Virtual memory on pc?

what is virtual memory (desktop pc)? I just got a message saying that my virtual memory is critical or extremely low and windows was increasing it to something, but didn't read the whole message in time. Is this Bad, or what does it mean? And what should I do to change it? How do I check the status of the virtual memory? I'm clueless about this.Virtual memory on pc?
close windows your not viewingVirtual memory on pc?
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,208



The wonders that google will do you.



But don't worry, read the paragraph-long article and it explains it all.
It means that your page file is too small...



**You must be logged on as an administrator to do this.**

Open Computer Management, click Start, and then click Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.



In the console tree, right-click Computer Management (Local), and then select Properties.

On the Advanced tab, click Performance Options, and under Virtual memory, click Change.

In the Drive list, click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

Under Paging file size for selected drive, type a new paging file size (4095 for both) in the Initial Size and Maximum Size box, and then click Set.

Click Apply and OK.
Hi!

Let me first explain what is virtual memory. I think you know what is RAM. When RAM is full and system needs more temporary memory, it has a reserved space in the hard drive to use in such case. This reserved memory is known as virtual memory. In other words, virtual memory is memory which acts as it is RAM when needed but is situated in the hard drive. Virtual memory can be located in windows explorer by the name of pagefile.sys. It is visible only when your pc has system files visible. Windows when run short of RAM, it uses virtual memory. When it runs short of virtual memory too, it starts increasing it automatically temporarily. It is good, not bad as your pc won't get slow. But it should be of a certain size. If more than that, it uses space of hard drive. If lesser, you know what happens, i think. You can change it by following steps:

1. Press Ctrl+ break key combination. From that dialog box, click advanced

2. Click settings in the performance.

3. Click advanced tab. In this, click change in the virtual memory.

4. In the drives list, locate which of your drive has the pagefile or virtual memory. Click custom size.

5. Recommended size for initial one is 1.5 times the RAM your pc has, and maximum recommended one is 3 times the RAM installed in your pc. Key in the initial or minimum and maximum size of the virtual memory.

6. Click OK.

Thats it!!!

If you still get low virtual memory message, change it to some larger using the above steps.

Hope I helped!!!!