Member Avatar for gforrest

I’ve recently been using a photo editing software package. When manipulating an image I get an error message, “Windows Virtual Memory Size Too Low. I’ve reset the Virtual Memory size in Performance Options to Min: 965 and Max. 1000 but still see the same error.

When I run Task Manager during the time I’m use the application I notice that CPU usage is usually around 4% and PF Usage is at around 740Meg. If I stop manipulating a photo image the PF Usage never seems to drop. If I continue to manipulate a photo (i.e. continue using the application) the PF usage continues to increase but never drops regardless of what I do. I suspect that this is the problem. How do I get my system to release the PF usage if this indeed the problem?

I’m running a P IV 3.06 MHz processor (Hyper threading) with 512Megs. Of RAM. There is over 60 Gig. of free hard disk space so this shouldn’t be an issue.

Any ideas on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Glenn.

  • 6 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 187 Views
  • 2 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by dlh6213

Dani AI

Generated

Likely cause: an imaging program that keeps committing memory (a leak or very large private allocation), not a pagefile that is "too small." Increasing the pagefile only hides the symptom. The useful next step is to identify what kind of memory is growing and which process is responsible, then either tune the app or apply a real fix.

Steps to diagnose and isolate the problem:

  • Identify the offender: open Task Manager -> Processes, add the PF Usage column and sort to see which process is growing. For a clearer picture use Sysinternals Process Explorer and watch Private Bytes and Working Set. A continuously rising Private Bytes for the same process is strong evidence of a leak.
  • Measure system commit: run Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc) and add counters such as Process(*)\Private Bytes and Memory\Committed Bytes to see whether overall commit approaches the system limit.
  • Reproduce with different inputs: test a smaller image, a different file format, or another editor. ’s question about file size/resolution is relevant — very large images (high resolution, many layers) can trigger heavy committing.

Practical mitigations:

  • Set the pagefile initial and maximum to the same value on the fastest drive to reduce pagefile fragmentation (this improves stability, not the underlying leak).
  • Check the editor’s preferences for cache/scratch-disk, undo depth or memory limits and reduce them; disable plugins or filters to see if one causes the growth.
  • Update the application and video drivers; perform a clean boot or scan for malware/driver conflicts (as and suggested).

If Private Bytes keeps climbing despite these steps, the problem should be reported to the software vendor with the app name/version, the exact error text, and a short repro. Adding more physical RAM will reduce paging but will not fix a true memory leak.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for DMR

It's possible that the particular editing program you're using has a memory leak; do some research on the company's website and on Goolge to see if this might be a known, documented issue.

Also, since you have a lot of disk space, you could try increasing the size of your VM even further.

Member Avatar for gforrest

I increase the size of Virtual memory to 1012 and a max. of 4096. Still see the same problem. I'll have a look at the company's web site.

Thanks.
Glenn.

I’ve recently been using a photo editing software package. When manipulating an image I get an error message, “Windows Virtual Memory Size Too Low. I’ve reset the Virtual Memory size in Performance Options to Min: 965 and Max. 1000 but still see the same error.

When I run Task Manager during the time I’m use the application I notice that CPU usage is usually around 4% and PF Usage is at around 740Meg. If I stop manipulating a photo image the PF Usage never seems to drop. If I continue to manipulate a photo (i.e. continue using the application) the PF usage continues to increase but never drops regardless of what I do. I suspect that this is the problem. How do I get my system to release the PF usage if this indeed the problem?

I’m running a P IV 3.06 MHz processor (Hyper threading) with 512Megs. Of RAM. There is over 60 Gig. of free hard disk space so this shouldn’t be an issue.

Any ideas on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Glenn.

Member Avatar for DMR

Considering what you described about the program's use of resources, it might very well be a memory leak. However, you should look at options/preferences in the program itself for something that might define the program's use of resources; perhaps its behaviour in that area can be adjusted.

If you'd like, give us the name of the application; we might be able to find some info on the application that could help solve the problem.

Member Avatar for jackster

what graphic software are you using?

what type of file are you manipulating?

how big is the file you are manipulating? file size and resolution?

Member Avatar for antioed

I've seen this before with XP, definitely sounds like a memory leak...I would look for an updated version of that software that's compatible with XP.

commented: Why? because you know your shit. +3
Member Avatar for alc6379

What type of computer is this? Is it an Intel chip and chipset?

I've seen this be caused by software in two occasions: 1, with Intel Application Accelerator. Uninstall it, and see what happens if you have it. And, 2, with spyware. If you suspect number 2, consult some of the threads in the Security forum.

Member Avatar for dlh6213

I was getting this message for awhile when I had a trojan infection, once I got rid of the trojan, I haven't had the message since.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.