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Working with computers professionally is a challenge.  The challenge is not in the technology, but in the service you provide to clients.  We sometimes forget that not everyone knows what we know. With that in mind I decided to drop in this page on the subject of Virtual Memory. I was recently asked “What is Virtual Memory”?

The short version is that it is hard disk space that the computer uses for swapping in and out seldom accessed data or for “extra” memory when the physical RAM in your computer becomes full. Unfortunately it is one of those terms that Microsoft decided to “change”. Windows XP and Vista references all use the term “paging” or page file space or paging file sizes etc.

Basically the virtual Memory is written and read in “Pages” of memory or disk space. The size can be adjusted to make the machine faster or slower. Adjusting up or down is not a straight forward process. Either way can slow down the machine.

I of course do not know what Operating System you are running but it will be relatively the same process in all of them. In XP you can set how large the “page file” size is through the System properties.

Right click on My Computer and pick properties.

Now click the advanced TAB

Now click the Settings button under performance.

Now click the “other” advanced TAB.

Now click the Change button. (Notice all the page and paging references?)

It is generally best if you select the System Managed size option. (Don’t copy my settings. Every computer is different.)

GOOGLE Definitions:

The best place to look for more information is to simply do a search on Google.  Look for the “Definitions of Virtual Memory on the Web:”

If you have never used the “definitions” feature on Google you are going to wonder why it is not the most prominent option on the search page. For some reason it is barely even noticeable.  You have to look for it.

Do a search on Google using “Virtual Memory” as the text you are searching for. Now ignore the search results. Instead, take a look at the header on the page.  On the right side next to the number of found items you will see a link on the word Definitions.

Click it.

 Definitions of what Virtual Memory is will popup in a list from Many sources (Wikipedia, Dictionary’s, WorldTech etc.).  

This is a great feature of Google.