Virtual Memory Error Message at Shutdown

I have just lately started to receive the following message when I shut down my system. "Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process memory requests for some applications may be denied. For more information see help. " I followed the instructions in help for increasing the paging file. My system has 256 MB of RAM. My hard drive is partitioned into C:, D:, E:. I have plenty of free space on the C which is where the paging file is located. I reset to Initial Size (MB) 512, Maximum Size (MB) 768. Can anyone give me any ideas why I am getting this message and why I only get it at shutdown.

 

Try adjusting the size of the paging file - set the minimum size to 1GB(ish) and maximum to 3GB(ish).

 

Isn't that awfully high? I thought the maximum size of a paging file should only be three times the amount of actual RAM.

 

low virtual memory

this copied over from MS....note the 1.5 X RAM issue

The paging file (Pagefile.sys) is a hidden file on your computer's hard disk that Windows XP uses as if it were random access memory (RAM). The paging file and physical memory comprise virtual memory. By default, Windows stores the paging file on the boot partition (the partition that contains the operating system and its support files). The default, or recommended, paging file size is equal to 1.5 times the total amount of RAM. This article discusses how you can configure the paging file for system optimization and recovery.

To enhance performance, move the paging file to a different partition. When the paging file is on the boot partition, Windows must perform disk reading and writing requests on both the system folder and the paging file. When the paging file is moved to a different partition, there is less competition between reading and writing requests.

However, if you completely remove the paging file from the boot partition, Windows cannot create a dump file (Memory.dmp) in which to write debugging information in the event that a kernel mode STOP error message occurs. This can lead to extended downtime if a debug procedure is necessary to troubleshoot the STOP error message.

The optimal solution is to create one paging file that is, by default, stored on the boot partition, and then create one paging file on another, less frequently accessed partition. Additionally, it is optimal to create the second paging file so that it exists on its own partition, with no data or operating-system-specific files. By design, Windows uses the paging file on the less frequently accessed partition over the paging file on the more heavily accessed boot partition. An internal algorithm is used to determine which paging file to use for virtual memory management.

When you place a paging file on its own partition, the paging file does not become fragmented, and this counts as another definite advantage. If a paging file resides on a partition that contains other data, it may experience fragmentation as it expands to satisfy the extra virtual memory that is required. An unfragmented paging file leads to faster virtual memory access and greater likelihood of a dump-file capture that is free of significant errors.

If you follow the preceding recommendations, you meet the following paging file configuration goals for optimization and recovery:

The system is properly configured to capture a Memory.dmp file if the computer experiences a kernel mode STOP error.

-and-


The paging file on the less frequently accessed partition is used most often because it is on a partition that is least busy.


NOTE : If your computer contains multiple hard disks, you can also create a paging file for each hard disk. When information is distributed across multiple paging files, the hard disk controller can simultaneously read from and write to multiple hard disks. As a result, system performance is enhanced.



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information about how to move the paging file in Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q307886 HOW TO: Move the Paging File in Windows XP
For additional information about how to set performance options in Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q308417 HOW TO: Set Performance Options

 

Absolutely

2.5 times the installed RAM is generally recommended as a minimum setting as anything above this is (generally) simply a waste of disk space.

There are, however, a few products (for example, certain versions of NIS and NPF) which are currently generating this error under XP. Boosting the page file by a significant amount provides a temporary workaround until such time as the guilty programs are updated with a "fix" (strangely enough, defragmenting will also occasionally get rid of the error).

See if it works! If it does, then it's probably a program which launches at boot that causes the problem. Once you've established that this is the case, you can then, by a process of elimination, establish which program is causing the problems.

As an aside (and once you've remedied this issue), you may wish to try fixing the page file at, say, 768 MB (in other words, setting this as both the inimum size and the maximum size). This "tweak" means that Windows isn't having to constantly work at re-sizing the page file.

 

A couple of add-on ideas here.

Rancher's article is correct about needing a large VM file on your root partition to create a memory.dmp file. It did not mention that this file is only of use to a few Microsoft super-techs and only on rare occasions. IMO not worth the drive space.

OTOH, a nice, large page file can't hurt unless you are low on drive space. And can help at times. The "recommendation" for 2.5 times physical memory is a guideline only and applies to very "vanilla" systems that aren't running any memory-hog applications.

For instance, at work I am using an older system with only 128Mb physical memory. And I keep a fairly large number of apps loaded all the time - troubleshooting things mostly. I normally have only about 60-70Mb of my page file in use but if I set it low (minimum at 3 times memory) I have problems at times.

Why not move most of it to another partition and set it big. Then, if you don't see the problem, you can adjust the size downward until you see the problem again.

As to the option of setting a different min & max and letting the system handle sizing it, you can find folks in both camps.

Last item - you might want to get pagefiledefrag from Sysinternals so you can track fragmentation of your various registry hives and defrag them when you want. Free app and rock solid.

 

... or, if you'd rather not use third party software, set the page file to both a minimum and maximum size of 0, reboot and hold down the shift key (to prevent startup programs from launching), defrag and then reset the page file.

 

Wow! You've given me a lot to digest. I'm sure I will have some questions so I'll get back to you after I've read through all your instructions carefully. Incidentally, immediately following a defrag of my C: the problem seemed to go away for a few sessions . . . then returned. Brett, I assume that NIS is Norton Internet Security and I am running that software. I'll let you know what I do and whether it worked. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Bingo Symantec are aware of the issue and are actively working on a fix. In the meantime, the workaround of upping the page file size (by a whopping amount) should do the trick.

 

Problem Solved

Well I digested everything that you all told me along with some other research into virtual memory. I was all set to move the page file to my empty E drive, but I thought I would first do as my father always told me -- try the simplest thing first then go for more complicated so I increased the maximum page file size from 768 to 1152, just to give it a try. IT WORKED!! I have shut down and rebooted several times and, so far, I have not received the offending error message. I'll keep all your suggestions handy, though, in case I should have any more similar problems. I have another (unrelated-I think) problem but I'll post that as a new thread. Thanks again for your help. As always, it's great to learn something new.