How to Handle the Problem that the System Memory Cannot Be Applied for in the Windows Operating System

Question

The Windows operating system has available physical memory. However, the system process cannot apply for memory.

Answer

According to the memory management mechanism of the Windows operating system, the computer has two types of memory: physical memory (RAM) and virtual memory. All processes use the RAM. However, when the RAM is insufficient, the Windows operating system moves information stored in the RAM to the page file (virtual memory) on the hard disk. When the virtual memory is used, the system can release sufficient RAM space so that programs can run properly.

The Virtual Memory: Available parameter specifies the allocatable memory of the operating system. To view the value of the parameter, run the Systeminfo command.

For example, run the Systeminfo command in the CLI. The following information is displayed:

Total Physical Memory:     8,184 MB 
Available Physical Memory:     2,223 MB 
Virtual Memory: Max Size:     18,413 MB 
Virtual Memory: Available:     125 MB
Virtual Memory: In Use:     18,288 MB

If the value of Available Physical Memory is great (2223 MB) but the value of Virtual Memory: Available is small (125 MB), the system process cannot apply for memory.

Virtual Memory: Max Size = Total Physical Memory + Page file size

For this scenario, you can increase the physical memory of the system or increase the page file size to increase the available memory space. (For details, see the help of the Windows operating system.)