How to Increase Virtual Memory

If your computer is running out of memory because you are multi-tasking or using high performance programs there is a feature called "Virtual Memory". This allows you to simulate RAM by using your hard drive to store the data that would be on the physical RAM.


What Does Virtual Memory Do?

When you have virtual RAM switched on and your computer runs out of memory it will automatically switch to using virtual memory allowing you to keep using your high performance applications and allow you to continue to multi-task. Without virtual memory being switched on, running out of memory would mean that you would not be able to open anymore high performance applications or multi-task and your computer could lock up.

How Virtual Memory Works

When using virtual memory the computer writes the data on the physical RAM to a hard drive allowing you to use high performance applications again and freeing up the physical RAM. The downside to using virtual memory is that it will copy the data on the physical RAM to a hard drive and a hard drive is incredibly slower than physical ram which would give a decrease to your computers performance.

The best way to increase virtual memory is to increase your paging file size. The paging file gives the computer instructions on what to do when the computer runs out of physical RAM.

Steps to Increase Virtual Memory

  1. Under the start menu go into the Control Panel.
  2. Double click Performance and Maintenance and then on System.
  3. Under the Advanced tab click on Performance and then on Settings.
  4. Where you see Virtual Memory shown click Change.
  5. Click on the hard drive where your OS is installed (this is where your paging file should be).
  6. Once you have completed all of this check the Custom Size checkbox. Now you are able to input how much memory you want to save for virtual memory. There will be two fields there, the first one is called initial and the other is called maximum. If you want the best performance out of your machine you should set these the same as each other.

Now that you have completed these steps you should see an increase in the performance in your computer. If not, you should try setting the initial and maximum fields, that you changed before, to a higher number.

Further Reading on How to Increase Virtual Memory