Thread: Virtual Memory and Win2K

  1. #1
    Still A Registered User DISGUISED's Avatar
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    Virtual Memory and Win2K

    OK, lately (like the last week or so) I keep getting the "Your low on Virtual Memory and some applications will not be able to run (Something like that)" Windows error.

    I haven't made any major changes to my system recently.

    Win2k Pro
    320MB Ram
    VM Paging file is currently set at Initial 480MB - Max 960MB
    Recommended for all drives - 478MB

    So, my initial size is 1.5 times the amount of RAM which is supposedly optimal right? Anyways, what could be causing this all of a sudden when I am not running anything that requires anymore memory than what I normally do?

  2. #2
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    Reinstall
    We are working on a huge software which trashes everywhere, sometimes the OS gets crazy. All competent people around, it's quicker though to perform an OS install instead of researching..

    Have fun!

  3. #3
    Still A Registered User DISGUISED's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Unregistered
    Reinstall
    We are working on a huge software which trashes everywhere, sometimes the OS gets crazy. All competent people around, it's quicker though to perform an OS install instead of researching..

    Have fun!
    I have no clue what that's supposed to mean. Anybody else?

  4. #4
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    yeah, I didn't understand what that meant either sounds like a crappy tech support answer.

    Have you looked at the processes that are running? Is something crunching away in the background eating up memory? Do you have a program running that takes memory, but never frees it?

    have you installed anything recently? what's in your startup?

    umm... *still thinking*

    maybe try lowering your paging size... too much is a bad thing too. I'd suggest 256-768 or something like that for your ranges.

  5. #5
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
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    How do you decide what a good page size is?

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    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    a good page size, and I haven't done a lot of research on this... but I've always been told that you pick the min to be about your amount of RAM, and then the max should be around twice that.

    Like... I have 256 in this machine right here, and mine is set to 256-512.

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  8. #8
    &TH of undefined behavior Fordy's Avatar
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    Originally posted by ober5861
    maybe this will help:

    http://www.xtremepccentral.com/artic...imization.html
    I wouldnt alter the paging settings unless I had a very good reason....and for a simple desktop system I cant see the need.....

    Better to sit and look at the system....what spec is it......what are you running.....what junkware processes are in the background....go from there

  9. #9
    left crog... back when? incognito's Avatar
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    I know I am going to sound stupid, but what do you mean by page size?
    There are some real morons in this world please do not become one of them, do not become a victim of moronitis. PROGRAMMING IS THE FUTURE...THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!!!!!!!

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    The amount should be around (I just had a brainfreeze and forgot the number but I think it is 2.5) times the amount of memory in your computer. But you don't usually want to change the size unless you really feel lucky. So always let windows choose for you. Although if you have unneeded things it might help some (especially the desktop picture) don't have no 3.5 meg bmp file for that. Active desktop also eats memory. If you want to see what is eating up your memory (well not all of it though) goto Windows Task Manage and look so the processes. One more thing if you have your Page file personally set to a number than you should make both the min and max size the same. This will cause things to run smoother and prevent defragmentation and a few other things i don't feel like talking about now.


    What the other guy means is that Windows is like tcp/ip it tries to grab a little memory first if successful it takes more, and more. Microsoft recommended solution to slow computers: Upgrade it, or buy new version of the Microsoft Windows Operating System.

    Page size is a hidden file on the hard disk that Windows uses to hold parts of programs and data files that do not fit in memory. The paging file and physical memory, or RAM, comprise virtual memory. Windows moves data from the paging file to memory as needed and moves data from memory to the paging file to make room for new data. Paging file is also called a swap file.
    Last edited by lostminds; 07-24-2002 at 02:30 AM.
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