Is Virtual Memory Necessary for Ample Memory?

With the continuous reduction in memory costs, the memory of our computers is also becoming larger and larger. Nowadays, most memory is at least 4GB, 8GB, or even 16GB. In this situation, many people have questions: If my computer’s memory is large enough, do I still need to set up virtual memory? Some also have doubts about how much virtual memory to allocate for the system. Now, YUNZE will help everyone understand the relevant knowledge about virtual memory.

▶ First of all, let’s understand what virtual memory is #

As we all know, when a computer runs programs, it needs to use memory. If you have too many programs open and your computer lacks the necessary Random Access Memory (RAM) for running these programs or operations, Windows compensates by using virtual memory.

In simpler terms, let’s say you only have 2GB of physical memory. When you open a program that uses 500MB, and then you open several more programs that consume all available memory, when you need to open another program, the system will utilize virtual memory. Virtual memory is essentially borrowed from the hard disk.

▶ Does a computer with ample memory require virtual memory? #

I believe that by now, everyone understands that virtual memory is mainly used in conjunction with physical memory, and it’s rarely needed under normal circumstances. Furthermore, it doesn’t contribute significantly to improving performance. Generally speaking, the more memory your computer has, the faster programs will run. If your computer’s speed decreases due to a lack of memory, you can try increasing virtual memory as a remedy. From this perspective, it seems that as long as your computer has ample memory, virtual memory isn’t necessary.

▶ The answer is affirmative #

Because virtual memory serves a purpose beyond mere backup. Many times, the Windows system needs to utilize virtual memory to perform specific operations, enhancing memory hit rates and system stability. This is especially true for memory-intensive software and games, such as Photoshop and 3D Mark. They require virtual memory during operation to achieve better coordination. If you disable virtual memory, certain software and games may encounter “out of memory” errors and become unable to run.

▶ How do you configure virtual memory in the Win10 system, and what’s an appropriate setting? #

1. Right-click “My Computer,” select “Properties,” then choose “Advanced system settings.”
2. Navigate to the “Advanced” tab.
3. Click on “Settings” under Performance.
4. Go to the “Advanced” tab once more.
5. Click “Change” under Virtual Memory.
6. The system is set to allocate globally by default; uncheck the option “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.”
7. Confirm the prompt and click OK.
8. Select a partition other than the system partition, choose “Custom size,” set the minimum value as twice the physical memory size (2GB physical memory = 2GB * 2 * 1024 = 4096MB), and set a custom maximum value. Then click “Set” and restart for changes to take effect.

▶ Finally, there are a few points to note #

For a single computer, setting virtual memory in one partition is sufficient; there’s no need to configure virtual memory in each individual partition.

If you have two or more hard drives, place virtual memory on the hard drive where the operating system is installed.

Related Reading:

1. What is Random Access Memory (RAM)?
2. SSD Optimization Tips: Your Best Tutorial
3. Get Ahead with Micron’s 1β DDR5 Memory Tech
4. Memory Specs Comparison: DDR5 vs LPDDR5 vs GDDR5
5. DDR4 vs. DDR5 RAM: Gaming Performance Explained
6. Importance of Virtual Memory: Everything You Need to Know
7. AIDA64: A Comprehensive Guide to Testing Computer Stability