Low Virtual Memory

How to change low Virtual Memory Settings:

1. Select ‘Start’

2. Click on ‘Control Panel’’

* Depending on your setting, you’ll see one of two
Control Panel views, Category and Classic. Category
View will have four Categories to choose from, Classic
View will show individual icons.

3. In the Category View click on "Performance and
Maintenance", then select System.
* In the Classic View, click on System.

4. In the System window, click on the ‘Advanced’ tab
at the top.

* The first option in the advanced screen is
‘Performance’.

If you've ever seen an error for "Not enough Memory", you can try this fix low virtual memory
error before running out to your favorite electronics retailer to buy more RAM. The virtual memory
Windows uses can be set to be managed by the system and will adjust itself accordingly, saving
you from future memory error messages.

When a computer lacks the random access memory (RAM) required for a program to run,
Windows uses virtual memory to make up for this.

Virtual memory adds your computer’s RAM with temporary space on your hard disk. When RAM
memory space runs low, virtual memory transfers data from RAM to an area called a paging file.
Transferring data to and from the paging file frees up RAM to complete its work.

5. Click on the ‘Settings’ button.

6. Click on the middle tab marked ‘Advanced’.

* At the bottom of that window you’ll see Virtual Memory. In that
area you’ll see the virtual memory settings that your computer is
using. It's this setting that will counter the low virtual memory
errors that you have been getting.

7. Just below it, click the ‘Change’ button.

* You’ll see your drives at the top, as well as the size of the
Paging File. Below that are three buttons. Custom Size,
System Managed Size and No Paging File.

8. If you want the easiest solution to a low VM issue, select
‘System Managed Size’, and click the ‘Set’ button to the right of
it. Windows will change the size of the Paging File to what it
feels is best to prevent RAM issues.

9. Click OK and your computer will tell you that the computer
needs to restart to make the changes.

* Before closing the System Properties window, click Apply, then
Ok. Now you can restart your computer. At this point you should
stop seeing low virtual memory errors on your system.

Depending on the demands of newer programs and operating
systems, if this fix does not eliminate the problem you may have
to install more RAM if your motherboard has the capacity for it.
Hopefully you will not be dealing with low virtual memory errors
anymore.