Virtual Memory - System Managed?

[adironco]

After getting a "Low Virtual Memory" warning for a few weeks when
signing on to the internet, I changed the VM setting to "System
Managed." I continue to get the warning, and the paging file size is
now 287MB. I'm running Windows XP with 256MB of memory. Would
appreciate any advice on using custom settings to avoid this.

Bob

 

[Jim]

After getting a "Low Virtual Memory" warning for a few weeks when
signing on to the internet, I changed the VM setting to "System
Managed." I continue to get the warning, and the paging file size is
now 287MB. I'm running Windows XP with 256MB of memory. Would
appreciate any advice on using custom settings to avoid this.

Bob

Perhaps the reason you are still getting this message is that the pagefile
cannot be expanded because there isn't enough free space on the disk. For
such a small amount of RAM, a reasonable setting might be 384MB, but the
required amount really depends on the amount of physical RAM and the system
workload.

Jim

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please try the following article:

"Virtual Memory in Windows XP"
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[JS]

Try setting the size to at least 348MB or 512MB as follows:
Start/Control Panel/double click on the System Icon, then select the
Advanced tab, click on the Performance setting button,
next select the Advanced tab on the Performance options Window, at the
bottom of the Advanced tab you will see an option to Change Virtual Memory.
This is where you can specify the amount and location of the pagefile.

Or per the MS Knowledge base 308417 (listed below) the quick way to
accomplish changing the pagefile:
You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the
Administrators group to complete this procedure. If your computer is
connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from
completing this procedure.
1. Click Start, click Run, and then type sysdm.cpl in the Open box.
2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings under Performance.
3. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Change under Virtual memory.
4. Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the
paging file that you want to change.
5. Under Paging file size for selected drive, click Custom size, type
a new paging file size in megabytes (MB) in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum
size (MB) box, and then click Set.

If you decrease the size of either the initial or maximum paging file
settings, you must restart your computer to see the effects of those
changes. When you increase the paging file size, you typically do not have
to restart your computer.

Also see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555223/en-us
and: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417/

JS

 

[John John]

In addition to what others have mentioned, you should consider adding
more RAM to the computer. Running Windows XP on 256 MB RAM is marginal
at best. At the price of RAM nowadays you should upgrade that to at
least 512 MB or more.

John

 

[gls858]

After getting a "Low Virtual Memory" warning for a few weeks when
signing on to the internet, I changed the VM setting to "System
Managed." I continue to get the warning, and the paging file size is
now 287MB. I'm running Windows XP with 256MB of memory. Would
appreciate any advice on using custom settings to avoid this.

Bob

Other's have already addressed your question. I would add that
RAM is cheap these days and if at all possible an addition of
at least another 256 meg would really help.

gls858

 

[adironco]

Other's have already addressed your question. I would add that
RAM is cheap these days and if at all possible an addition of
at least another 256 meg would really help.

gls858

All the timely answers are very much appreciated. I remain a little
confused about whether to set the new minimum and maximum VM values to
the same size - and have seen conflicting advice about this in the last
few days.

Thanks all.

Bob

 

[gls858]

All the timely answers are very much appreciated. I remain a little
confused about whether to set the new minimum and maximum VM values to
the same size - and have seen conflicting advice about this in the last
few days.

Thanks all.

Bob

In most cases it's best to let the system manage the pagefile. That way it
can grow or shrink as needed. If your drive is so full that you can't allow
this then you should address that issue first.

gls858

 

[Ken Blake]

All the timely answers are very much appreciated. I remain a little
confused about whether to set the new minimum and maximum VM values to
the same size - and have seen conflicting advice about this in the
last few days.

You'll probably continue to see conflicting advice, unfortunately. But my
advice is either to let the system mange the size, or if you want to control
it yourself, set the starting value low, and the maximum high. For
information as to why, read this excellent article by the late MVP Alex
Nichol: Virtual Memory in Windows XP at http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm