If you have noticed that your PC is running a bit slow there are a number of options you can consider to fix this common problem. One reason could be that the amount of RAM you have on your PC is not keeping up to the demands of your applications, and in this case changing how your computer uses virtual memory is one option for fixing this issue that doesn’t require paying for a costly RAM upgrade. This is definitely one of the more complicated do-it-yourself fixes for a slow processor, but can really make a big difference in increasing your PC’s efficiency and speed.

What is Virtual Memory?

Virtual Memory is a systems technique used to increase the memory or RAM of a computer through fragmenting the memory storage space while still allowing it to function as a single or real system. It essentially expands the available memory of your computer by tricking the computer into believing that the memory caches or pagefiles are not fragmented. All modern computers use this type of memory allocation and it is always functioning, even when the amount of RAM needed to run all applications is not exceeded.

What the heck is Virtual Memory?

Your PC has two kinds of memory: Random Access Memory (RAM), which is physical, long-term memory that is stored on your hard drive, and virtual or short-term memory. Virtual memory is what is used when your RAM is “full.”

When you are using multiple programs at the same time like a web browser, a word processing program, and an e-mail program, that can use up all of your available RAM. So your PC automatically creates more space and allots it to virtual memory, allowing you to continue utilizing your memory-hogging programs without bogging down the operating speed.