What is the difference if any between virtual memory and your memory card on your computer?

Question

My pc keeps saying low virtual memory. Is that the same as needing to add more ram? Another memory card?

Answer 1

virtual memory is the pc using part of the hard drive to simulate memory - you can set more in your virtual memory settings, but usually twice your physical ram is the rule of thumb

Answer 2

When your computer is on, it tries to keep all the running programs and data files in its RAM memory. RAM is the quickest place from which a computer can access information, so by having the programs there the computer runs as fast as possible.

If the computer runs out of RAM memory, then it has to use virtual memory, which is simply a file on the hard drive. It will pick a program that is not doing anything, or a part of your data file that you are not using, and move (swap) it from RAM memory to the much slower hard drive. That is why virtual memory is also often called a "swap file".

You have probably seen your computer do that many times. You will be working on a large document, and go to scroll to another section, and everything freeze for a couple seconds...that is your computer reloading the part of the data it had to place in the swap file.

You can decrease the use of the swap file by increasing your RAM memory. The more meory, the less often stuff has to be swapped out. Adding more RAM can make a hugh difference in how your computer runs.

You can get rid of the vitual memory ERROR, but resetting the swap file setting. In the Control Panel, click the System icon and go into Properties.
Go to the Advanced Tab
In the Performance area, click on the Settings button
Go to the Advanced tab
In the Virtual memory near the botton click on Change
Click on the button for "System Managed Size"
Doing this will allow Windows to adjust the vitual memory file size without having to have your permission. Your computer will keep doing what it has always done - using the vitual memory as needed - it will just no longer pop up a box to warn you when it does it. Does not really sove the problem, but it gets rid of the annoying messages. To really solve the problem, you have to add more RAM.

Answer 3

It's not the same thing, but the two are related.

Virtual memory is extra hard drive space used as temporary memory when you run out of physical RAM. It's much, much slower than physical RAM so you want to avoid having to use it at all, if possible.

If you add more physical RAM memory, you'll be able to open more programs and files before your computer needs to start using virtual memory.

If your computer is telling you "low virtual memory" that means that you need to free up some space on your hard drive because that's getting low, too, and the virtual memory cannot function properly.

Answer 4

Virtual memory is when the computer is using space on your hard drive. This usually happens when you don't have enough ram and virtual memory settings are to small. Check out the link.

Answer 5

its related. but its not the same.

virtual memory acts like RAM but instead of storing it in a memory card, the information is stored in the Hard Drive.

it helps ram because when ram is all used up, the virtual drive is where information is placed.

when the pc warns for low virtual memory it means your hard drive is getting filled up. a bigger drive can help. but it can also mean that your virtual memory allotment is too small.

getting more ram can help ease this, but if the hard drive is filled, this warning will always come up.

good luck! cheers!

Answer 6

Virtual memory is hard disk space used instead of RAM (physical memory) when there isn't enough RAM. It is much slower then real RAM.

You can configure your system to reserve more disk space for virtual memory, although how you do that depends on the operating system you use.

Adding more physical RAM would be more expensive, but the performance boost would probably be bigger.

Answer 7

Virtual memory is when windows uses hard drive space as 'virtual memory'.

You probably need to clean off your hard drive if it is running out of space. You might need to add a larger drive.

Adding RAM never hurts either.

Answer 8

Sounds like you're running out of space on your HD. If you get a second hard drive installed use that for your paging/virtual memory and set none on the drive your OS is on.

Answer 9

You need to change virtual memory. Go to the control panel, performance&maitenence, improve performance, advanced, change virtual memory, set to 3000mb and you will be fine.

Answer 10

virtual memory is space on your hard disk that is used for memory .you should free up space on your hard drive or get a larger one.