Virtual Memory Issues with Windows XP?

2048Megabytes

2048Megabytes

Active Member
I don't get Windows XP. I have 2,048 megabytes of random access memory for my system to use. I have yet to overload my RAM before my Athlon 4000 processor gets overloaded.

I went into the virtual memory and set it at 32 megabytes. The Operating System then starts saying it needs more virtual memory. You gotta be joking! There is about 1 gigabyte of unused high speed random access memory and the Windows XP system is trying to get more virtual memory. Why is it trying to do this?

I just set my paging file to zero because it is annoying me. I know some programs require a pagefile in order to use them. So why is Windows XP doing this?
 
You don't understand how virtual memory works obviously. That uses a portion of hard drive space to suppliment when going over the total amount of physical memory installed or how a program processes data. You usually have to figure about 2gb or more of drive space to be left vacant to avoid getting the out of memory error commonly seen. Gamers simply disable the creation of the paging file to supposedly improve performance.
 
So I take it I am simply setting my page filing option too low in megabytes. I see several people who set their system virtual memory to far below 2 gigabytes and they have no issues. Some around 350 megabytes to 512 megabytes.
 
I've skeptically turned it off as well, and I have 2 Gb's physical memory. You'll get those errors every once in awhile, it's not worth it to keep it off, I didn't notice the slightest improvement when it was off anyways.

It depends on the apps you're using I guess. Take Firefox, it'll keep pilling on the RAM, I've seen an instance of mine reach 800MB. Quiting it will solve the problem, but the point is that RAM will be "leaked and thrashed", accumulated, etc, till you get these errors.
 
Most will simply leave that at the "Let Windows manage" option rather then fussing around trying to find just the right size for the paging file. The most often recommended amount is about twice the size of the amount of memory installed. Roughly 2 to 2 1/2 times the physical memory. At present following a reinstall of XP here it remains at the 2,048mb Windows default for the moment.
 
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