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Question

virtual memory

by Aug 10, 2013 11:23PM PDT

What is virtual memory and how do i get it corrected so that it doesn't keep popping up at the bottom of my girlfriends computer,she has an old computer running windows xp.what i need to know is what do i set it at under system properties this is sort of the information that is on the screen
virtual memory
Drive C
Space avail. 62,973 MB

*custom size
Initial sz 1000 MB
Max. sz 2000 mb

System managed sz
No paging file

Total paging file sz for all drives
Minimum allowed 2mb
Recommended1509mb
Currently allocated 1000mb

looking at this so called chart that i made when i made the thread and you can read it as i typed it.can you tell me what all this means and what should it be set too

Discussion is locked

8 Posts
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Answer
Re: virtual memory
by Forum moderator Aug 10, 2013 11:30PM PDT

I've never seen virtual memory popping up. At most some message about it. And the contents of that message might matter. So you might consider mentioning it.

Anyway, try setting it to 'managed by Windows'. That only fails if something is wrong with your girlfriends PC.

Kees

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Answer
For me I let Windows manage this.
by Forum moderator Aug 11, 2013 2:58AM PDT

I can't tell why anyone would use any other setting.
Bob

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Answer
please don't comment
by Aug 11, 2013 10:00AM PDT

if you can't have answer the question please don't post comments of opinion like you have,i asked what is virtual memory and what it should be set to above.her desktop runs windows xp.so if you can tell me what your system is set at under windows xp and what might be a good setting i can set her computer to what other use.

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But they did
by Jimmy Greystone Aug 11, 2013 10:18AM PDT

But they did. Both people who posted responses to your thread basically told you to just set it to let Windows manage it instead of manually setting it. As for what virtual memory is, a couple of quality minutes spent with Google will find you anything from a 1-2 sentence overview to a doctoral thesis for some Computer Engineering student.

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you cant set it
by taylor12777 Aug 12, 2013 3:06AM PDT

so that windows will manage it.its windows xp which is above.

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That's a bad sign.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 12, 2013 3:31AM PDT

After thousands of XP machines at home and office, if you can't set it then there is something broke/busted with this install.

Find that and maybe you'll find what's up.
Bob

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Re: what is virtual memory
by Kees_B Forum moderator Aug 12, 2013 3:47AM PDT
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Answer
Here's a quick and easy definition
by Aug 12, 2013 4:24AM PDT

Since you don't seem to be happy with some of the (correct) answers you've gotten so far, let me see if I can summarize what virtual memory is in a sentence or two. It's a technical sleight of hand whereby a combination of hardware and software is used to make it look to application software like it has more memory than is really there. For example a computer with 1 GB of RAM can look to an application like it has 4 GB to work with. That's the simple answer.
To understand how this works under the covers, if you really want to know, you'd need to chase through some of the links that've been posted. It's a bit involved and technical, but if you really want the under the covers details, those links will let you have at it.

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