low on memory paging file

Every so often while I'm on the net, a message appears that reads something like: Windows is low on virtual memory paging file, memory min. is too low thus slowing down applications. How can I fix this up? Every time I log onto MSN Explorer, it takes forever to load up and sign in. Is there something I can do? I have already deleted my temp internet files and got rid of other startup things that I don't really need - even ran disk cleanup and defragmented. I'm puzzled!

 

Hello HappyGirl4

Well that is a nice handle, stay happy!

Let me see if I can help you stay happy!

Frist this is a little unusual, normally the default paging does not report errors unless it has been changed.

In windows 3.0, 95,98 and ME this is called a swap file named win386.swp. In Win2k and XP it is called Pagefile.sys.

One of the 1st and most basic things that could cause this error is free disk space on the page drive.

Other things that can effect the pagefile are applications that are heavy ram/memory users. CD writers for example!

I will need a little info from you in order to help you!

1. How much Ram/memory do you have?
2. How much free disk space do you have?
3 Go to control panel SYSTEM ADVANCED PERFORMANCE OPTIONS
4. Make sure the DOT is in Applications then click Change under Virtual memory!

Now send me all the settings on this page!

Here is where you set the minimum, but you may have another problem so let me see the settings before you change OK!

Also do you have many other App that load automatically before you load MNS Explorer?

And does everything else seem to work OK!

Waitig for you information! I don't know what time zone you are in but I am on Eastern.

At your service,
Mike

 

low memory paging file

Hi Mike,
Thanks for helping me out. Well, I started out by going to Control Panel, then clicked on Performance & Maintenence, clicked System, then clicked on Advance tab, and clicked on the Performance box labeled Settings which got me into where I hope I was supposed to be for your information you needed.
Under "Virtual Memory I have space available: 27285 MB. The DOT is in the "Custom" box. Then it says the initial size MB is 192, and the max size is 384. The other two boxes to DOT but are blank are: "system managed size" and "no paging file ". THEN....are you still with me?? in the "Total paing file for all drives" it says min allowed: 2MB
recommended: 187MB
currently allocated: 257MB
Does this make any sense to you? I bloody well hope so, 'cos it's all spaghetti to me! By the way, my pc details read: 1.3GHz, 128MB and last but not least, 40.0GB.

 

Hello Happygirl4

Yes it means something to me!

You have plenty of free disk space!

Ram is acceptable, but 256 would be better for XP!

Your page file is so so!

I think you must have another problem and if you only get this problem when in MSN explorer then it may be MSN explorer.

I played with MSN explorer for a while when it 1st came out but didn't like it. Reminded me of AOL Browser. Trys to do to much, takes away some control!

No problem if you like it, try the new pagefile settings below and they might correct the problem!

Another thing to try, to pin it down is to use only Internet Explorer for day or two to see if this corrects the problem. If you do try this, do it before you change any settings.

If you have no problem with Internet Explorer then that would definetly point to MSN Explorer as the problem. And that might mean that MSM Explorer has a memory leak or is just a memory hog!

What else loads in system tray (bottom right hand of screen with speaker and time)?

I know that you probably have MSN Messenger! What about Direct CD or some other CDRW program!

Do you have Kazza or Morpheus? If so you have SPY/ADWARE! Get Adaware and do a deep scan and remove everything it finds! You should get rid of both of these programs if you have them! Try WinMX! It is clean simple and no hidden packages when it installs!

But to see if it helps kick the min up to 384 and max to 768 and let us see what happens!

Let me know!

Mike

 

Don't we just love it when it is called "Virtual Memory " in one place. Swap File in another. And PageFile in still another.

I can not really recommend anything in XP but I do know that when I set the Swap file to a fixed minimum size and put it on another partition all Page FIle errors disapeared.

Oh BTW. Unless XP is different a too small or fragmented swap file will cause an "Out of Memory" error.

BillyBob

 

memory thingee

Hokey dokey!!
Thank you so much for your input mflynn. I am just about to bugger off and put your plan about increasing my min up. I'll let you know how it goes. And thank you too, BillyBob. If it wasn't for people like you, people like me would be in lah lah land over all of this.