Increasing memory

Virtual memory: Depends on what system you use. Look in help and it should tell you how to get there. Be sure that the system is allowed to run the virtual memory unless you know how to set it up to do otherwise.

If it is already checked leave it alone.

Virtual memory is hard drive space where the system holds things for its use when you are working with the computer.

To be sure things are right: Start/programs/accessories/system tools/ system information. In the list it should list the amount of real memory you have and how much is free, and under that how much virtual memory is set aside and how much is free.

That is a place to start.

Let us know what operating system you use and whether you are running a lot of programs when the message comes up.

 

Start/control panel/system/advanced tab/top section click on settings and choose it to let windows do what is best.

 

Sorry, wd, coz I know this won't help ya...
but when I saw this thread title, I was really excited about learning how to increase my memory....til I realized this was in the computers forum.

Duh!:laugh: And here I thought I was gonna get some help with my senior moments!!!
Okay, I'll go away now, and let the techies have atcha!
:wavey:

 

Memory may be beautiful, but yet,
what's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget.

So it's the laughter
we will remember
whenever we remember
the way we were.

 

The only reason to run out of memory is too many programs open or maybe one of the programs is not releasing memory that it is done with. Older Fire fox programs did that. After surfing a lot things would start slowing down.

I used to have a version of explorer do it also.

Next time you get the message look at the system information and see what it says. If it still seems okay I wouldn't worry about it.

Hope someone else has some better ideas for you.

 

Easiest solution: Restart frequently. Better solution: Increase your page file size or set it to automatically adjust:

Right click My Computer > click Properties > click Advanced tab > under Performance, click Setting > click Advanced tab > on the bottom, click Change > select System managed size > click Set > click OK > click OK > click OK (or however many time you have to until you close the millions of windows that are opened).

By default, your page file is set to a range. This will let Windows decide how much it should allocate. It will increase disk thrashing since it will be adjusting the page file size, but you shouldn't get any more errors unless you run out of disk space.

And for the love of all that is good, upgrade your RAM. It's cheap and has the biggest impact on performance for your buck. Windows XP doesn't run very well with only 256MB.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=17&name=Memory

Use the Memory Configurator on the lower left menu if you aren't sure what type to get. I suggest a 1GB stick.

 

While we are on the subject of memory, please do Webdog

However, why is some of the older memory so spendy? I ordered a gig for my four year old machine and two 512s for my wife's new laptop and hers was the same price as mine :-(

Must be an odd speed or something. I knew I could never do vista with a gig so doubled and would rather have done more but not at that price.

 

Probably because of limited supply. RAM prices fluctuate like crazy. Newer RAM is usually very expensive when it first comes out, then once they get production up to the pace of demand, the prices go down (that's where we are at with DDR2). Since production shifts from the old to the new, supply drops on older RAM since it's not produced in mass quantities anymore, and the price goes up.

 

Buying memory will fix this problem.

If you can't get it immediately and want to get better performance, you can also shutdown unnecessary services. Even with buying memory, you may want to look at any programs that are running at startup that you don't really need to have running.

BTW, the popup you're getting looks like an error, but it really isn't. It's an informational popup and Windows is telling you that it's run out of memory and has to go to page file swaps, which means writing and reading and rewriting to disk all the time and it's very slow, as you've seen. Basically, it's Windows telling you that it's time to buy more memory.

 

Run a couple of spyware scanners to make sure nothing is eating up your available memory. Same with a virus scan... and not the anti-virus you are currently using. TrendMicro offers a great FREE online scan.