Windows Virtual Memory Too Low

First time posting and following the rules, did a search of this subject problem and found many suggestions. After following the recommendations of this forum according to the list below, I still have "Virtual Memory Too Low" warning. About 10 minutes after turning the computer on and opening a progam, the red "processing" light comes on my computer for about 30 to 45 minutes, and during this time as microsoft updates page files I guess, the computer is too slow to use. I have Windows XP Home.

1) I have used only about 14 of 26GB of hard drive.
2) Increased RAM from less than 200MB to 512MB but did not help
3) Checked for "memory leak" of the two programs I used most of the time but there was no leakage. They are Microsoft Outlook and Coral Word Perfect.
4) I emptied the recycle bin
5) I deleted temporary files and directories
6) I did Scandisk & defragged (I do this once a month anyway)

Oh, and I have NIS 2004 (one suggestion in a past post said they had same problem with NIS 2002 until they upgraded to NIS 2003.

 

Hi,

Virtual Memory is hard disk drive storage that Windows sets up to use as a swap drive to move information from memory to another location for Windows to do its thing. I presume you setup the Virtual Memory by right clicking on My Confuser, then selected Properties, then clicked on the Advanced tab. Then select the Performance button, then select the Advanced tab. Make sure that the Virtual Memory is set up beyond the amount of available RAM you have in the PC.

George

 

Virtual Memory too low

Hi George:
Yes, I forgot to mention that the "Total paging file size for all drives" is set at 671MB. My RAM is 512MB.

 

Depending on the types of apps you run, that may not be enough.

Have you tried running with a Windows Managed one?
And/or, if you have a MAX specified, remove it.

 

When XP first is installed it sets itself up with a minimum of 1.5x the amount of Ram it detects and 3x the amount for the maximum.

Usually, that is okay. However some memory hogging activities and programs may require more. When you upgrade to more Ram, XP does not update its virtual memory settings. So, you would need to go in there and set it yourself to the 1.5x and 3.0x min's and max's.

Lot's of folks just set a 1.5x min AND max to freeze the swap file to a set amount. Defrag fanatics love doing this! It can't get fragged if it never resizes.

Of course, that wouldn't be enough for you as you had a problem with the default configuration when you started. I would try perhaps setting it to 3x your RAM for both minimum and maximum. Reboot, defrag, then see how things go.

 

Virtual Memory too low

Thank you all for your input.

I set both my min and max to 3X RAM as ECK recommended, rebooted, defragged, and for two days all is well. Hope it continues. Thanks again for your help

PS: I have a Microsoft Outlook question, can anyone recommend a forum that could answer a question about this program.

 

ultrasnd,

If you like you can post the Outlook question in the "Other Internet Software" forum. I'll keep my eyes open for it.

B

 

Oh no!! Virtual Memory too low, is back

Hello again:
I wrote the following on April 1, thinking my "low virtual memory" problem was solved, but it is not. The last two days it came back to bug me. Anymore suggestions would be much appreciated.

"I set both my min and max to 3X RAM as ECK recommended, rebooted, defragged, and for two days all is well. Hope it continues. Thanks again for your help "

 

Try "Let Windows Manage? "

Hey,

Either make it even bigger (same for min and max) or try checking "Let Windows Manage the Virtual Memory. "

Don't forget to defrag. You might want to run chkdsk first as well. The full check. Right click your drive in My Computer. On the Tools tab run check my disk now, check both options. Answer yes to let it run at reboot. If you have Zone Alarm installed, open it and tell it not to run at startup. If you have an always on connection to the net, go to Control Panel, Network Properties and disable your connection. Then close ZoneAlarm. Go into System Properties, Hardware, Device Manager. On the options dropdown click show all (hidden) devices. Under Non Plug and Play devices, right click and disable vsdatant. Now reboot and ZoneAlarm won't interfere with Chkdsk running. Go do something because the full Chkdsk takes awhile!

After Windows boots you can close out your running stuff and Defrag. Or you can go into msconfig and do a selective startup with just the registry check's, Scheduled tasks, LoadPowerstuff, etc (just the Windows things should run but not the Virus Scanner, multimedia ****, etc.) Reboot and Defrag. When it's done reboot, then reenable vsdatant. Reboot. Run ZoneAlarm from the Start Menu (ZoneLabsSecurity), and reenable load at startup. Go back and reenable your ethernet, reboot.

Who knows. Maybe there are disk errors mucking up the works.

 

Oh no!! Virtual Memory too low, is back

Eck:
Thanks for the input. I will try chkdisk, and defrag after I shut my computer down for the day. Until then here are a few things so we are all on the same page:

Initial Size (MB)--1536
Max Size (MB)--1536
Total paging file size for all drives--671MB
Windows has been selected to choose whats best for my computer all along.

 

Check Task Manager (Start > Run > Taskmgr.exe) to see what processes are using the memory up. You can sort by clicking on the memory column. Click twice to set the sort to show the worst offenders at the top. Then check out what these are.

DRD

 

Along with the above advice there is another avenue to consider as well. Spyware, and or possible virus.

I've come across many virtual memory low errors in my travels and the vast majority are spyware related.

 

Exactly why I was suggesting checking with Task Manager. Had a similar problem at work the other day and that was the cause.

DRD

 

Today occured the final clue (I think) in this problem of Low virtual memory. The hard drive started "clicking" and making a other funny noises. Put the phone receiver up to the hard drive and the local computer expert said my hard drive was gone or going bad. Bring it down and upgrade to same one or larger GB. I did, and so far, my day has been incident free. He said virtual memory problems and others can be caused by a hard drives going bad. Caught it in time and was able to transfer all data.

Thank you Mron and Net Doc. Interesting you bring up the question of Spyware (and Addaware?). Each time I do a Norton Anti-virus check, it comes up with about 400 addaware files? that it finds but cannot delete. Is this a problem now and I don't know it? In the future? Norton says go on their website and run their virus detection and THEN delete addaware. What do you think. Thanks in advance....

 

Low Virtual Memory Problem OK Now

Thanks PeteC, I downloaded Spy Doctor today and did scan and eliminted about 600 pieces of spyware ****. I am doing Microsoft AnitSpyware scan now. Hopefully this will help get my computer back up to original speed.

Question though. I heard that too many spyware programs in one computer can conflict with one another. Not true, I guess.