First off, don't tell me to switch to Linux or some other OS. You'll soon find out why.
I never understood the point of virtual memory in modern computers. RAM literally grows on trees, most people have at least a gig or two of the stuff in their boxes, and the only time they'll ever fill up all that RAM will be pretty much never.
So I have my good ol' gaming box, a gig of RAM, Windows 2000. I fire up a game and begin playing.
In the middle of my game, the game CtDs and Windows tells me I'm "out of virtual memory".
What. The. Fuck.
I go to my management console and create a meter to keep track of my memory usage, and fire up the game again. I play for a while and fool around, then close the game.
Maximum amount of memory used: 400 MBs.
Out of one fucking gig.
One fucking gig of RAM and Windows can't even be assed to use it all. It has to compulsively cram every little thing into its virtual memory for reasons I never found out and probably never will.
I need a geek. I need someone to tell me just how the fuck Windows manages its memory. Why does Windows think it's logical to put shit in VM when it's still got more than half the physical RAM available?
Damn it, I hate people who use "literally" as an intensifier. So RAM "literally grows on trees", does it? You can go out and pluck memory modules from the branches of memory trees can you? I'm literally burning with rage now. Well, mostly fire. But also rage.
>>7
Read it, but doesn't answer the original question. I know you use virtual memory when you run out of RAM - at least in theory. What I want to know is why virtual memory is used before the RAM is even filled.
I have another puter, one gig of RAM too, not even a gaming machine; it just runs Windows, an instant messenger or two and a Firefox window. And on occasion, it'll bitch about lacking VM as well. I went through Task Manager and added up the numbers - physical memory and VM size for each program, and my end result was less than one gig; in fact, I'm using just a little more than 300 MBs right now, but some of it's been placed in RAM, another piece in VM... So to me, it doesn't make sense. Maybe I'm doing it wrong (LAWL!) or I overlooked something or perhaps I ran some demanding program and Windows had to move some over a bit and didn't put it back... Anyway. I don't get the logic behind what Windows deems should go to the RAM and what should go to the VM. Sounds n00bish as hell, but it all looks like a dice roll to me.
Name:
Anonymous2006-12-17 21:33
Haha, enjoy being six years and three versions of Windows behind.
Did you by chance set your virtual memory limit too low? I'm totally calling PEBKAC error here.
I got an idea!
add more virtual ram!
go into your computer drawout some simulated memory and put it in your system folders bus 2 slot! and then you should have all the virtual memory you need.
also see: >>9
change your paging etc etc. and if this mainly happens when you are playing video games try updating that ratty old shared graphics card with a new one
i'm running an old vaio right now its a secondary computer since my heartless bitch of a girlfriend has my custom, but it runs just fine on 512mb, i've never had any errors like that not even when running half life 2.
have a nice day.
Goddammit OP, you're still not getting it and you obviously didn't read the wiki article. If you did actually read it, you fucking fail at reading comprehension.
Swap space != Virtual Memory
Long story short, Windows requires at least a small swap file for it's Virtual Memory system, whereas a Linux system running the same software might not. It has to do with the different approaches to memory management, but I can see trying to explain it to you would just cause confusion.
Also, the Task Manager has never been an accurate tool, which is why non-noobs don't use it. It doesn't really show every process and it basically guesses at memory usage (and seeing as you don't know what the numbers even mean, it's even more useless to you).
tl;dr: You need a swap file in Windows, even if it's just 256MB. Even if Windows says it isn't using it, it is. GTFO.
Name:
Anonymous2006-12-18 4:48
Windows doesn't need a small one, Windows needs at least as much VM as you have RAM. Windows doesn't give a flying fuck wether or not you want to use VM or however much RAM you have either, it uses the VM regardless.. or if it doesn't use it, it reserves it - your disk is its bitch.
Now go and make your virtual memory a bit more reasonable in size, like 2gb. Hard drive space grows on trees aswell.
Is it fair to compare the memory usage of apps running on Windows and OS X and Linux as reported by their standard task manager\activity monitor\top\whatever apps? Or is the big penis contest of "FOOBAR USES 2MB RAM! ITUNES USES 30MB ON OS X WHAT A PIG" completely without merit?