Increase Your Computer's Virtual Memory



It's a great idea to increase the virtual memory on your computer. You will have more resources and your computer will be able to operate more efficiently. But you MUST have a decent amount of knowledge about virtual memory before you start modifying its settings. If you aren't careful, you will only decrease your computer's operating capacity.

Virtual memory is basically your system's backup storage device. All of you computer's necessary information is located in its RAM (Random Access Memory). This information is what your computer relies on to carry out its necessary functions. When RAM becomes overloaded it is designed to offload some of its data to virtual memory, thereby freeing up some space. It usually only chooses unnecessary information, because RAM is much faster than virtual memory. The necessary stuff is kept in RAM so that it can be called upon quickly. If the more pertinent information was saved in virtual memory then it would take longer to execute certain functions.

How does RAM move data over to virtual memory? It creates "page files" that are basically same-size chunks of information. Data is stored on these pages and then "swapped" between RAM and virtual memory. By way of a complex series of algorithms your RAM decides what information hasn't been used in a while. It deems this info to be unnecessary for the time being and it swaps it over to virtual memory. In doing this, it tricks your computer into thinking that it has more memory than it actually does. It can run multiple applications at once and operate incredibly efficiently. That is, until both your RAM and your virtual memory are full and then you have a problem.

Computers these days are typically filled with too much information. We load them with multi-media content and expect them to keep working quickly. Your RAM will keep swapping files over to virtual memory until all of a sudden both the virtual memory is full and RAM is full. Now you've got a problem.

One of the best solutions is to delete files or purchase more RAM, which you can do at almost any computer store. Another alternative, however, is to adjust the size of your virtual memory. This only works if you know what you're doing. Virtual memory can't be too big or too small otherwise it will have a negative effect on your system.

Follow these instructions to modify the size of your computer's virtual memory:

  1. Select the "Start" menu and then open the "Control Panel"
  2. Click on "Performance and Maintenance"
  3. Select "System" and then "System Properties"
  4. Press the "Advanced" tab
  5. Under "Performance" click on "Settings"
  6. Open the "Performance Option" window and then look for and choose "Virtual Memory"
  7. Select "Change"
  8. Change the location of where the page files are saved. You should change it to the same drive as your operating system
  9. Beside "Custom Size" there will be a box. Select this and then modify the amount of virtual memory. The "Maximum" value and the "Initial" value should be the same.
  10. Hit "Ok" and then restart your system
 

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