A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Ask Mr. Gremelin Virtual Memory Too Low

I will ask my Q in a new topic. At least once a day I get a little pop up on my screen saying that my "virtual memory is too low. Windows will fix it but it might refuse some requests during the process. And go to help to learn more."
Well, help doesn't help at all. I cannot find anything about this issue.
My computer slows down a little for a while (5 minutes? maybe?) Then all seems well.
I want to know what I can do to help my computer not need to do this. Will deleting things help? Like all of my daughter's dirty pictures? (She likes Dani Filth from the band, Cradle of Filth. Hence the 'dirty' pictures comment)
I'm not sure even where to go to check on my computer's specs and memory used/available.

Well, for starters you could add more physical memory to your computer; it's not really that expensive at all now adays to max out the memory that a computer can use.

Generally speaking, these errors happen when programs utilize all of the available memory and then work on the virtual memory of the system; generally "memory leaks" in software can just eat and eat more and more resources (so no, it's not the pictures on your machine).

If you're one of those people who leave your computer on all of the time, you may consider making sure you close various programs that you use normally as they could be not releasing their resources to the computer when not in use.

Virtual memory (aka page file or swap file), is a file on your drive (usually pagefile.sys) your OS and programs use with physical memory when needed. The default and recommended size of the file is 1 to 2 times the total amount of ram. Virtual memory is the sum of physical memory and the page file. If your computer has 512mb of RAM it will have a 768mb page file as a default (total of 1.25 GB of physical + virtual memory).

You can hunt down what programs are the issue by right clicking on a blank area in your task bar and opening "Task Manager", from here go to "View" and choose "Select Columns" and from the new popup select the "Virtual Memory Size" option and press "ok".

Now select the "Processes" tab and click on the "VM Size" column header (on the words that say "VM Size" and it'll list everything according to smallest to largest (if you click again it'll list largest to smallest). You can see what programs are using the most virtual memory on your system.

These programs are ones you'll generally want to make sure are closed when you leave your PC unattended; it'll likely be your web browsers, media applications, etc.

In my case, i have FireFox which is using 191.5mb memory, and 177.8m of virtual memory; this is definably one which I'd want to make sure I'd close when not in use.

Thank you. I understand in a general way most of what you said. I have also printed it out so I can track down my problems. I also use firefox so that is probably what is eating up all of my memory. I will shut down more often. And try to keep my teen in check too.

Well, you can leave your system on all the time (I do it with most of mine; though I really need to try to save some money to build a new desktop as this laptop has had it); just make sure that you close the memory intensive programs while not in use.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Good Info James,, I have a desk top that says that once in a while too,,,, I'll follow your instructions to do the same thing you suggested to Tina,, The desk top has XP not vista,,
thanks

You know what i say to vista? visit the trash can... lol... I dispise it with a firey passion...

Though, it's not like i have the money for a computer anyhow :/

Can you purchase a new computer without vista? I have heard unlikeable things about it. I do like my XP.

my understanding is that is it very hard to do. microsoft had said when the current run of xp licenses run out, they won't issue any more. and they won't offer any support for xp after a certain date (don't remember what it is) but, that said, i remember bill (being a small business customer) was able to make dell sell him a machine with xp even though they were already using vista.

SOME manufacturers will "allow" you to buy machines with XP (or no os at all); you can always buy it then reformat, but hunting down drivers for XP from a Vista machine can be a pain unless you know what you're doing (as most places signed agreements with Micro$oft to not support XP)

And the XP support date already passed, M$ allows support now however to deal with issues people have been having with vista.

I too am a small business customer at dell, though it's been a while since I've bought anything from them as I prefer to build my pc's myself.

Gee, we just had to buy DD a new laptop for college and it HAD to have Vista.

James,

In what way is VIsta suppose to be better?
I don't plan on changing till mine dies.........Longest I kept one and it is Gateway........

Thanks for the replys.

as best i can tell, and james can correct me if i am wrong, vista isn't any better for anyone except the hardware/software makers. it has built in pirating protection that doesn't protect the consumer. if you do like i do and swap out printers, etc, too many times, it will lock up and you can't use that device again. same thing for software.

My printer locks up with xp

Vista is only good for Microsoft, since they make a load more money selling more licenses. They alienate their loyal customers and force pc suppliers to alienate their customers by signing contracts to support only vista...

@Dodge, the printer lockup may be something to bring to their support desk darling ;)...

Vista is bloatware, no OS should have a minimum requirement of 1gb... EVER.. It's crazy!

I have Vista and I like it now but My DD tells me she came over and deleted some of the annoying things it was set up to do?

but I do like how it blocks much of the outside interferances that I might otherwise have to deal with.

I was real found of windows XP though--and I still have Windows ME in m y files cabinet--I have not ever installed it to my 'XP computer'---I had heard too much bad about it.

Yeh, ME is almost as much of a waste of time as Vista ;).. hehe...

All in all, XP is a lot nicer than much anything you'll be able to use, and will leave a much smaller fingerprint than Vista...

Now if you really want to be daring, theres always Linux, but I think that may be a little beyond what most of you need ;)... lol...

Hide an watch.

Well, one interesting thing is, Asus pushes out a little machine called the EEEPC; it's a small laptop like gem which has linux on it, but comes with a dummed down UI that basically is quite user friendly...

I went to buy one for myself as a fathers day gift since no one bought me anything, and somehow I ended up getting screwed out of it and bought my wife one... Still not sure how that happend, so I'm still 0/0 on the fathersday gift lol...

What I'm looking at is the EEEPC 901 Ebony; what I bought my wife was the EEEPC 4G White

And in case you're wondering; yes the EEEPC's do support WXP ;) lol

That is cute........No wonder wifey snuck it off you..
I been seeing lately the touch computer ........What do you say of that/
How does one type a letter with touch screen?

Virtual Memory Too Low??? that's like make believe memory?? right??

Wrong.........
It isnt make believe if you believed in me ..ha ha

Huh James????????
It is sort of like having alzheimers......Not enough memory.....

Most of the touch screen laptops are normal laptops, but you can touch the monitor (and it responds like it was a mouse). They hae a keyboard, but on some the screen swivels around...

What do i think? Overpriced pieces of crap lol...

I get the idea of it , walmart has a print your own photo screen like that.......I thought too it was usless knowledge......
Hubby plays free cell on here and how would he do that .

Do you an wife do that card game? I taught him how, now he beats the slop out of me......I dont sit and analyze it like he does.. I am a slam bang player..Outta here.

thanks for the thoughts ........
Happy computering.

you know these places...anything to sell someone something they don't need

I don't really play computer games anymore... haven't for years lol...

BTW, a touch screen monitor is really two monitors in one... Theres a small screen overlayed over the display; this small screen has the touch elements built inside of it...

Myself, again, I see them as a waste of time unless you actually have to have one (and I don't really see how anyone would HAVE to have one)... Now a tablet, those are fun for drawing or sketching, or writing...

True..........Pa pa has to do family things not play games.

Oh, no, I play games when I can on the XBox360 :x... I just code on my computer...

I'm saving up (well trying) for a newer computer; but it's going to take me forever

hey Moguai..We fixed that computer...tossed it and got Ashley a new one, one of those cheep dell specials, should do her til she almost finishes school

that's hubby's idea of cleaning one up and re vamping it. toss it and start over....should have heard her fuzzing about her book marks

Is your man a computer specialist? Suzy/

I think mine is a tractor specialist.LOL

*L* no, I don't think he's a specialist on any thing...you know that old saying jack of all trades and master of none...that's him, he can do some of all of it but he's not great at much of it. He's done alot of different jobs because he started young, but when he was younger too he job hopped

Least ways he works........some wont..

yeah he works good and he's a really good dady to Ashley. Spoils her rotten

Thats good......
Have to tell Hubby to spoil me.LOL

He would say , you already are. :ding:

mine too, tells me I am,

Lol next time you toss one, send it to me :x...

hey I got a room full...you can have'em but you'd have to pay shipping on them, I think there are 6 out there.

James just lucked up.......

if it was up to me...I'd just go in and kill everything, wipe the memory and start over, but he just buys a new one.

nite all

Now I'm'm curious how much that'd be lol