Computer problem: Low memory. Help!

Crapaud
Crapaud Posts: 2,483
edited April 2010 in The bottom bracket
Fro a while now my computer has been running really, really slow. I keep getting a message that 'virtual memory is low' and 'windows is increasing the page file'.

When a page is loading, I can watch, over a cup of tea, as elements load.

I'm assuming that it's low on RAM memory, but I should have 1 gigs worth. Is there any way that I can check just how much I have?

Any ideas?
A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Have you tried cleaning the registry?

    I noticed a huge improvement when I first did this (I'm an IT know-nowt)
  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 4,023
    Virtual memory is where windows uses the hard disk as memory. Your hard disk is probably full.
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    Try using CCleaner - it's free and cleans out any temp files and also has a registry cleaner built-in. :D

    Download from here: http://www.ccleaner.com/
    Cycling weakly
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Usually with virtual memory or page file the computer will reserve that amount on the HDD. Usually twice the amount of your ram. The message can usually come up when you are low on ram.

    Download a program called CCLeaner (Crap Cleaner), it will clean the registry and all ***** out.

    http://askbobrankin.com/low_virtual_memory.html

    Read that, and do what it says, that should help you.
  • reevie25
    reevie25 Posts: 254
    Download this system scanner and it will tell you how much RAM you have and which type you will need... :D

    http://www.crucial.com/uk/systemscanner/?click=true

    This should help!
    Scott Aspect 45
    Giant Reign 3
    My Blog
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    freehub wrote:
    Usually with virtual memory or page file the computer will reserve that amount on the HDD. Usually twice the amount of your ram. The message can usually come up when you are low on ram.

    Download a program called CCLeaner (Crap Cleaner), it will clean the registry and all ***** out.

    http://askbobrankin.com/low_virtual_memory.html

    Read that, and do what it says, that should help you.
    Cheers, Will. It seems I've only got 256 Mb of RAM, but 47% free space on my disk. Something's clearly wrong. Either the comp's not seeing the extra RAM or it's gone pffzzzzzt.

    The computer's getting old, so this could be the beginning of the end for it.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Click start and then run. type in dxdiag.

    How much ram does that reckon you have? 256mb also? I'd also restart yer PC, go into the bios and check there. It's either Del or F2 to get into the bios, tap it as much as possible when you restart it.
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    uninstall windows

    install ubuntu

    :D
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    fast as fupp wrote:
    uninstall windows

    install ubuntu

    :D

    Much better thing to do is:

    Uninstall windows

    Get Windows 7...
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    freehub wrote:
    fast as fupp wrote:
    uninstall windows

    install ubuntu

    :D

    Much better thing to do is:

    Uninstall windows

    Get Windows 7...


    windows 7 £100

    ubuntu £0
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Ubuntu is a faff to the novice user, unless all you want to do is look at some web pages and type some words. I've used it before, to play games you got to install emulators and crap.

    Windows 7 is great.
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    yes its nearly as good as os x was 8 years ago!

    still ............all those viruses etc
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • Bunneh
    Bunneh Posts: 1,329
    When you get CCleaner run it a number of times. When you remove one lump of crap it leaves behind other crap, so run it until everything has gone. Also get hold of an Anti Virus program too if you don't have one - AVG Free is good.

    When you are sorted stop downloading crap! If someone says 'this prgram is awesome, get it' read about it first. There's a lot of programs that are good but full of shite too, only get what you need. Avoid downloading stuff off Limewire or similar, they're a breeding ground for viruses and crap, same goes for torrents. If you must download from those things, be wary what you get.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/Eurobunneh - My Youtube channel.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    edited April 2010
    fast as fupp wrote:
    yes its nearly as good as os x was 8 years ago!

    still ............all those viruses etc

    Quit talking **** you clearly haven't used Windows 7 and have no idea what you're on about.

    And to the OP, I'm guessing if you're not that computer literate you're computer is full of stuff? (I'm only assuming this because people who I come across who tend not to be computer literate, they're up to there eyeballs in crap on there computer and runs slow as hell)

    Uninstall all stuff you never use, think, if you need it or not.

    Also, click start, run, then type in msconfig. Click startup, look at the stuff on there, one by one, thing, do I really need this on startup? If you don't, untick it. It has the potential to speed up computer startup time and give you a smoother running system. Just make sure you know what it is you're closing though.
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    freehub wrote:
    fast as fupp wrote:
    yes its nearly as good as os x was 8 years ago!

    still ............all those viruses etc

    Quit talking **** you clearly haven't used Windows 7 and have no idea what you're on about.

    i have

    i do
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    256mb RAM is tiny.

    You're not still running an old Amstrad with Windows 3.1 are you? :)
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    fast as fupp wrote:
    freehub wrote:
    fast as fupp wrote:
    yes its nearly as good as os x was 8 years ago!

    still ............all those viruses etc

    Quit talking **** you clearly haven't used Windows 7 and have no idea what you're on about.

    i have

    i do

    If you knew what you where talking about, you'd know, that your statement about OSX 8 years ago, is a load of bollox.
  • fast as fupp
    fast as fupp Posts: 2,277
    sorry i didnt realise you were alan turing
    'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    I ride past alan turning way on my way to college

    I've used linux plenty enough time to see there is no benefit to using it apart from more faffing about.
  • ilm_zero7
    ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    skyd0g
    I can highly recommend CCcleaner - it is very good as is "defraggler" from the same website/people
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    Calm down, chaps! I should've known when I posted that I'd start something. :D

    Anyway, problem solved. I ran the program Reevie25 suggested and it told me that there was an empty slot. So I opened the comp up to shuffle the cards (?) about to find out which one had failed. It turned out that my 512MB card wasn't seated properly. I can't fathom out how that's happened, but the computer's running magnificently now.

    Cheers to all for your help.

    You may now return to slagging off each others operating systems.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • Westerberg
    Westerberg Posts: 652
    ..have you tried cleaning it really thoroughly with a wire brush and Dettol? When things don't work, this sometimes works and at least you'll have a smashing clean computer.
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    Westerberg wrote:
    ..have you tried cleaning it really thoroughly with a wire brush and Dettol? When things don't work, this sometimes works and at least you'll have a smashing clean computer.
    Can't say I have. Sounds suspiciously like womans work. :wink:
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Wire brush in a pc? That sounds like a recipe for disaster
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Westerberg wrote:
    ..have you tried cleaning it really thoroughly with a wire brush and Dettol? When things don't work, this sometimes works and at least you'll have a smashing clean computer.

    I just use own brand disinfectant on my PC, I find it works just as well.
  • Westerberg
    Westerberg Posts: 652
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Westerberg wrote:
    ..have you tried cleaning it really thoroughly with a wire brush and Dettol? When things don't work, this sometimes works and at least you'll have a smashing clean computer.

    I just use own brand disinfectant on my PC, I find it works just as well.
    if you put it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes, all viruses will be killed.

    Edit - sorry but is has to be Dettol. Dettol kills 110% all known germs, own brand only 100%

    On a serious note, Spybot Search & Destroy is a good program for removing nasties (free)
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Westerberg wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Westerberg wrote:
    ..have you tried cleaning it really thoroughly with a wire brush and Dettol? When things don't work, this sometimes works and at least you'll have a smashing clean computer.

    I just use own brand disinfectant on my PC, I find it works just as well.
    if you put it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes, all viruses will be killed.

    Edit - sorry but is has to be Dettol. Dettol kills 110% all known germs, own brand only 100%

    My value one only does 99% :C
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    +1 for Ccleaner but leave it to run overnight for the first time and set it to the highest clean, 35 passes I think. You'll be amazed how much crap you have on your system.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    redvee wrote:
    +1 for Ccleaner but leave it to run overnight for the first time and set it to the highest clean, 35 passes I think. You'll be amazed how much crap you have on your system.

    1 or 2 passes is fine, running CCleaner 35 times and overnight is a waste of energy :wink:
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    freehub wrote:
    redvee wrote:
    +1 for Ccleaner but leave it to run overnight for the first time and set it to the highest clean, 35 passes I think. You'll be amazed how much crap you have on your system.

    1 or 2 passes is fine, running CCleaner 35 times and overnight is a waste of energy :wink:

    Hook the computer up to your turbo and use it as a training session :D

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