available.

You need to enlarge the size of your “virtual memory/swap file”. So, do the following.

Right click “My Computer” and choose “Properties”.
In the “System Properties” window, click the “Advanced” tab.
Under “Performance”, click “Settings”.
In the “Performance Options” window, click “Advanced”.
Under “Virtual memory”, click “Change”.

Increase the size of the “Paging file” so that it is at least twice the size of your RAM. You can increase the size to “Maximum”, it won’t hurt your system at all.


Best cure.

If you really want to eliminate this problem, all you need do is to install more “Memory/RAM”.

Answer 2

Just so you know, modifying your virtual memory settings is an advanced task, and it's not recommended. It's usually best to let Windows manage this.

The fact that you're constantly running out of virtual memory means that you don't have enough physical memory (also known as RAM). The best way to make your error message go away for good would actually be to buy more RAM for your machine.

Your computer only resorts to Virtual memory once it has run out of physical memory. What virtual memory does is reserves a portion of your hard drive to temporarily act like RAM so your system doesn't come to a screeching halt when you fill up your RAM. Virtual memory is notably slower than physical memory, and puts a heavy workload on your hard drive.

That said, if you still want to modify your Virtual Memory settings:

Right Click on My Computer
Select Properties

This will open the System Properties Dialog
Choose the Advanced Tab
Under the "Performance" section click Settings

This will bring you to the Performance Options Dialog
Choose the Advanced Tab
The bottom section will be titled Virtual memory
Click the Change button

From there you can manually specify how much Virtual Memory to reserve.


Best of luck,
GL

Answer 3

This depends on your version of Windows. For XP, select the "Start" menu, then "Control Panel", Select "Performance and Maintenance" from the list of options, then "System".

From the "System Properties" window, click on the "Advanced" tab. Find the area that says "Performance", and click on the "Settings" button in that section (There will be multiple buttons that say Settings, this should be the top one).

Within the "Performance Options" window click the "Advanced" tab. In the "Virtual Memory" section at the bottom of the window, click "Change". You can change the size in the "Virtual Memory" window that pops up.

Virtual memory is much slower than traditional computer memory. You should look into upgrading to more memory.

Answer 4

Virtual memory is a file on disk. You specify how big it should be (i.e. you specify the minimum size it starts at and how big it may grow). As required, it grows until it reaches the maximum.

If you've reached the maximum size you can alter that maximum (Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Performance -> Advanced -> Virtual Memory). But it probably indicates that you are (a) short on real memory or (b) running a load of big programs or (c) got some memory hog virusses running.

More than 2-3 times real memory as virtual memory means your system will be really suffering because it's having to swap stuff in and out of virtual memory.