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I am running a Compaq Presario 2100 using XP. It is running slow, even after a format and reinstall on my system. The information says I have 250MB of total physical RAM, but only 21.51MB available. I don’t have any extra programs installed.

These days, having 250MB of RAM with Windows XP just isn’t enough to keep it running at the desired speed. The very lower limit for XP is 512, which is what I would suggest you put into your computer. Luckily, it is pretty cheap, and easy to do at home in less than five minutes.

RAM

RAM or Random Access Memory, is where the processor puts the executable file from the hard drive when you are running programs. MS Word, Excel and other programs take up a lot of memory. If you are looking at an internet page with a lot of graphics, playing a game or opening several documents at one time, you can easily use up more than 100MB of RAM. Adding RAM to your machine can make it faster - with more RAM, the computer doesn’t have to “swap” programs in and out while it’s running.

Adding RAM

I’m recommending 512MB of RAM for your Compaq. You can add 1GB, but you probably won’t see a noticeably faster performance. Luckily, you can pick up 512 MB of RAM for about $30 either at a computer store or on the Internet. Your model has two bays of two sockets each for a total of four memory sockets, so you can support up to four individual RAM modules.

You can find video guides all over the web that will show you how to add RAM, but it’s so easy you probably won’t need it. Follow these steps:

1. Turn off, unplug and remove the battery from the laptop.
2. Locate the bottom panel that allows you to access the memory modules. Note that the screws don’t come completely off the panel. Unscrew them and pull the panel off.
3. Remove existing memory if you are going to replace it. If not, just put the new RAM in an empty bay.
4. Align the notch in the memory module with the notch in the slot. Insert it at a 45 degree angle and gently push it in until it clicks.
5. Replace the panels.
6. You can get into BIOS by pressing F2 when you power up to see the new memory. It will be less than 512MB because of shared memory.

Once you’ve cleaned your system, adding the right amount of RAM to your laptop should get it running at maximum speed.

 Virtual memory is the management system used by a computer to maximize the use of Random Access Memory (RAM). Virtual memory assigns locations of RAM to multiple applications in a dynamic system to allow RAM to be used efficiently. Problems with virtual memory will cause programs to shut down, and errors to occur in processes.

There are a number of ways virtual memory can become vulnerable to problems. The first and most common are the habits of a user. Opening too many programs or constantly double-clicking on an application to open it will overtax the system. If you are wondering if you have too many applications running, click CTRL-ALT-DELETE to see the requests for virtual memory.

Another common gobbler of virtual memory are loops, or processes running over and over again. Loops are commonly found in spyware, viruses, and other malware applications covertly installed on a computer system. These programs and processes running in the background can steal processing power for the original owner of the malware, or collect and transmit personal data to a third-party source. The best protection against these types of applications is a robust anti-virus or malware application like Paretologic Anti-Spyware, or Paretologic XoftSpySE.

Finally, users may not realize legitimate programs and applications are still running even though the user is not using them. Media players, email clients, and instant messaging programs are notorious for continuing to run after the user “Xs out.” A right-click on these small icons in the Task Bar can force a complete quit. Or, these programs can be stopped from the CTRL-ALT-DELETE window under the Processes tab. Caution, the Processes tab includes many processes necessary for the operations of Windows, so users should only stop processes they are familiar with and know are not vital to the operating system.

Virtual memory allows an operating system to efficiently use physical memory (RAM) in multi-tasking. Programs are assigned blocks or “pages” of memory and tricked into thinking they are using a whole part of memory. In reality, the memory was broken down into smaller pieces each given an address, and the program is assigned memory addresses by the operating system. These addresses to locations of memory are what make up a virtual memory system.

The virtual memory system is what allows the computer to appropriately use the short-term RAM to pull and execute files from the long-term storage of the hard drive. Virtual memory allocates more memory addresses, or pages, than the computer’s RAM can handle, assuming not every program will run at one time. In fact, it can take only a few running programs to overtax virtual memory and RAM on a computer.

Virtual memory is similar in principle to an airline: only so many seats can be occupied at one time, but the airlines regularly overbook in anticipation not everyone will show up to fly. When everyone booked for a particular airplane does arrive, that’s a big problem. The same thing happens in a computer. When a bunch of programs demand their assigned virtual memory addresses all at once, the processor and RAM become overwhelmed resulting in a “stuck” computer.

Pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete on your computer and clicking the processes tab will give you an idea of just how many tasks your computer is running at one time. Certain large processes are required for Windows to operate, like systray and explorer. Sometimes programs and processes are running without a user’s knowledge, these are typically called spyware or malware programs.

Proper administration of programs and processes will help alleviate stress on a computer’s virtual memory system. Another way to increase virtual memory is to increase the amount of RAM in the CPU. This can be done by a local computer technician, or on your own if you are knowledgeable about the inner workings of a computer. Another solution, if the problem is malware or spyware, is to remove those programs from your system manually or with the use of a spyware removal program.

The bottom line to remember is your computer was not designed to run every single program at the same time. The more programs and windows you have running at one time, the more taxing the activity is on the virtual memory system. Constant monitoring of your systems processes can help identify why a virtual memory system is overtaxed and causing a noticeable slower response time. Common causes of slow computing time include an overworked virtual memory system from a lack of RAM, infection by spyware, and running too many programs at once.