[pyotrr]

Hello,

I need your help please!

I am running Windows XP on a dial up connection.

When I am downloading pictures from the web, I get a message popping up saying that windows is increasing the virtual memory because it is too low.

The pic. takes an age to download and sometimes 'freezes' the screen so that I can't work on anything else.

It is extremely irritating.

Is there anything you can suggest to speed me up?

Thanks in anticipation!

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that depends....

How much RAM do you have in your system, and how large is your harddrive? How much free space to you have left

[gerryf]

that depends....

How much RAM do you have in your system, and how large is your harddrive? How much free space to you have left

[pyotrr]

Thanks for the reply, gerryf

I am not that experienced!

How do I check?

[gerryf]

stop, hold on wrong thread. be right back

[gerryf]

right click MY COMPUTER, choose PROPERTIES


How much RAM is showing on GENERAL tab page

to determine free space

Double click my computer, choose your LOCAL DISK, and right click, choose PROPERTIES

[pyotrr]

....

Edited by pyotrr, 18 February 2006 - 01:47 PM.

[pyotrr]

This is the reading :

Celeron ® CPU 2.40GHz
2.39GHz, 192 MB of RAM


Local Disk :

Used : 4.84
Free : 38.4


Thanks.

Edited by pyotrr, 18 February 2006 - 01:53 PM.

[gerryf]

OK, a big reason you are having problems is you have only 192 mb of ram---this is too little for windows xp

It will run, terribly, with 128mb. It will run OK with 256. You have either too little ram, or an integrated videocard is eating up too much of your ram.

As a temporary measure, you can set the page file larger, but you should really add more ram to this machine


Right click MY COMPUTER, choose PROPERTIES, choose ADVANCED, choose SETTINGS in the performance area, choose the ADVANCED tab, then choose the CHANGE button under virtual memory area

Select the CUSTOM SIZE radio button and type 2048 in the minimum area and set the maximum area to whatever the SPACE AVAILABLE number is.

What is happening is windows is altering the size of your pagefile...by setting the minimum higher, it will prevent windows from automatically reducing it in the background, and then having to enlarge it again.

the numbers I gave are extra large (2 gigs) which is way more than it should be, but without having greater knowledge of your habits, It's tough to say what a manual size should be

[gerryf]

OK, a big reason you are having problems is you have only 192 mb of ram---this is too little for windows xp

It will run, terribly, with 128mb. It will run OK with 256. You have either too little ram, or an integrated videocard is eating up too much of your ram.

As a temporary measure, you can set the page file larger, but you should really add more ram to this machine


Right click MY COMPUTER, choose PROPERTIES, choose ADVANCED, choose SETTINGS in the performance area, choose the ADVANCED tab, then choose the CHANGE button under virtual memory area

Select the CUSTOM SIZE radio button and type 2048 in the minimum area and set the maximum area to whatever the SPACE AVAILABLE number is.

What is happening is windows is altering the size of your pagefile...by setting the minimum higher, it will prevent windows from automatically reducing it in the background, and then having to enlarge it again.

the numbers I gave are extra large (2 gigs) which is way more than it should be, but without having greater knowledge of your habits, It's tough to say what a manual size should be

[pyotrr]

gerryf,

I followed your instuctions.

Initially when I entered the numbers a 'System Control Panel Applet' message flashed saying :

" Enter a maximum page file size that is greater than or equal to the initial page file size and less than 4096MB."

I entered 4095 in the max and 2048 in the min.

Have I done it correctly?

Thamks for your help!!

[pyotrr]

gerryf,

I am using the 'system managed' option.

Is that OK?

[gerryf]

the system managed option means that windows will shrink and grow the pagefile as needed--that is what is causing your issue.

Whatever you are doing required the page file to be larger, so windows was increasing the size...over time, windows will shrink it back down again

The error message you were getting was windows way of telling you "hey, your system is acting slow because I'm working really hard to increase the swap file size, please be patient

[pyotrr]

I only switched to 'system managed' option earlier this evening after I read it in another thread.

I now have the settings on 'custom' after your suggestions.

Is that OK?


Thanks

Edited by pyotrr, 18 February 2006 - 03:44 PM.

[gerryf]

I would think its fine, but I really thing you should get more memory if you can afford it

[pyotrr]

Thanks for your help and advice gerryf.

What do I need to increase memory?