How to Set Virtual Memory Across Multiple Drives

Virtual memory is a type of storage for a Windows computer. When memory runs out, the operating system saves the information on the hard drive, which is called virtual memory since it isn't technically memory. Spanning virtual memory across multiple drives improves performance and frees computer resources. Windows XP is capable of using virtual memory on several drives, so the computer is able to access software more quickly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Click the Windows "Start" button and select the "Run" menu option. In the text box displayed, type "sysdm.cpl" and press the "Enter" key. This opens the control panel where virtual memory is edited.

2. Click the "Advanced" tab. In this tab, you will see a section labeled "Performance." Click the "Settings" button. This opens a new window dialog box.

3. Click the "Advanced" tab again and select the "Change" button under the "Virtual memory" section. Click the drive that contains the current virtual memory settings. Typically, this drive is the "C" drive.

4. Select a size for each drive under the "Paging file size for selected drive" section. You can span the amount of space evenly over each drive. For instance, a 100MB drive should span 50MB on one drive and 50MB on another drive. Click the "OK" button when it is complete.

5. Close the configuration window and reboot the machine. Once the machine is rebooted, the changes are in effect. The virtual memory file is now set across multiple drives.

References

• Microsoft Help and Support