***Virtual Memory 101
======================
My computer for "no good reason" belched a pop-up with "Low Virtual Memory".
(Well, mine has always been less than I wanted) Let's see about that.
Find RAM location - Right click My Computer ->General[tab](Jot down amount)
To set pagefile size:
Right click My Computer ->click Properties ->Advanced[tab] ->Performance Options(note Total
Pagefile size now)->click Change...
Change the initial and maximum size to 2.5 times RAM.
(*Note: Entering both values the same will stop Windows from fragmenting)
(*Note: Rule of thumb for pagefile is 2 to 2 1/2 times RAM)
Restart computer. If all is well, GREAT! But, if-
After restart, an Alert like "Total paging file is low or no existent","Paging file has been
set to 20MB", or "a temporary pagefile has been created". Read on; we will get there.
=========
First, let's see which files we have:GoTo...
Start ->Search ->"type" pagefile.sys, temppf.sys (If both show up, delete "pagefile.sys" and
goto ***Virtual Memory 201.
If only pagefile.sys shows up go to ***Virtual Memory 301
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***Virtual Memory 201
======================
We getting serious now. Here's what we gonna do:
Give the "System" account (NT Authority) full control of the %SystemDrive% (and the drive
where pagefile is located)
(In my case the %SystemDrive% is the %SystemRoot% and the pagefile.sys is located in the
%SystemRoot%)
System(NTAUTHORITY) gets full control:
Click Start >Settings ->Control Panel ->Administrative Tools ->Computer Management ->click
Logical Drive ->right click %SystemDrive%(usually C:\) ->click
Properties ->Advanced[tab] ->Security[tab] ->click Add ->scroll to and click SYSTEM ->click
Add ->check all boxes in lower pane ->click Apply ->click OK ->click OK all the way out. Now
that part's done.
Need to see all files necessary:
If we can't see all of our files we are changing some settings. Goto...
Start ->Settings ->Control Panel ->Folder Options ->View[tab] ->check Show "Hidden File and
Folders" ->uncheck "Hide file extensions of known file types" ->uncheck "Hide protected
operating system files"
Now let's create a brand new "pagefile.sys"
this involves editing the
registry[regedt32.exe])GoTo:
Start ->Run... ->"type" regedt32 >click OK (now in the registry)
Click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE ->d/c CurrentControlSet ->d/c Control ->d/c Session
Manager ->Memory Management >d/c "PagingFile..." and enter two times your RAM in both
places(be sure to have a space in between) ->click OK and eXit.
======================
======================
***Virtual Memory 301
======================
In the Virtual memory settings, set to have no page file, exit, shut down the machine and
reboot. Delete PAGEFILE.SYS (on each drive if more than just C:\, set the page file up again
and reboot to bring it into use.
If this didn't workout, you'll need to go to the registry and create another pagefile.sys
(***Virtual Memory 201)
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F A C T O I D S
===================================
Always make any pagefile changes through Control Panel ->System, not through Computer
Management.
Enter numbers equal to at least "RAM+32MB" in initial and a max. of 4092MB in maximum size.
If the "Maximum size (MB):" is already set to the "Recommended:" value, and you are not
running any applications like graphics programs and movie editing applications that use a
large amount of virtual memory, then perhaps the actual problem is that the available hard
disk space is less than the initial size of the paging file setting. For more information
see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base Article:
KB257758 - FIX: "Limited Virtual Memory" Error Message When You Start Your Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=257758
And if the above is not the problem I recommend that you monitor the actual usage of the
page file instead of trying to guess what the values should be. For more information see
the following Web Page. Although it is written for Windows XP most of it applies to Windows
2000. I suggest that you use it along with the information in the following Microsoft
Knowledge Base Articles on the subject.
Problems with Virtual Memory
It may sometimes happen that the system give 'out of memory' messages on trying to load a
program, or give a message about Virtual memory space being low. Possible causes of this
are:
1.) The setting for maximum size of the page file is too low, or there is not enough disk
space free to expand it to that size.
2.)The page file has become corrupt, possibly at a bad shut-down. Set both to blank (same as
zero), reboot and go back to set values, Reboot.
The page file has been put on a different drive without leaving a minimal amount on C:.
1.)There is trouble with third party software. In particular, if the message happens at
shutdown, suspect a problem with Symantec's Norton Live update, for which there is a fix
posted HERE.
2.)If it happens at boot and the machine has an Intel chipset, the message may be caused by
an early version (before version 2.1) of Intel's 'Application Accelerator'. Uninstall this
and then get an up-to-date version from Intel's site.
3.)Possibly there is trouble with the drivers for IDE hard disks; in Device Manager, remove
the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers (main controller) and reboot for Plug and Play to start over.
NOTICE: With an NTFS file system, the permissions for the root directory of the drive where
the pagefile is must give 'Full Control' to SYSTEM. If not, there is likely to be a message
at boot that the system is 'unable to create a pagefile'.
======================
======================
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm
KB140472 - PRB: Limited Virtual Memory Error When Starting Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=140472
KB259151 - Paging File Functionality Requires System Account Permissions and
Proper Size
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=259151
KB242447 - Changes to Paging File Settings Are Not Retained
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=242447
RE: "the area to change it is grayed out"
The Set button will be grayed out if you are not logged in as a user in the Administrators
group.
======================
======================
How to -Restore Default NTFS Permissions -Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q266/1/18.ASP
======================
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See
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255205.
(Note steps 4 and 5 should be reversed.)
======================
Thanks to Dave Patrick and others for materials added to original.
Win2k Pro SP3
At login the Virtual Memory error pops up saying the paging file either
doesn't exist or is too small and gives the instructions for resizing
it. Unfortunately resizing the pagefile does not work. Whne I click on
Performance Options it reports that a temporary paging file has been
created, it is always 20MB. When I try to change the size to the
recommended size (382MB) sometimes it seems to change it and must
reboot, other times it apparently does nothing. Regardless, at every
reboot the same error occurs. Searching the KB finds only a couple of
articles, one describing how to resize the pagefile (which I've done
repeatedly), another telling how to delete pagefile.sys from the
recovery console, which also does not work. That article says to copy
another file (suggest boot.ini) over pagefile.sys and then delete it,
but trying to copy boot.ini to pagefile.sys only results in "access
denied". I also cannot change the attributes of pagefile.sys with attrib
- it reports file or directory not found. Running chkdsk /r results in
one minor inconsistency corrected but no bad sectors found.
Any ideas? I'm stumped.
Steve
