virtual memory

doncald_2

Hi just wondering if someone could tell me what virtual memory is my computer keeps telling me it is low and how to fix. thanxs.

isofa

It's not actually used when you run out of RAM, it's used all the time by Windows as a swap file for performance and a host of other complex issues.

Most systems, even with gigabytes of RAM will benefit from having an active swapfile or "virtual memory turned on".

A good write up is here: http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

If your system is saying it's "low on virtual memory" then your hard disc hasn't enough free space.

doncald_2

how do I make more space on hard drive bit of novice sorry

C_Ronaldo

Delete programs you dont use anymore

mdbarber

isofa wrote: »

It's not actually used when you run out of RAM, it's used all the time by Windows as a swap file for performance and a host of other complex issues.

Most systems, even with gigabytes of RAM will benefit from having an active swapfile or "virtual memory turned on".

A good write up is here: http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

If your system is saying it's "low on virtual memory" then your hard disc hasn't enough free space.

well i too heard that somewhere else recently, but as only microsoft have the source code for windows and no one else? i really am interested where you got that info from?

isofa

mdbarber wrote: »

well i too heard that somewhere else recently, but as only microsoft have the source code for windows and no one else? i really am interested where you got that info from?

It's common knowledge, how a swapfile works, it doesn't just "kick in" when you are running low on RAM. In fact in some instances disabling it can reduce the performance as RAM fills up with code and other fragments which doesn't need direct access to RAM at a point in time.

Most operating systems use virtual memory or swap files to the same degree.

A Google will give you hundreds of articles on the subject, how it works etc.

You don't have to know the source code of Windows to know about swap file usage in this OS... There is plenty of detail on Microsoft's KB, have a read.

isofa

doncald wrote: »

how do I make more space on hard drive bit of novice sorry

As C_Ronaldo says, remove programs you don't need and also remove any large files you don't need, music, videos etc.

Also run CCleaner to clear out old temp files and cache files.

mdbarber

isofa wrote: »

It's common knowledge, how a swapfile works, it doesn't just "kick in" when you are running low on RAM. In fact in some instances disabling it can reduce the performance as RAM fills up with code and other fragments which doesn't need direct access to RAM at a point in time.

Most operating systems use virtual memory or swap files to the same degree.

A Google will give you hundreds of articles on the subject, how it works etc.

You don't have to know the source code of Windows to know about swap file usage in this OS... There is plenty of detail on Microsoft's KB, have a read.

Oh have read plenty probably too much and sorry thought you had come across something special i hadn't
But from what i have seen the very definition of a paging file does actually mean that it is used for storage of things that haven't been accessed recently, hence the proof of whether there is any performance loss or gain by disabling is down to individual systems, Try benchmarking with it disabled i think you may be surprised.
The big clue for this is the major disaster fragmentation has on the swapfile
I noticed this back in 93 through testing with early windows systems and have always created separate partitions for swap files or if enough ram was fitted, disabled it all together, very few issues and i only need to defrag every six months