MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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What is it?
What does it do?
Where do I find it?
What can I do to clean it up etc?
It's probably low on account of the dark nights. Try taking it out in some daylight or bringing it some flowers.
Virtual memory (pagefile) is an area of disk that used like RAM. Usually set automagically my Windows to roughly 1.5 times the amount of RAM in your PC. You need to close some programs or increase the size of the pagefile (Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance > Advanced) or add some more RAM
You are running out of space on your hard drive. Delete stuff. This is free.
Other things you can do include buying more RAM.
No point increasing the size of the swap partition as above as that will not address the issue until more disk space is freed up.
Didn't think about disk space W_R, doh!
What is it?
It's basically a special file on your hard disk.
What does it do?
It extends your actual memory.
e.g. your laptop may have 1GB of real physical memory, but many of the programs you are running will be idle most of the time so their memory can be written to disk (swapped out) and then read back (swapped in) when they need it again.
It's the equivalent of writing down a phone number that you'll need later, rather than trying to remember 10 digits and subsequently forgetting where you put the keys.
Where do I find it?
You can change its settings (in XP) at My Computer->Properties->Advanced->Performance Settings->Advanced->Virtual Memory
What can I do to clean it up etc?
Just make sure you have enough free hard drive space.
Maybe defrag your hard drive.
Cheers guys
Unfortunately being a pc numpty it has all gone over my head!!
Will get someone who knows to have a look. Do not want to start deleting stuff I know nothing about..........
Might have nothing to do with lack of disk space though, as Woody says it could just be the pagefile has been exhausted. This could be either you have too many apps open or one of the apps is leaking memory (worth doing a reboot if you've had the PC booted for days). Assuming you do have a dynamic pagefile but disk space isn't an issue then long-term cure is to add more RAM as you want to minimise pagefile use anyway, short-term you can just increase the pagefile max size.
Only used for surfing net, the odd word doc and editing pics with Fastone(should maybe delete more of these pics)
Trekster: before you go deleting anything, double-click on "My Computer", find the icon marked "C: Local Disk", right-click and choose Properties.
That will tell you how full the disk is.
Just make sure you have enough free hard drive space.
agreed. You might just need to clear out the recycle bin - you might have accumulated a lot of stuff in there.
Too many porn videos is the normal culprit!