In the system tools tray, the disk defragmenter can re-organize your drive so that if you're accessing many different programs at once, the computer can do so more efficiently and need less virtual memory.

I like to think of Vmemory as a 'buffer' that is created so that your computer can run more quickly than it would if it was actually writing and rewriting all the information necessary to run whatever programs you have open.

If you plan to be simultaneously using several programs at once, I would recommend right clicking on your 'my computer', going into 'properties >advanced >performance>settings>advanced>virtual memory and upping the amount. The computer will tell you the max your CPU can handle, but it isn't necessary to over-do it. I'd also definetely do the disk defrag first, if you don't already to this, as it may solve the problem. Be warned- it can take a few hours during which you don't want to be using your computer.

Hope that helps,

Solid

NDD, Martin has your answer as to what it is.

Also, changing the size of your page file will require a reboot to be effective. It isn't something that you can do on the fly and expect to work. Honestly, I always let Windows manage this except in a server. I've never really seen the benefit in the average home user altering the default page file settings.

The CPU is not a limiting factor, software is. Since we are talking about quantities, however, it is true that there is an upper-limit where you do not gain anything going beyond. A good while ago, a general pointer would be to use double amount of swap that you have as RAM. Now that the RAM has increased in size, that may not be entirely necessary.

As for disc defragmentation. The hard drive is a stack of discs that spins at a few thousand rpms and which a head hovers over for reading and writing. Depending on where on the disc you are accessing, there is a noticeable difference in speed. Add to that, it is quicker to read data sequentially rather than jumping to different sectors of the drive, so that is often how data will be written. Data is moved and removed during the life span of your computer, sectors will become available to be written to again. This results in data on your drive being "fragmented", located in different sectors of the drive. The disc defragmenter moves them to a sequential order and thus makes reading and writing faster. It has no effect on how much virtual memory is needed.

M

NDD,

To answer your question;

Memory is something you have when you're young, Virtual memory is what you have when you're old.

So, when you get a virtual memory error it means you're old and your memory is failing.

Hope this helps.

no slack...gotta love it...:D

You know it's time to run defrag when your computer starts shaking like an old washing machine every time it accesses the hard drive. ;)

--Aric

I've got to stop listening to my friends about computer issues and just come here instead-- thanks for the clear up Martin!

Solid

I find that if you let the programs that run automatically get out of control you have a lot of RAM problems. Check which programs start automatically at startup and then decide if you really need them to start automatically. The press Ctrl-Alt-Del and click on the applications tab to check there what might be running unnecessarily. A program called Process Explorer, available at http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilitie...sExplorer.html can tell you what you need and don't need to be running.

LOLOLOL... Ain't that the truth.

I found that upgrading my memory recently really helped - my home desktop only had 256Mb - so I ran it up to he max, 2Gb - now it runs like it should - except that my webmail program from my ISP has started telling me that IE is configured wrong - I think it's a Microsnot error - because I've been having issues with my web access since before I upraded the RAM.

As to Virtual Memory - I've found a good rule of thumb is 1.5 times the amount of RAM until you reach 1GB - sfter that - use whatever you are comfortable with - I tend to stay in the 1.5x RAM area - but I create a lot of pretty detailed formula driven spreadsheets and databases.