Genealogy Chat

can anybody tell me why every now and then my PC is so slow and I get a message saying Virtual memory is low , is there something I can buy to improve it thanks a lot

Virtual memory is managed by Windows itself, you can increase the size of it but it would be better to just increase the memory that your computer has or reduce the number of programs running in the background. Carol www*genealogyprinters*com

thanks but how do I increase the memory ???

Go to Start, Help & Support and type in Virtual Memory, it will tell you everything you need to know but I doubt that increasing it will speed up your PC. Windows uses the setting of 1.5 times the available memory and adjusts the VM to suit what is going on at the time. Best to just upgrade by adding more memory. Carol www*genealogyprinters*com

By the way to increase your actual physical memory you need to buy an additional memory stick, these just fit into a slot on the motherboard but you will need somebody that knows how to tell what sort of memory it is as there are different types available. Carol www*genealogyprinters*com

hi thanks for that is it easy to add it yourself or do you need an expert ???

we must have crossed messages thanks again

Another thing to check is to make sure your hard disk/s are not reaching capacity. A good idea would be to go through all of your files and delete any you don't need. Then go into control panel and use the add/remove software option and uninstall any programs, games, screensavers etc that you don't use any more. There a few more things you can do too such as downlaoding and installing adaware and scan your drive for spyware to make sure that isn't running in the background etc. Then run Disk Defragmentor, found on the programs, accessories, tools list. This will take a while to do but will speed your drive up somewhat depending on how fragmented all the bits of information are on your drive. By freeing up space this way on your hard drive Windows will have more space to use as virtual memory. Hope that helps.

thanks for your really easy to understand response I have done defrag and cleared out my cookies etc do have Adaware and Spybot, I dont understand the way PCs work very well , Sometimes I have no problem at all other times it is slow and freezes. I will see what I can uninstall thanks , I was just wondering whever it was worth buying extra memory .

It would help, too, if you turn off programs that start up in your START UP MENU when you turn on your PC - there are more than likely many programs running in the background that you aren't using - this takes up system resources and will slow a PC down. (Many programs default themselves to start automatically when you turn on your PC - you'll need to prevent them from doing so.) Some of the programs that can be prevented from starting up and running in the background: printer, camera, quicktime, AIM, Messenger, scanner, Adobe, etc..... DO becareful when unchecking items so that they don't start up automatically as you don't want to accidentally prevent a program your PC needs to start its self up - If in doubt leave the item checked until you ask to see if it's safe to do so. To prevent programs from starting up upon start up: 1. Click on START. 2. Click on RUN. 3. Type in: msconfig 4. Click on OK. 5. A box will appear with labeled tabs, click on the START UP tab. 6. Uncheck the items that are not needed to start your PC up (some of the programs to be unchecked are the ones I mentioned above - when you actually do need them to be turned on, they will turn on automatically when you go to do something and the program is actuallly needed.) 7. When you're done click APPLY and OK.

thanks very much Judy will do that today, you are wonderful thanks

Is your pc more than a couple of years old Val? Mine has 40 gb memory (I think) the last one only had 1 gb! It used to freeze all the time.

Hi Heather. I think you mean your computer has a 40 gb hard drive, there are not many standard computers about that have much more than 1/2 - 1 gig of memory. To see your computers specification. open My Computer. Hard drive = Right click on the HD icon (usually C) and left click on Properties, it will then tell you how big the HD is and what amount of space has been used up and what amount is left free. Processor = This is the bit that mostly affects the speed at which your computer operates, to see this information look at the top left corner of the same window that shows your hard drive icon and you will see View System Information, left click this and you can see what type and speed the processor is, it's under the heading of Computer. Regards Ron www*genealogprinters*com.

hi again sorry been busy, I looked and it says Total Physical memory 256.00 MB Available Virtual 60.23 MB Total virtual memory 2.00 GB Available virtual memory 1.96 GB does anyone know if this is enough thanks again

Valerie, are you sure those figures are correct. Have you got MB and GB correct. The VM should be about 1.5 times larger than the Physical Memory. If your system memory is 256 meg your VM should be about 380 meg not 2 gig as you state. Which is the Available VM, you list it twice. Total Physical memory 256.00 MB Available Virtual 60.23 MB Total virtual memory 2.00 GB Available virtual memory 1.96 GB Carol www*genealogyprinters*com

hi again been to have another look Total Physical 256.00 MB Available Physical 28.73 MB Total Virtual 2.00 GB Available Virtual 1.96 GB is that right

Nudge for Betty

nudge for Rita