Virtual memory low???

My system keeps telling me that my virtural memory is low and running slow. I have deleted everything I can to get this back, the biggest thing has been downloaded music, I get the best results when I delete the music from my windows media player. What can I do the help this and not have to delete stuff off my computer?

Please help!!!!!

Thank you

Michelle

This question was answered on December 9, 2003. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

---

As i am sure that you know virtual memory has to do with you hard drive space the best thing that i could suggest for you to do is ScanDisk (eeks out and attempts to repair errors on your hardisk)tah you should defrag the hard drive.

to do this

1 The first step in scanning your hard drive is to open Windows Explorer

Start, Programs, Windows Explorer

(Note: You can also start ScanDisk by selecting Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, ScanDisk

2 From the left-hand pane of the Windows Explorer view, select your C: drive (or desired hard drive) with a right-click When the pop-up menu appears, select Properties

3 The Properties of the C: drive reveals some interesting information about your hard drive You have a numeric as well as visual description of the hard drive utilization The type of drive, its file system and specifications are reported here as well

Select the Tools tab to proceed with your ScanDisk

4 From the Tools tab, you choose the utility you wish to run: ScanDisk, Backup or Defrag ScanDisk is the top choice and the system reports when the last time it was run In this example, 15 days ago

Select Check Now to proceed with the ScanDisk

5 Note the options selected in ScanDisk The selected hard drive is highlighted The Thorough scan is selected as well as the Automatically fix errors option These should be the settings you use when you perform your regular scans

But there are more options and settings that can be used with this utility

6 If you select the Options button, you get the configuration choices shown at left These settings can be used in advanced troubleshooting and disk recovery actions

Leave the default setting set to System and data areas so that all files will be scanned

7 If you select the Advanced tab, you get the configuration choices shown at left These provide more advanced levels of settings used to manage your hard drive file and folder structure

8 Select Start to begin ScanDisk As the job progresses, ScanDisk reports its progress

Important Tip!

Once you have begun your scan and it progresses, you will get a message, shown at left, that reports ScanDisk has "restarted 10 times due to programs writing to the drive and do you want to continue receiving this warning"

Select No and let the scan proceed The scan will not proceed past these warnings and you do not need to keep seeing them and canceling them

to defrag the hard drive

1 The first step in defragging your hard drive is to open Windows Explorer

Start, Programs, Windows Explorer

(Note: You can also start Defrag by selecting Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter.)

2 From the left-hand pane of the Windows Explorer view, select your C: drive (or desired hard drive) with a right-click When the pop-up menu appears, select Properties

3 The Properties of the C: drive reveals some interesting information about your hard drive You have a numeric as well as visual description of the hard drive utilization The type of drive, its file system and specifications are reported here as well

Select the Tools tab to proceed with your Defrag

4 From the Tools tab, you choose the utility you wish to run: ScanDisk, Backup or Defrag Defrag is the bottom choice and the system reports when the last time it was run In this example, 29 days ago

Select Defragment Now to proceed with the Defrag

5 As Defrag runs, you will see the progress of the job You can Stop or Pause the job if needed

6 To see a cool visual demonstration of Defrag at work, click Show Details

You will see the screen shown at left which demonstrates how Defrag works through the files and reorganizes data into more efficient storage

Check out the details but then select Hide Details once you are done viewing action as it uses more system resources

Important Tip!

Once you have begun your scan and it progresses, you will get a message, similar to the one shown at left, that reports Defrag has "restarted 10 times due to programs writing to the drive and do you want to continue receiving this warning"

Select No and let the defrag proceed The defrag will not proceed past these warnings and you do not need to keep seeing them and canceling them

About the author

Posted by Student of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on December 9, 2003

Need Help with this Issue?

We help people with technology! It's what we do.
Contact or Schedule an Appointment with a location for help!