Probably pointless in me asking this.....

[Techno]

Because I won't understand the answer.

Recently......Dear old steam powered PC often comes up with something along the lines of.....
"Your virtual memory is to low.....Windows is going to play for a while to make it all better."

I had a quick surf to find out whether there was anything I could do to help matters....Just a little.....And found a set of easy to follow instructions....
"Do this, do that...go to advanced....go here, go there.".....All fine and good.

The bit I can't get my head around is that right at the end, I end up on a window for virtual memory that has two wee boxes that I can change.
One box says 'Initial size'.....the other 'maximum size'......

The instructions tell me to 'increase the number'.......But as they're both the same (766Mb, I think).....How can I increase the maximum size ?.....But if I can..... By how much ?

Cheers - Phil. (Now to try and send 'Orcs' a mail with a piccy on it.....For the umpteenth time.....AAARGH !)

[fred.]

Are you planning on a new PC?

If so don't worry about it.

If not - then you are probably running out of disk space, so there isn't enough to make the VM bigger. I can't recall the optimum for XP (which I assume you are on) but try 4000 MB (i.e. 4GB)

To check disk space, go to my computer, right click on C:, choose Properties, you should see a little pie chart with pink and blue. Can't recall which is free, but you want at least 10-25% free.

To free up disk space delete programs and files you don't want any more.

[Techno]

Thanks Fred.

HOPEFULLY.....A new PC in around 6 weeks....But that's hopefully!  

I'm assuming that this poor old thing (although it says there's 60% free space when I run the defragment thingy ) is basically 'chock-a-block'.
And the free space is, in fact, full to the nines of old 'so called' deleted files.

A little later, I'll find the 'pie chart' as you suggest.
'edit'.....Pie chart looks as though I've got around 60% free

At least Mark's (Orcs) mail seems to have gone at last.

Thanks again.
Cheers - Phil

[Last Hussar]

The biggest disk hogs are programmes:  Go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features.  You can sort by size, and uninstall those you don't want.

Have a look at Disc Cleanup: START -> Accessories -> system tools

After you delete stuff defrag the disc. START -> Accessories -> system tools

[toxicpixie]

Your computer has two kinds of hardware memory - RAM which it uses to "think" with and tht gets wiped clean and reused all the time, and the hard drive which it uses to store information on permanently (mostly). However it's then complicated by Windows using bits of the hard drive space to (sort of) beef up the RAM as "virtual memory" for big stuff or queuing stuff up to process next.

From memory and without seeing it the last window you mention is asking for the minimum and maximum
Amount of hard drive space that 'Doze is able to use for beefing up the RAM/taking some load off it's thinking process. It's worth trying knocking up the second number to something heftier but XP normally caps out at 3gig of "actual" RAM so I suspect setting it to that is probably your best bet - assuming you hav sufficient space for that on the hard drive!

As mentioned use Explorer and check free space on the hard drive - you want lots on the C drive, minimum a few gig. Depending in how the hard drive is set up and what's installed where that might mean uninstalling program's or shifting data around. Or just buying a new PC, my favourite option

[Techno]

Just done a defragment......There were some VERY fat red lines....All better now.
I did have a look at 'unwanted' programs a while ago....and got rid of what I thought were a load of poop....
I'm sure there are still more....Trouble is....I'm not sure what some of them do as regards 'tinternet'.

I can certainly take out.....after transferring them to disc.....OOOOODLES of pics of wee men that I've made.....That'll make a bit more space.

It's photo's and my iPod files that are by far the biggest 'hogs' of disc space.....
I think this old thing has only got an 80Gb hard drive.....Pretty sure 20Gb are music files.

Thanks to you too, Pixie.

Cheers - Phil.

[fred.]

If you have 60% free then don't worry about disk space. It's only if you are down to less than 10% or under 10GB then start clearing some space.

De-fragging is somewhat over-rated. It seems worth doing as you get all the pretty lines together, but how much impact this has is small.

Most programmes aren't too bad space wise. It's games that can be huge, and as you mention photos and music files.

[Last Hussar]

Games are programmes - I was using a catchall term! Agreed Defrag isn't a game changer, but it helps seek time a little not having bits scattered all over the place

[Subedai]

Just done a defragment......There were some VERY fat red lines....All better now.
I did have a look at 'unwanted' programs a while ago....and got rid of what I thought were a load of poop....
I'm sure there are still more....Trouble is....I'm not sure what some of them do as regards 'tinternet'.

I can certainly take out.....after transferring them to disc.....OOOOODLES of pics of wee men that I've made.....That'll make a bit more space.

It's photo's and my iPod files that are by far the biggest 'hogs' of disc space.....
I think this old thing has only got an 80Gb hard drive.....Pretty sure 20Gb are music files.

Thanks to you too, Pixie.

Cheers - Phil.

If your music is from popular (or even not so popular) bands try downloading the free version of Spotify. You get a couple of adverts every two or three songs but everything I've looked for has been on there, the only other prob is that you can only listen online. But it can be downloaded to different devices. The pay version allows you to download to listen offline and no adverts. Of course the other big bonus is that it's stored somewhere else thus freeing up your 20Giggly Bits.

[fred.]

Though you are forgetting the Phil is connected to the internet by two tin cans and a bit of string. Streaming anything is always 'interesting'

[Fenton]

Streaming anything is always 'interesting'

Phil isnt  using a watermill then?

[Techno]

Download music from the ether with this sorry old machine ? 
Nah.....It's the music downloaded from CDs for the iPod wossname.......
Can't delete those.....Unless I had an external hard drive ?

Plan is......WHEN the new PC at last sits on the desk.....I shall delete virtually everything from this machine, and then just use it for the iPod and piccies.
But don't tell Mrs T.......She wants to take a sledgehammer to this machine, to teach it a lesson...

Phil isnt  using a watermill then?

Though you are forgetting the Phil is connected to the internet by two tin cans and a bit of string. Streaming anything is always 'interesting'

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

You could TRY cloud storage - I use dropbox, even you could cope with that un. Your ISP my offer it as well as part of the contract. Move your photos there.

IanS

[fred.]

I'm favouring Mrs T's plan.

[Fenton]

You could give the old computer to an organisation like these guys

http://www.computersforcharities.org/