JamieMacdonald

My computer is being a bit annoying. It's always had it's slow moments but is usually quite quick once you've got all your apps up and running. It's a 1.5MHz pentium running WinXP. I've left it on overnight a couple of times recently, doing nothing basically, but when I've come back to it in the morning a little box has popped up saying:

Windows - Virtual Memory Minimum Too Low, Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process, memory requests for some applications may be denied.

Don't know why this alerts when the computer is just left doing nothing - could I possibly have a memory leak of some sort? It's fine now that I've rebooted. Another thing it always does is - when I open Explorer, rather than all my drives popping straight up, I get a torch searching for sometimes a good few seconds - I also get the torch when clicking on the start menu occasionally. I usually check the CPU and it never seems to be running near 100%, even when the PCs running slowly - do I simply just need more memory? It's got 256MB at the moment so I suppose a bit more would help, but I'd still expect it to run ok as it is? Although I have heard XP is quite memory intensive (128MB used straight away by the OS).

Any ideas guys?

Jye

Could be a memory leak, although XP isnt know for letting this happen. How big is your swap file, is it windows managed or have you set a determined size? How old (slow) is your hard drive as the search at boot up is usually a good indicator of a slow HD or that windows is hitting the page file already. Have you all of XP's memory hogging fancy effects turned on, if so turn them all off.

I have my paging file set at 1gb on a rarely used partition.

256 meg aint a lot of ram tbo, but you know this. I would treat 512 as the bare min these days.

JamieMacdonald

Hi mate, thanks for replying.

Paging file is Windows managed - total size is 383MB. The HDD is the same age as the PC - about 2 years. Boot up is pretty quick until the XP GUI starts. What are the memory hogging features? Well, I've set my page file to 1gb, on the C: partition of the 40GB HDD, which is at about 50% capacity. There is a D: partition which holds the system recovery data (2gb). I've also set the colour quality from 32bit down to 16bit to see if this makes any difference.

I think more memory is a must though, but unfortunaltely I am moving out and leaving the computer behind so I'm not keen on spending any money on it! It's still usuable but for the spec I think it should be (and used to be) quicker. Or maybe I am expecting too much!

Cheers,
J

Jye

Np Jamie, the problem with widows is that its difficult for the swap/file etc to be effectively defragmented, especially if its managed by windows. This can also effect performance etc. I use Disk Keeper and set it to defrag the swap file at boot up now and again, not sure if XP's defragger can do this though tbo.

The memory hogging features of XP are all the fancy effects, window transitions etc, these can be turned off in device manager, advanced settings, same as the swap file.

GL

Franko

I had the same problem with mine... it would say vrtual memory is too low etc... i thought it had something to do with a bug runing in the background or something although i couldn't find any runing programs.. i saved all my work and wiped everything off the computer including the OS and reloaded evrything.. its been fine since.. i'm also runing 256mb Ram and Xp Home Edition on a laptop though..

Hope you get it fixed..

Franko

messiah

Of all the Computer problems listed - not once have a I read "Switch it off and switch it back on" ... The usual IT support miracle cure...

Hobo_Jojo

switch it off, wait 13 seconds, no more no less, 13 is the correct number, not 12, and 14 is right out. then turn it back on

stevencotton

Windows does leak memory unfortunately, one reason why a lot of our RADIUS servers need rebooting once or twice a month. It doesn't leak that much in one night though!

Jye

Have you Norton Internet Security installed?

Just seen this.

Error: "Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file."

Situation:
After installing Norton Internet Security (NIS), you run LiveUpdate, which installs the product update for NIS. Upon shutting down or restarting the computer, you see the message: "Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file..."

Solution:
Symantec has confirmed that this situation can be caused by NIS. To resolve the problem, download and run the file LRSetup.exe. This file updates the LiveRegistration code that is in NIS. The updated version of this file is available at:

http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/files/lu/lu.html

This behavior can als occur if Aventail Connect virtual private network (VPN) program is installed.

Having looked about the net I would put money that its a lack of RAM tbo.

InvisibleMan

hmmm ive been getting this msg alot recently, got 394mb XP and when the msg comes up it occasionally disables the AV.

ive had a horrid thought, seeing the VPN msg above, ive just noticed that in my network connections there is a VPN setup which i dont recall doing. When i leave the internet on for a long time it starts dialling in again. Dont know if its connecting via the normal way or by this suspicious way. Anyways i think ive been hacked havent i....

marcmann

with only 256mb of RAM I'm suprised you can run anything other than the OS.

Marc

Hobo_Jojo

i only have 256 ram and my pc runs fine...
doesnt go that slow even when running a fair few things a t a time

Jye

Invisibleman, your internet connection is probably set to dial-up whenever a program needs access to the net. This could be loads of proggies for all kinds of reasons, AV, even point32.exe the MS mouse proggie does it, you name it, it could be laods. You can switch it off by default BTW.

Get a decent firewall as well, then nothing can dial out without you knowing it.

[Edited by Jye - 10/17/2003 12:57:46 PM]

JamieMacdonald

Just to let u know, I stuck another 256MB of RAM in it - muchos improvementos

Jye

JamieMacdonald

Lol

Well my previous PC started life with a 33MHz CPU so this is not much worse than that one!

Mr.Cookie

My laptop is a p2 233 with 256 meg memory and a 40 gig hard drive and has no problem running xp, so i doubt it's your cpu.

Si