Every evening when I shut down my computer a dialog box appears stating that my virtual memory is low and Windows is increasing it. I followed the Windows XP instructions for increasing virtual memory (from 718 MB to 750 MB) but when I click the "Set" button, a message appears telling me to "enter a numeric value for the initial page file size". Since I had already entered the size, I ignored the message, clicked OK, but, of course, the new size was not accepted. How do I get the system to accept the value I entered.

Thanks for your help.
Helen

Hi Helen and welcome.

Are you entering a value for both initial and maximum, then hitting set? I would either "let Windows manage it" or set both the initial and maximum to the same setting. For XP, I usually use 1024 for both values.

Note too that you will get this message if you are running low on free disk space. So, if that is the case, you might want to run Disk Cleanup, and maybe uninstall some programs you don't use.

Thanks for replying, Digerati, and yes, I have tried setting the same value for both initial and maximum page size file. The result is the same whether I use the same value in both boxes, or set a lower size for initial, and higher value for maximum -- "enter a numeric value for the initial page size." I currently have it set to "let Windows manage it," but on shutting down at night I still get the dialog box telling me that virtual memory is low and windows is increasing it.

I just recently installed a new hard drive (same size as the one that failed) and have plenty of disk space and memory. This issue never occurred w/my old drive and I had more programs installed before so I'm really stumped. I suppose that since this only crops up at shutdown, I should just consider this an idiosyncrasy and live with it -- but it bugs me because I don't understand why Windows refuses to recognize the values I'm trying to set.
H.

How much memory do you have? If you really don't have enough ram (certainly more than 512 mb & preferably 1 gb or more for xp) and therefore windows is relying heavily on virtual memory then I doubt that 32 mb is really going to help out a lot. If you have the room I recommend a minimum of 1 gb (1024 mb) of virtual memory. Also how large is your drive? Now much room is free? Windows needs for at least 15% of it to be free for proper operation. If you don't have that much available that might be why you are getting that error.

Note that is 15% free on the boot drive. Windows does not care how much free space is on secondary drives unless you have moved your Page File, or temporary drive locations to them.

Did you run Disk Cleanup as suggested above?

Hard drive: Western Digital 80 GB. 70.6 GB is allocated to Drive C -- 60.6 GB is free space.
I have 512 MB Ram installed. Recommended paging file size is 718 MB, with 719 MB currently allocated. This system has been running Windows XP Home Edition with no difficulty since 2002, and I have no plans to add more memory. I'm only keeping it running because my big new Windows 7 computer will not run my old Sharp laser printer and older (32 bit) programs. The only problem I have is getting Windows to recognize the larger values that I am trying to enter to increase the paging file size: I am entering "750 MB" (no quotation marks) and it keeps asking me to "enter a numeric value for the initial page file size". Isn't "750 MB" a numeric value?

Do not enter "MB", just enter a number.

Like I said with XP the recommended minimum is 1 gb and that is because of today's programs which consume more resources than in 2002 when XP was released (make sense?). But I understand if you don't want an upgrade on memory if it isn't your primary computer. If it weren't my primary computer I wouldn't upgrade either. You should still have an adequately sized page file for virtual memory because without it Windows can't function very well especially if you don't have a lot of ram. I don't know what all you use it for or how much ram the programs on your computer are using but if all of the programs combined are using more than the physical ram & the amount allotted to virtual memory then you will get that error because windows doesn't know what to do. That would be like fitting 20 people into a 4 seat car. Now if that is why you are getting that error then I doubt that 32 mb extra is going to fix it because that isn't a lot. You have 60 gb free so I recommend 1 gb (1024 mb) minimum for virtual memory. Dan is right in that you just enter in a numerical value. Let us know if you are or if you try that and it doesn't work.

Thanks for your help, Dan, problem is now resolved. New value has been accepted, and no more virtual memory error messages on shutdown. Thanks to all who took the time to respond.
Helen

Hmmm, I just learned something. I did not realize it would even accept letters. I thought it was a numeric field only. Good catch Dan.

Thank for the followup, Helen.