Sunday, April 02, 2006
Virtual Memory
What is virtual memory>
It is a form of memory created on a hard disk which is supported by some operating systems. Virtual memory is usually a pagefile on a hard disk which can grow and shrink in size depending upon the applications running on the computer. Basically, any information not needed to be stored in the primary storage by the computer can be shunted to a page file on the secondary storage and then accessed when that information is again needed and loaded back into the primary storage. Whilst this kind of accessing slows down the operation of the computer it has several distinct advantages. Namely, that the PC using virtual memory can run programs without the need for massive amounts of random access memory, which can of course prove very expensive.
Windows and Mac OS should really be left to manage there own VM sizes but it should be pointed out that if your running out of hard disk space your also running out of room for the virtual memory page file and the computer will then tend to slow up further.
It is a form of memory created on a hard disk which is supported by some operating systems. Virtual memory is usually a pagefile on a hard disk which can grow and shrink in size depending upon the applications running on the computer. Basically, any information not needed to be stored in the primary storage by the computer can be shunted to a page file on the secondary storage and then accessed when that information is again needed and loaded back into the primary storage. Whilst this kind of accessing slows down the operation of the computer it has several distinct advantages. Namely, that the PC using virtual memory can run programs without the need for massive amounts of random access memory, which can of course prove very expensive.
Windows and Mac OS should really be left to manage there own VM sizes but it should be pointed out that if your running out of hard disk space your also running out of room for the virtual memory page file and the computer will then tend to slow up further.
# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 8:38 pm 
