What happens if I run out of memory??

[Spielwurfel]

I have 512 Mb of Rambus memory, and I've just set my Windows to allocate the page files in the fisical memory, instead of the virtual memory... But I use Firefox a lot, and some times it consumes 200 Mb or even more of memory! So, the chances of all the programs consume all my memory are real!! What happens when there's no memory left???

 

[doublehelix]

Fall down and go boom!

 

[Spielwurfel]

HEUHAUAHUEA!! But... I'm serious...

 

[p05esto]

Computer just moves real slow as it uses hard drive space as a swap file. So instead of fast RAM you use slow HD to store temporary information. Windows also tries to take RAM from other open apps and moves it back and fourth as it's requested.

I THINK ANYWAYS....not 100% sure on all that.

 

[Flakes]

I have 512 Mb of Rambus memory, and I've just set my Windows to allocate the page files in the fisical memory, instead of the virtual memory... But I use Firefox a lot, and some times it consumes 200 Mb or even more of memory! So, the chances of all the programs consume all my memory are real!! What happens when there's no memory left???

it forgets...

really 200Mb? dont you mean Kb, my firefox doesnt go over over 200MB, it tends to stay around 15,000 - 20,000 Kb with a few windows open. Your computer will just slow down.

 

[emogoch]

Actually, "fall down and go boom" is a relatively accurate description of what will happen. Trying to interpret your question, I'm seeing that you turned off virtual memory completely, and are relying purely on the physical memory. So what the others are saying about it swapping to HDD is wrong, as it won't happen with out virtual memory.

When you run out of RAM, data will need to get stored, which means having to push out old data. This means that applications that are running will start to lose data that they were expecting to be there. The result is that you have many applications around you all starting to crash out on you.

If you're low on RAM and the potential for runnign out is real, don't turn VM off. yes, you'll take a performance hit as things page back and forth to disk, but it'll be even worse if your system randomly starts to crash and burn.

 

[Spielwurfel]

Actually, "fall down and go boom" is a relatively accurate description of what will happen. Trying to interpret your question, I'm seeing that you turned off virtual memory completely, and are relying purely on the physical memory. So what the others are saying about it swapping to HDD is wrong, as it won't happen with out virtual memory.

When you run out of RAM, data will need to get stored, which means having to push out old data. This means that applications that are running will start to lose data that they were expecting to be there. The result is that you have many applications around you all starting to crash out on you.

If you're low on RAM and the potential for runnign out is real, don't turn VM off. yes, you'll take a performance hit as things page back and forth to disk, but it'll be even worse if your system randomly starts to crash and burn.

Ok...
But... Here's another doubt... I changed the pagefile to stay in the physical memory, but I didn't change anything else... I let the minimium size for the page file be 768 Mb... But Task Mananger tells me that there are still about 300 Mb of free memory... Isn't it strange?? :?:

 

[weilin]

um if i understand this correctly. when you enter task manager.. you will see under processes physical memory (K). There you will see Total memory (physical) and available (also physical) it doesnt display your page file seize though i guess the system cache is really how much page file size is being used. (correct me if im wrong). So if you increase your page file size to 2 gb.. it would still display the amount of memory available as 300 becuase thats how much physical memory is available at that moment.

 

[scoyle]

It depends on when you look at task manager. If you open task manager right after Windows loads, you will see most of your RAM free. If you look at it with a lot of applications open, then more and more of it will be in use.

Personally, I would set the page file size to 768-1504MB, or whatever Windows recommends. Setting it to 512MB will really inhibit your ability to run memory consuming applications.

 

[hella-d]

Suggestion: Double, Quadruple The RAM...Or Better Yet, A Whole New (AMD) PC

 

[piasabird]

If you really turn off virtual memory and anything uses more than physical memory (RAM DDR) then at that instant the computer will just lock up or you will get a blue screen or something like that. At bare minumum you would probably see lots of LAG or the system will be so slow it will appear to be doing nothing. It could also cause an instant Reboot to occur and all your data could be lost for programs that are open.

Windows was designed to use virtual memory.

 

[Spielwurfel]

Alright then!!!

This is what happened... I've set Windows not to page files... And then the name of the HD "C:" wasn't on the list of places where Windows should to set the paging file... Now, the option of not to set paging files is still marked, but C: appeard again on the list!!

I'm not having troubles to use my PC, so I guess everything is right with the paging files...

What do you guy's think that is happening?? The paging files are on my PC memory, are on the HD or part is on the memory and the other on the HD??

 

[parlee]

set paging file size to what windows recommends, if theres still problems increase it and if theres still problems get a new hd.... and there u have it

 

[Spielwurfel]

set paging file size to what windows recommends, if theres still problems increase it and if theres still problems get a new hd.... and there u have it

But there are no problems...

 

[Mr_Bill]

You will create a rift in the space-time continuum which will cascade into an implosion of the known universe.

or perhaps your pc will just crash

 

[parlee]

You will create a rift in the space-time continuum which will cascade into an implosion of the known universe.

or perhaps your pc will just crash

i believe the first part is right... running out of memory spells the end of the world as we know it, so for gods sake, close some fuqing programs

 

[morg]

well, take a run, go buy 4gb of ram at your local dealer, turn your virtal memory off.


or buy a ramdrive ( drive with ram slots up to 4 gb ) set that drive to make virtual memory.


or else...
virtual memory will override your hdd and burn all your data
mouahahahaha

 

[Spielwurfel]

I didn't know there are flooders even here... Fine... There's nothing else to discuss here...