| Mar 23 @ 7:43 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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whatagal
Posts: 1,130
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And why do I have so little of it?
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| Mar 23 @ 7:59 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Laidback742
Posts: 4,676
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VM is when your hard drive temporarily acts like your RAM.
If you have too much going on at one time on your PC, your RAM ( random access memory, or temporary memory ) can get overloaded .... so the PC automatically uses part of the hard drive to act like additional temporary memory. The following link may explain it better and how to set it up.
Link
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| Jul 13 @ 7:53 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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ANGRY_MUPPET
Posts: 3,788
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windows says its increasing memory.,almost every day.,now its everyday.,what the heck is wrong?,.i ran virus scan and got nothing  ,.then windows said error and needs to close
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| Jul 13 @ 9:57 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Tiramisu4u
Posts: 5,656
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Have you tried deleting the Porn videos??   
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| Jul 13 @ 10:36 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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ANGRY_MUPPET
Posts: 3,788
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blasphemy 
almost out of memory again tho 
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| Jul 13 @ 10:52 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Tiramisu4u
Posts: 5,656
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ohh..ok, hun...
Going to go eat... 
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| Jul 15 @ 4:55 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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mystery2u888
Posts: 18,025
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 you guys I like LB to answer the question nicely 
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| Aug 4 @ 12:07 AM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Solitaire
Posts: 1,359
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me too. I turn my computer on and almost immediately I'm out of Virtual Memory.
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| Aug 4 @ 8:58 AM |
What is virtual memory?
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capobeachguy
Posts: 4,737
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What version of Windows are you using and how much RAM is installed on your computer?
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| Aug 11 @ 12:50 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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bxcv
Posts: 70
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There's somewhere a switch to increase the space which windows can allocate. But of course this needs HD space and u get the same message while having only little HD space left.
So yes cleaning, removing trash might already help.
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| Aug 11 @ 7:28 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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capobeachguy
Posts: 4,737
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The amount of disk space that Windows XP will allocate for use as virtual memory can be manipulated by going to Control Panel then System. Under the Advanced tab, select Settings in the Performance section. Under the Advanced tab, select Change in the Virtual memory section and enter the desired value(s).
Doesn't Micro$oft make this task easy!!!
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| Aug 12 @ 12:25 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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CaptainFlea
Posts: 379
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I have a pentium 2.5 with one gig of ram, not having any problems with it ever since i made a back up with acronis image back up software, after a new format, fresh software and driver install.
I did although want to check out the virtual memory settings and see if that improve the computers overall performance.
Initial and maximum size settings were both set at the recommended setting of 1906.
I changed them both to the maximum allowed
setting on my windows XP sp-2 of 4096.
Should I notice an improvement in my computers overall performance in a situation when the ram is maxed?
For instance running multiple apps, or maybe even internet radio streaming, where the addition virtual memory could be used to create a audio buffer to help reduce audio drop out on my 800 kpbs connection?
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| Aug 12 @ 4:11 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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capobeachguy
Posts: 4,737
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Should I notice an improvement in my computers overall performance in a situation when the ram is maxed?
For instance running multiple apps, or maybe even internet radio streaming, where the addition virtual memory could be used to create a audio buffer to help reduce audio drop out on my 800 kpbs connection?
Sorry, but the answer is NO. Virtual memory is a buffer, but it is a buffer for Windows only when RAM is exhausted. Application programs have no access to VM nor are they cognizant of it. When VM is being used, the performance of the system is actually degraded because it requires hardware resources to write to the hard drive and read the information back from it.
As for performance, I can state almost unequivocally that increasing the real RAM (up to the limits of the motherboard and Windows) is the simplest and cheapest answer.
If RAM is limited, it becomes even more crucial to insure that programs that are executing actually need to be executing. Take a look at the list of programs that are automatically started each time you boot your computer, do a search of the internet for each program name, and disable those that can be disable. MSCONFIG can be used for this task; CCleaner is an even better choice.
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| Aug 12 @ 5:02 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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CaptainFlea
Posts: 379
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Application programs have no access to VM nor are they cognizant of it.
Thanks.
Good to know
When VM is being used, the performance of the system is actually degraded because it requires hardware resources to write to the hard drive and read the information back from it.
Yeah that makes sense that you wouldn’t get the speed of ram from a hard drive, although there are programs like Gigastudio for instance that treat a fast hard drive like virtual ram, with the ability to stream large amounts of audio in realtime.
But I guess that is something that I can’t expect from windows.
If RAM is limited, it becomes even more crucial to insure that programs that are executing actuallyneed to be executing. Take a look at the list of programs that are automatically started each time you boot your computer, do a search of the internet for each program name, and disable those that can be disable. MSCONFIG can be used for this task; CCleaner is an even better choice.
I want to run a guitar-modeling program called Revalver on my computer..
It basically turns your computer into a guitar amp.
If I do a fresh install of Windows XP, and then install Revalver, Revalver works fine, and if I go to msconfig,, nothing is running, so there is nothing to turn off, all is good.
But
If I do a fresh install of windows XP, and then put on Revalver,AVG, Sound forge, Photo Shop and on and on until I have about 30 programs installed, which is my normal computer configuration, Then when I play Revalver it is glitchy with lots of audio dropout, although this should be expected because a lot of those programs are running in the back ground and drawing on system resources.
But here is the weird thing.
If I go to msconfig and turn everything off and restart, I still get audio glitching in the Revalver program.
It sounds to me like there is still some elements of those programs running that can't be turned off with msconfig. 
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| Aug 12 @ 6:16 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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capobeachguy
Posts: 4,737
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Okay then, do your Windows refresh and run Revalver. Then invoke the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del). Click on the Processes tab and make note of the programs (Image Names) which are running.
Install the remaining programs and repeat the process. This should provide you with a list of the new processes.
As an aside, AVG and most other antivirus programs tend to initiate a scan of the computer when they are first initiated. You might want to see if that's the case for you. Another idea is to again invoke Task Manager and click on the CPU heading while looking at the processes. The first time you click on it, it will list those images using the least amount of resources first; click again and the images using the most CPU resources will be at the top of the list.
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| Aug 14 @ 11:46 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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CaptainFlea
Posts: 379
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Okay then, do your Windows refresh and run Revalver. Then invoke the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del). Click on the Processes tab and make note of the programs (Image Names) which are running.
Install the remaining programs and repeat the process. This should provide you with a list of the new processes.
I have usually stayed clear of the Processes tab because I don't know enough about what i am doing and I'm afraid i might turn off something important, but I understand what you are saying, essentially using the process of elimination and just turn off processes on the complete computer config [AVG,Sound Forge, Photoshop] to match the config with just Revalver installed.
Question. If I do turn off those processes, since I am turning them off permanently, and not just turning them off when the program is off like msconfig, will it affect some of the programs [AVG, Sound Forge, Photo Shop] and the way they run?
[Edited on 8/14/2009 11:52 PM]
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| Aug 16 @ 10:47 AM |
What is virtual memory?
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capobeachguy
Posts: 4,737
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You are turning off the current execution of a process only. It is terminated and the RAM and other resources are freed up, but nothing is done to the image on the hard drive so the next reboot will invoke the process again.
When I need to burn a DVD (or other time/performance critical task), I will often "kill" the AVG scans. I can always manually restart them or simply reboot when I am finished with the DVDs,
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| Aug 20 @ 7:25 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Solitaire
Posts: 1,359
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If RAM is limited, it becomes even more crucial to insure that programs that are executing actually need to be executing. Take a look at the list of programs that are automatically started each time you boot your computer, do a search of the internet for each program name, and disable those that can be disable.
Thanks, that's what I did, along with adding more memory. Good call.
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| Sep 13 @ 5:30 PM |
What is virtual memory?
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Always_Striving
Posts: 8,794
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For Windows XP
Right click > My Computer icon.
Scroll down the context menu to the "properties" GUI.
"System Properties" dialog box will pop up.
Take note and remember how much RAM your computer has 512MB or 1.00GB or 2.00 GB or some other value (it's shown near the bottom).
Click the "Advanced" tab from the "System Properties" dialog box.
Click the "Performance" settings button.
In the "Performance Options" dialog box click > "Advanced" tab
Locate the Virtual memory "Change" button toward the bottom and click it.
The "Virtual Memory" dialog box appears. You need to determine which hard drive you want to make the adjustment (if you happen to be runing multiple hard drives). If you only have one Drive [Volume Label] C: then you are going to adjust the page filing size for C: drive.
Select the radio button labeled: Custom size:
Initial size (MB): [.....]
Maximum size (MB): [.....]
You want to take the value of your RAM (listed in the 3rd step above) and multiply it times 1.5, then place that number in both the Initial size and Maximum size boxes.
example 1: if you have 512MB RAM x 1.5, both sizes need to be 768
example 2: if you have 1.00GB RAM x 1.5, both sizes need to be 1500
You must select the "Set" button before you select the "OK" button within the "Virtual Memory" dialog box.
"System Control Panel Applet" dialog box will pop up. Click the "OK" button.
Click the "Apply" and "OK" buttons in the "Performance Options" dialog box.
Click the "OK" button in the "Systems Properties" dialog box.
Lastly..........................
The "System Settings Change" dialog box will pop up with this message:
You must restart your computer before the new settings will take effect.
Do you want to restart your computer now?
Select the appropriate button "Yes" or "No".
It's your option whether or not to restart your computer at this time or later on, but changes will only take effect the next time the computer has been restarted.
[Edited on 9/13/2009 6:53 PM]
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| Oct 25 @ 10:15 PM |
What is virtual memory? |
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Yojimbo44
Posts: 52
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But I tried following up on this myself but, as it often is in google, it's a matter of asking the right questions. Many of the newer games I have list among their requirements the hard drive size (man, they've gotten huge, which is why, if I can, I'd sooner play it on my 360) plus a HD requirement for a 'swap file'. Is this HD swap space free to be overwritten once the game is not being used?
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