Your computer has two types of memory, Random Access Memory (RAM) and Virtual Memory. All programs use RAM, but when there isn't enough RAM for the program you're trying to run, Windows temporarily moves information that would usually be stored in RAM to a file on your hard disk called a Paging File. The amount of data temporarily stored in a paging file is also referred to as virtual memory. Using virtual memory, in other words, moving information to and from the paging file, frees up enough RAM for programs to run correctly.

The more RAM your computer has, the faster your programs will generally run. If a lack of RAM is slowing your computer, you might be tempted to increase virtual memory to compensate. However, your computer can read data from RAM much more quickly than from a hard disk, so adding RAM is a better solution.

If you receive error messages that warn of low virtual memory, you need to either add more RAM or increase your paging file size so that you can run the programs on your computer. Windows usually manages this automatically, but you can manually change the virtual memory size if the default size isn't large enough for your needs.

Change the size of virtual memory

If you receive warnings that your virtual memory is low, you'll need to increase your paging file's minimum size. By default, Windows creates a paging file that can be smaller than the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer. The recommended minimum page file size should be 1.5X the current amount of RAM, and the maximum size should be 3X the minimum (see custom size below). If you see warnings at these recommended levels, then increase the minimum and maximum sizes.

To open the System Properties, press + Pause

In the left pane, click Advanced system settings. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.

Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.

Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.

Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK. There is a formula for calculating the correct pagefile size. Minimum pagefile size is one and a half (1.5) x amount of memory. Maximum pagefile size is three (3) x minimum pagefile size. Say you have 4 Gb (4,096 Mb) of memory. 1.5 x 4,096 = 6,144 Mb would be the min. pagefile size and 3 x 6,144 = 18,432 Mb would be the max. pagefile size.

Note:
Size increases usually don't require a restart for the changes to take effect, but you'll need to restart your computer if you decrease the size. It is recommended that you don't disable or delete the paging file.

One of the questions I often get asked is, "What can I do to maintain my computer". So in this article, I am going to share my five favorite tips for maintaining your Windows-based computer.

Regularly check your drive(s) for errors

This is one of the first things I do when I get a system in the shop. An error on the disk can cause all sorts of issues, so occasionally running a quick standard disk check is recommended. It is always best to try fixing any errors before they become huge problems.

For more information on how to perform a checkdisk, select your operating system below.

How to check your drive(s) for errors in Windows 11

How to check your drive(s) for errors in Windows 10

How to check your drive(s) for errors in Windows 8.1

How to check your drive(s) for errors in Windows 7 / Windows Vista

How to check your drive(s) for errors in Windows XP

Manually defragment and optimize your drive(s)

Even though Windows runs Defrag as part of the routine maintenance (usually weekly), you can always occasionally run it, as it is probably the best single thing you can do to speed up your computer. Imagine a filing cabinet where all of the folders were out of order and files were misplaced throughout the cabinet. How could you find anything? Same thing with your computer's drive. Disk Defragmenter takes care of that for you. And you can run it as a scheduled task too.

Select your operating system below for more information on how to use Disk Defragmenter.

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows 11

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows 10

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows 8.1

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows 7

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows Vista

How to defragment and optimize your drive in Windows XP

Clean up your drive(s) regularly

Now, Windows does include programs to clean up the miscellaneous files that build up over time, but by default, it is not set up to run automatically. You can set up Windows to perform these routine tasks, which include deleting temporary files and emptying the Recycle Bin.

For more information on how to use Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense, select your operating system below.

How to clean up your drive in Windows 11

How to clean up your drive in Windows 10

How to clean up your drive in Windows 8.1

How to clean up your drive in Windows 7 / Windows Vista

Install Windows updates when they become available

Once a month, Microsoft releases security patches called Cumulative Updates. They fix known security issues and should be applied as soon as possible. Microsoft has been using the same schedule for
releasing them for decades now. The second Tuesday of every month is known in the IT world as 'Patch Tuesday', so mark your calendar. And if, for some reason, Windows Update does not work correctly, click on the link below.

Troubleshooting problems with Windows Update

Backup of your computer on a regular schedule

Nothing can beat a complete backup when it comes to getting a computer back running after a drive failure. Sure, a drive failure is an extreme example, but it could be an update that did not install correctly or a corrupt driver that is preventing your system from booting correctly. And the software is already built-in; all you need is an external drive for the backup and a USB flash drive for a repair drive.

How to backup your Windows 11 computer

How to backup your Windows 10 computer

How to backup your Windows 8.1 computer

How to backup your Windows 7 / Windows Vista computer

How to backup your Windows XP computer

In this article, I am going to spotlight Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). This is not Microsoft's first venture into the ant-virus market, but it is probably the best. Having used some of the more well-know anti-virus software (Norton / Symantec, McAfee, etc.) for over a decade, I decided to give MSE a try.

All of the articles I had read on Microsoft Security Essentials were quite positive, so I installed it on my netbook running Windows 7 in June. Since then, I have taken the netbook on several on-site service calls and vacation. I am happy to report that the netbook remains virus-free. What I like is the small footprint the software has. It does not take five minutes to start up Windows, as can happen on systems with limited resources (such as netbooks).

MSE works quite well with Windows 7 built-in firewall. The interface is clean and easy to use, unlike some of the anti-virus software out there. It's easy enough for a novice user to navigate. It also integrates into Windows Update. Here's a quote from Microsoft's website:

Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.

Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.

I encourage you to take a look at Microsoft Security Essentials. It's simple and free.

I recently got an e-mail asking if I knew why the installation of software that was downloaded would fail on Windows 7. This issue is part of Windows 7's User Account Control. Let's say I was surfing the web with Internet Explorer (IE) and clicked to download a file. When the IE download prompt comes up, I can 'Run' or 'Save As' the file. If I select 'Run', I am running the application as a standard user, even if I have administrator privileges. Let me explain.

By default, standard users and administrators access resources and run applications in the security context of standard users. When a user logs on to a computer, the system creates an access token for that user. The access token contains information about the level of access that the user is granted, including specific security identifiers (SIDs) and Windows privileges.

When an administrator logs on, two separate access tokens are created for the user: a standard user access token and an administrator access token. The standard user access token contains the same user-specific information as the administrator access token, but the administrative Windows privileges and SIDs are removed. The standard user access token is used to start applications that do not perform administrative tasks (standard user applications), such as Internet Explorer. The standard user access token is then used to display the desktop (Explorer.exe). As a result, all applications run as a standard user unless a user provides consent or credentials to approve an application to use a full administrative access token.

The best way to be sure you are running a downloaded application with the administrator token is to open Windows Explorer, navigate to the directory you downloaded the file to, right-click on the file and select 'Run as Administrator'.

In this article, I thought I would share my top five favorite Windows 7 features I find most useful.

Calculator

You can use Calculator to perform simple calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Calculator also offers the advanced capabilities of a programming, scientific, and statistical calculator. You can perform calculations by clicking the calculator buttons or type calculations using your keyboard. You can also use the numeric keypad to type numbers and operators by pressing Num Lock.

Command Prompt Here

Command Prompt is a feature of Windows that provides an entry point for typing MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) commands and other computer commands. In Windows 7, Microsoft has integrated the ability to open a Command Prompt from within Windows Explorer. If you have ever had to navigate to a folder or file in DOS, you will love this feature. To do this, hold down the Shift key while right-clicking on a folder in Windows Explorer and select Open command windows here from the context menu.

Aero Shake

Using Aero Shake, you can quickly minimize all open windows on the desktop except the one you want to focus on. Just click the title bar of the window you want to keep open and drag (or shake) the window back and forth quickly, and the other open windows are minimized. To restore the minimized windows, shake the open window again.

Note:

• Some windows, such as open dialog boxes, cannot be minimized using Shake.

To minimize windows using Shake

• For the window you want to keep open, drag (or shake) the title bar back and forth quickly.
  To restore the minimized windows, shake the open window again.

Geek Tip:

• Press Windows logo key + Home to minimize all windows except for the currently active window. Press Windows logo key + Home again to restore all windows.

Aero Snap

You can use Aero Snap to arrange and resize windows on the desktop with a simple mouse movement. Using Aero Snap, you can quickly align windows at the side of the desktop, expand them vertically to the entire height of the screen, or maximize them to fill the desktop. Snap can be especially helpful when comparing two documents, copying or moving files between two windows, maximizing the window you’re currently working on, or expanding long documents, so they’re easier to read and require less scrolling.

Aero Flip and Aero Peek

With Aero Flip 3D, you can quickly preview all of your open windows (for example, open files, folders, and documents) without clicking the taskbar. Flip 3D displays your open windows in a stack. At the top of the stack, you'll see one open window. To see other windows, you can flip through the stack.

You can use Aero Peek to take a quick look at other open windows without clicking away from the window you're currently working on. Peek makes it easy for you to preview the contents of open windows and switch to the one you want just by pointing to a program or thumbnail on the Taskbar.