You can configure virtual memory to improve computer performance when you run too many programs together. In this guide, you will find quick steps to adjust virtual memory and improve computer performance on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Windows (XP, Vista, and 7)
Step 1. Click on the Windows XP Start menu
Select the Control Panel. Select "System". Click on the "Performance" button in the System menu.
Step 2. Choose the Advanced Settings tab
Click the Change button in the Virtual Memory section.
Step 3. Decide how much disk space you want to allocate to the paging file
Windows XP recommends at least 1.5 amount of RAM. So, if you have 2 Gb of RAM, the maximum paging file size should be at least 3Gb.
Step 4. Click on the Windows Vista Start menu
Go to the Control Panel and select "System Maintenance". From here, select System.
Step 5. Select “Advanced System Settings” in the left navigation menu
Choose the "Advanced" tab. Click on the "Change" button in the "Virtual Memory" section.
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Select whether you want the system to check the paging file size or choose your own custom settings. The customized Windows settings for your system will appear at the bottom of the dialog box.
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Step 6. Click on the Windows 7 Start Menu, Right-click on the Computer and choose Properties
Click on the Advanced System Settings menu on the left.
Step 7. Click the "Settings" button in the "Performance" section of the "System Properties" dialog box
Click on the "Advanced" tab in the "Performance Options" window.
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Choose whether you want the system to automatically manage the page file size or if you want to customize the settings yourself. Windows recommended settings will appear at the bottom of this dialog box.
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Method 2 of 3: Mac OS X
Step 1. Open the Terminal program
You will find the Terminal in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder.
Step 2. To disable the wap file, type this command in the Terminal window:
sudo launchctl unload - w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist
Step 3. To reactivate swap, type this command in the terminal window:
sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.dynamic_pager.plist. Choose the hard drive on which to store the virtual memory file. The up and down arrows allow you to adjust the amount of virtual memory to allocate.
Method 3 of 3: Linux
Step 1. Back up any data you want to keep as resizing partitions can result in data loss or corruption
If you want to boot from Live-CD make sure gparted is installed on the system disk. The system should detect your Linux installation and use swap space.
Step 2. Open gparted and click on the swap partition (right click) and press swapoff
The swap partition will be unmounted in order to be able to increase its size.
Step 3. Now, you need to create a partition of the same size as the additional space you want to allocate to the swap partition
In my case, I have 4gb of ram and a 4gb swap. I need 8gb swap, then i will shrink partition close to 4gb swap. Unallocated space (marked in gray) should be near the partition (this can be done by booting from CD and unmounting partitions). At this point, click on the partition (the bar at the top of gparted) and select Resize. Include unallocated space. Click swapon-restart.
Step 4. You were thus able to allocate more swaps
Attention! always make a backup before making system changes - do not delete the wap partition - creating one from scratch is more complicated.
