How does virtual memory optimize RAM?

Question

How does Virtual memory optimize RAM, Diagram would me nice aswell

Answer 1

It doesn't.

A Windows computer, has so much electronic memory, which is so fast, the speed is measured in nanoseconds, billionths of a second.

A hard drive, uses magnet memory, which is so slowl, the speed is measured in milliseconds, thousandths of a second.

The electronic memory in your computer, is about 1 million times faster than the disk drive.

Virtual memory is used, when the computer does not have enough free electronic memory to hold your computer program and/or data. The operating system uses the hard drive, (1 million times slower), to let you run the programs that you want.

The system tries to be efficient, by paging the least commonly used applications to the hard drive, but, it is still 1 million times slower.

The marketing definition, is that Virtual Memory is powerful. My definition, is that Virtual Memory is very very slow...

Answer 2

Someone's already told you it doesn't - maybe they're right - you decide.

virtual memory is basically an area of your disk space that is set aside by the operating system to allow it to appear as RAM. If you have too little PHYSICAL RAM to allow a task to proceed, the operating system makes use of VIRTUAL (disk-based) RAM. It is a balancing act between overall system cost and the access time difference between slow hard-disk based virtual RAM and the faster physical RAM.

Tasks that require large amounts of RAM will run slower on machines with little physical RAM - this is the reason people instantly think that putting in more RAM will speed up their machines.

Heavy reliance on V-RAM can cause your machine to slow right down - so the solution (in situations where, say you are running multiple applications, is to put in more RAM)

The following pages give you more details - some of them are fairly scary for novices (you have been warned)

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid5_gci213300,00.html

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/v/virtual_memory.html

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virtual-memory.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_memory

Answer 3

your in worry-free words option might want to be to create a static pagefile, meaning one which does no longer advance or strengthen. some say doing it is a performance strengthen of kinds provided that residing house windows isn't forced to strengthen the pagefile (digital memory) even as it needs extra memory. The reported length of a pagefile is a million.5 circumstances your actual RAM. So for instance, in case you had 512 MB of RAM you would possibly want to set your pagefile to be 768 MB. you are able to get top of entry on your pagefile placing by utilizing top-clicking My computing gadget, choosing houses > stepped ahead, click the Settings button interior the performance section, click the stepped ahead tab and interior the digital memory section click the replace button, choose custom and enter a million.5 circumstances your actual RAM in both fields, click Set and then reboot. save in ideas besides the undeniable fact that that in the adventure that your gadget is starved for memory, and also you're doing source in intensity issues, that volume received't be intense sufficient, in which case you receives "out of memory" blunders. for sure you are able to continuously replace this placing decrease back to this is default. And certain, paying for extra RAM might want to help, in case you go away your digital memory settings the way they're, your pagefile settings will strengthen for that reason to account for the extra RAM.