Virtual Memory Low

I keep getting a virtual memory low message? What does this mean? How can you increase virtual memory?

Empty your cache. Also empty the cache of your internet browsers.

Thanks Raymond. Who knew it was that easy. I clear SL cache relatively frequently. By internet browser cache do you mean cookies or is there another place that's filled up that I don't know about?

Faybot is right, the Virtual Memory is nothing to do with your IE or SL cache. It's a disk cache which suppliments your PC's memory. Sounds like it would be advisable not just to look at the settings of your VM but also the amount of RAM you have. I'm guessing perhaps less than 1 gig?

Cookies and cache are two different things. I have a dropdown in my safari menu that says empty cache. Since I started emptying mine on a regular basis, I no longer get those low memory messages. Did it work for you?

thanks for the great info!

The new version of SL seems to be a memory hog. I restart Firefox and SL ever so often when things get slow.

Windows has just always been poor at handling memory. Actually, Windows doesn't want to manage your memory; it just keeps wanting to fill it and fill it and fill it.

I've been getting annoyed lately with the 'I need more virtual memory!' messages too. The difference between running off RAM and running off the hard drive is very noticeable in SL. One of my weekend tasks is going to be to figure out if there are ways to deal with this so I can keep SL on RAM only.

There is no way of clearing the SL cache without shutting it down and restarting, is there?

There isn't, no. you have to log out to clear cache.

I looked last nite too Katier and your right. Under 1 gig. Is this pretty easy to adjust or should I be looking into a new computer?

I have 1 GB (plus 512MB on the graphic card). Yet Windows runs low on virtual memory.

I may upgrade to 2 GB this weekend, since I feel you can never have enough RAM. I don't expect that to solve the running low on virtual memory problem, though.

Upgrading your RAM will definitely increase your performance, but I bet it won't cure the running low on virtual memory problem.

You should dig out the manual on your computer to see how much you can upgrade the RAM, as a matter of hardware compatability. If your computer isn't too old, it can probably handle an upgrade to 2 GB in some sort of memory card combination. Windows XP has, I think, a limit of 2 GB that it can support.

Unless your computer just can't take a RAM upgrade, I wouldn't think you'd need to buy a new computer.

Upgrading ram isn't hard, isn't expensive and 2gig for SL is HIGHLY reccomended. It allways runs close to 1gig ( plus the overheads for your OS etc. ).

Low virtual memory is usually the result of low available harddrive space. In this context, virtual memory refers to the harddrive swap file that is used to give Windows the impression it has more memory than is physically installed.

Do whatever to free up harddrive space. Remove old programs etc. The only reason clearing your cache gives you relief is because it frees up some harddrive space -- good up until your cache fills again.

Free up HD space, the problem will disappear.

Whilst this case happen the user will have got low disk warnings and other symptoms like not being able to patch SL ( as the disk wouldn't have space for the temp download ). As this doesn't appear to be the case chances are the VM is actually set to a too low a level.

Also VM can be set to a fixed size. Only variable sized VM can exhibit the problem Darius says and most poeple will have fixed sized ones as variable sized VM is innefficient. If you setup a fixed size VM when Windows is freshly installed then it will use a single block of disk, a variable sized VM will use disk space all over the place.