Virtual Memory on XP Media Center

Win XP Micro Media Center
3.4 CPU
150GB HD
1 GB RAM

When doing a Backup on a External Hard Drive, just before finishing I get "Low Memory, Cannot Continue" and also a Ballon Screen pops up from the Tast Bar indicating I do not have enough Virtual Memory to finish the task. Looking at the setting I see "Windows Managed" and blanked out it reads "Max 1533 and Min 2MB. "

I've read about different ways to set this, such as 1 1/2 time RAM and so on. Seems windows is not doing it's job. Hope someone can guide me on this.

 

Mudd,

That should be plenty to run most any software, so I suspect something else is going on. Do you have a lot of other programs running in the background? How much free space do you have on your hard drive? Is it one large partition or is it divided into smaller partitions? Is your pagefile located in the default position C:?
Post back...

B

 

Mr B

The program I have open is the backup program itself. Hard drive has 9.47 of 160 SATA. Partitioned as follows. Dell has some of it for Diagnostic Programs and other stuff. So, that should leave more than 100 GB, shouldn't it? This is the way it came to me. Dell sets up the partiions and load their stuff before I get it.

I use a backup that came with the external hard drive called Apricon EZ Gg11. It shows the partions before I backup. They are as such: 149=144.3-7-4.

Have no idea where the Page file is and don't know how to look!

 

Mudd,

Try running chkdsk, go to Start, click Run, type in "chkdsk /r" (without the quotes and make sure to add the 'space' before the slash). You'll get a message stating the 'drive is locked (in use)' and if you want to run chkdsk the next time the computer reboots... answer yes (type 'y' then hit Enter).
Before you do that, if you could make me a screenshot of your 'taskmanager' with the 'Performance' tab showing (see my example) I would appreciate it.
Then go ahead and reboot your computer and run chkdsk. Anything that was repaired during the chkdsk scan will be listed in the Event Log located in the MMC ( "computer management" listed in the Administrative Tools on the Start Menu or right-click 'MyComputer' and select 'Manage'). Post back and we'll go from there.

B

 

Steve _ I usually turn this on about 7AM each day and off at about 11PM. The past week I've been downloading update and installing programs so it get a reboot several times a day.

Mr B. Attached is the picture you wanted. I did the DSKCHK /R and went to the Events viewer. Everything in APPICATIONS had the blue circle with the ! inside, normal I think. The Media Center was blank. The Security had one entry with the KEY by it. The SYSTEMS had all blue circle with the ! inside. It appeared that there were no incorrect or corrected errors to me but I don't really know for sure what to look for. I did look at yesterday's log and saw some red stuff when I forgot to connect my Modem and things were trying to get on line.

If I've missed something, please remind me.

 

Mudd,

The chkdsk log wouldn't have been in red/yellow, there would be one entry that would have the information and any corrections made. Your pagefile usage looks fine and you have plenty of RAM, maybe run defrag and try running your back up program again. If it acts up I'm going to guess it's the software. Maybe check for a software update or maybe uninstall/reinstall the software and see if that helps. Have you tried XP's back up program? I don't use it myself but have been told it's pretty good (although I'm not sure if it works with an external drive). Let me know how you make out... I'll keep thinkin'! I'll check back in a little while.

B

 

Thanks Mr B. You've been a big help in the past as well as today. Really appreciate your efforts. One of these days something will happen and it will work out.

Haven't tried the BU Program yet. Just wanted to use this one as it is fast. I used it on a Dell 8200 with less CPU and only 1/2 as much RAM. Never had a problem. The TV is nice in this one as the room with the PC has no TV. I reduce it to about 3X3 inches and listen as I use the PC. Grouch better quit this as I'm getting spoiled. She bought it with some money she came into.

 

Mudd - on the off chance that your virtual memory isn't being handled correctly (unlikely but possible), how about changing things around. Harmless, might help, and easy enough to undo later.

Right-click My Computer then left-click Properties then
click the Advanced tab, the Performance Settings button, the Advanced tab, the Virtual Memory Change button.

I only have a single partition so can't show you pictures but use custom settings and set your system drive (C: probably) at 2 mb minimum and maximum. Then set another drive at 2048 mb minimum and maximum. Reboot.

See if there is any change in the behavior this way. If things are improved, you can certainly run with these settings forever but I'd still bet on an app problem with the backup routine you were using.

 

Newt Will try this. But, the Drive thing is a puzzle to me. As I understand it, these drives are not independent of each other but work in tandem and one copies exactly what the other sees. That make any sense to you? There are physically two drives, I looked. Still show up as one. Someday i'm going to find something to describe this so I can understand.

So, I'll change the Page File to 2048 Min and Max. Will try and see what happens. If that shows no improvement or worse, I'll try the other figure you gave.

I'm sure it could be the Backup program that came with the Hard Drive being faulty someway. It worked perfectly on the other PC.

At the moment I'm using the backup program installed with the system, maybe Microsoft's. It is at least 10 times slower.

For interest, the Apricorn EZ Gig11 backup program came with a CLONE Program also. I used it once. It makes a duplicate of the entire computer except for the desktop. Using it I can work the PC exactly like it was the one on the hard drive as opposed to the one it's on, an external Disk Drive. Interesting.

 

If you have two physical drives but only see one, you have RAID-0 or Mirroring.

If things are split into more than one partition, the instructions I gave will do the job.

If you only have a single partition (maybe C: ) then it will be a two step process where you set the pagefile size at 2 Mb min and max, reboot, set the pagefile size up to min and max 2 Gb (2048 Mb) and reboot.

Same basic idea. Shrink the thing to make sure most of it is cleared out then build a new one that is locked at a certain size.

 

It shows only one (1) physical drive, C. I looked further and Dell calls it a "AARAY" Read on the Dell's Forum that one can change it to show two (2) physical drives but Dell will no longer give support if I do that.

Did as you suggested. Now have 2048 in each column.

Am doing another back on Apricorn to see if it will go. Thanks.

 

Newt,

If that external drive is functioning in a raid configuration, could Mudd be having a driver problem? Just asking, I haven't had much experience with raid.

B

 

Mr. B - certainly a possibility. I don't know how they have structured this thing.

Mudd - RAID is often called a Raid Array. RAID-0 (raid zero) is simply the setup where you have two drives acting as one drive with a 'live' drive and a 'mirror' drive that is an exact duplicate. We do that with the system drive on our servers so if a system drive blows up, it only takes about 30 minutes of fiddling to have the system up and running again and looking exactly like it did before.

Can you give details about the external drive? For instance, was it part of the package you bought?

 

Newt

The Drive is one that Dell sells as an external hard drive, priced at about $295 unless on sale. Brand name is Apricorn and comes with a software package of EZ Gig II Backage and Clone. 120GB. There is a Encryption and Synchronization package CD. Reading it gives an example of how one can Clone their CD and then in the event the hard drive(s) crater, you can pull some wires out of the Drive, hook up to a new internal hard drive and transfer all data to the internal from the external. That part I don't fool with.

Drive is quiet, has a fan inside for cooling, 7200RPM. Rather than paying such a price, I searched and found the same package on-line from a company for $131. Instructions in package: Three interfaces, USB 2.0 (EZ Bus DT), SATA (EZ Bus DTS) and USB2.0/FireWire Combo (EZ Bus DTC).

I had no problem with the previous PC. Backed up weekly and never had to use the backup. Have not successfully made a backup on this PC. I can Clone the PC but not back it up. Hope this helps.

 

Mudd,

I looked up some information on your ext. HD. Looks like a nice unit, Apricorn sure does make a lot of different models. I couldn't find any information on the software and that's (IMO) what is causing your slow down.
I run two external hard drives. They are connected using USB2 and XP handles them just fine. I built these from kits (ADS). They run as regular hard drives (no raid/array) and get used for storing backup 'images' and music and photos.
I understand Dell won't support the drive if you change the configuration, but they don't seem to be supporting the drive now. Maybe you could re-think your back up strategy and forego using the software that came with the drive. Will that drive work as a 'straight' hard drive and allow you to use different back up software? Just kicking around options here... your decision.

B

 

Mr B

I don't think I could complain to Dell about my problem. Could if I had bought the unit from them but didn't want to pay the $100 plus premimum. The backup software was a surprise as I ordered only the drive. You sure may be right about the software being faulty. However, it worked on the previous PC.

I used the Backup in XP last night and put it on the External, no problem. It is very slow, or much slower than the Apricorn was when it ran. It took 38min and 39sec to do a 12Gig back. I backed up everything on the PC which brought it to that number. The Apricorn would do it in less than a third of that time, if it would run!

So I don't really have a complaint, just like it when all things run smooth. Thanks for your interest in my problem.

 

Mudd,

I guess the I misunderstood about the Dell support issue, sorry. Just a thought, have you ever considered using 'imaging' software? I try to image my hard drives every 7 to 10 days (or before a 'major' change), but I need to start backing up some files in between. Just had an incident and got the system back up and running in about 10 minutes (once I quit trying to fix it myself). Only lost like a weeks worth of email, need to move files off the C drive or back those up on a regular basis.
Glad you got your backups done (albeit slowly). Till the next time...

B