What Is Virtual Memory and What Are the Common Problems Associated With It?



Virtual Memory is a critical component of any computer that runs several operations at once. If you're like most people, you are constantly multi-tasking on your computer: checking multiple websites, listening to music, working and downloading files all at once. When you operate just a couple of applications at the same time, it uses a significant amount of resources (called RAM, or Random Access Memory). If you are using many applications at once, chances are your RAM is overloaded. Luckily your computer was designed to compensate for this.

When RAM is multi-tasking and running out of memory space, it will save unnecessary information on to "page files." Pages are same-sized chunks of information that are swapped between the RAM and the Virtual Memory. RAM places this information in the virtual memory and thereby clears some room to operate many applications at a higher capacity.

If you encounter an error message that says "virtual memory low" it means that not only are you running out of virtual memory but you're also running out of RAM. When RAM is overloaded it moves data over to virtual memory. If it's really overloaded, it will move a lot of information over to virtual memory. So if your virtual memory is running low, chances are your RAM is low too. If both are overloaded this probably means that your computer is starting to slow down.

So how do you deal with this? The easiest thing to do is acquire more RAM. This can be purchased at almost any computer store. However, it can be a bit expensive.

The amount of virtual memory that you computer has is entirely dependent on what your computer settings are. A new computer will be set to a default value for virtual memory. This is usually based on the size of your RAM. The amount of virtual memory is typically 1.5 times the amount of RAM. You can modify the amount of virtual memory on your computer, increasing or decreasing it. You need to know what you're doing, however, because too much or too little RAM will result in a sluggish computer.

Follow these steps to modify your computer's virtual memory:

  1. Open up your "Control Panel"
  2. Select "Performance and Maintenance" and then open "System Icon"
  3. Click on "System Properties" and then press the "Advanced" tab
  4. Select "Settings" and then "Performance"
  5. Click on the "Advanced" tab and then below "Virtual Memory" select "Change"
  6. Decide where you want the page file to be located and then pick that drive
  7. Below "Page File Size" check the box beside "Custom Size"
  8. Enter the values that you would like. Make sure that the values for "Initial" and "Maximum" are the same
  9. Select "OK" and then reboot your computer
 

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