Background Programs / Virtual Memory

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Our newest desktop PC came with XP loaded. We purchased it so the kids could play the current, more involved games.
Although there have been other glitches, the one we're dealing with now is running a saved game from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (LucasArts,BioWare). Each time we load the saved game, finally get through the storyline and get ready to exit the ship on Dantooine, the game freezes (Send error message box comes up).
Going to the game support pages it offers two possible solutions:
1) turn off programs running in the background
2) increase amount of virtual memory

I'm familiar with Ctrl+Alt+Del getting to the running program box and ending a task. However, I can't tell what any of the programs are by the letters/abbreviations that show up. No matter which one I click to end, a Warning box pops up telling me this could interfere with other programs. If I guess wrong, Windows shuts down/restarts.

So how do I indentify the programs abbreviated in the Task Manager box? How do I know which ones I can safely close/disable/stop?

And after all that, if I still need to increase the virtual memory, how do I do that?

Answers in American English (not tech-speak) would be greatly appreciated.
--
Thanks for your help!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Virtual memory can be increased with either adding another hd,or increasing
ram memory.To chk,R.click my computer,properties,advanced,virtual memory,
change button,the amount is shown.Min should be 1 1/2 X ram,max is 3X ram.
Letting windows manage is best,if you added a hd,youd set up with,let windows
manage (both), click set 2X,then reboot,reopen after,youll see 2X the amount.
I wouldnt worry to much on running processes in games,xp usually runs them
at min.,or shuts them down during.

"Still Learning" wrote:

> Our newest desktop PC came with XP loaded. We purchased it so the kids could play the current, more involved games.
> Although there have been other glitches, the one we're dealing with now is running a saved game from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (LucasArts,BioWare). Each time we load the saved game, finally get through the storyline and get ready to exit the ship on Dantooine, the game freezes (Send error message box comes up).
> Going to the game support pages it offers two possible solutions:
> 1) turn off programs running in the background
> 2) increase amount of virtual memory
>
> I'm familiar with Ctrl+Alt+Del getting to the running program box and ending a task. However, I can't tell what any of the programs are by the letters/abbreviations that show up. No matter which one I click to end, a Warning box pops up telling me this could interfere with other programs. If I guess wrong, Windows shuts down/restarts.
>
> So how do I indentify the programs abbreviated in the Task Manager box? How do I know which ones I can safely close/disable/stop?
>
> And after all that, if I still need to increase the virtual memory, how do I do that?
>
> Answers in American English (not tech-speak) would be greatly appreciated.
> --
> Thanks for your help!

 

[Unknown]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Your fist sentence is in error. You need not add a HD or more RAM. Just change
the setting in my computer properties.
"Andrew E" <eckrichco@msn.com> wrote in message
news:1C081F3E-80A0-4EF9-8648-FCC4FA7CB24F@microsoft.com...
> Virtual memory can be increased with either adding another hd,or increasing
> ram memory.To chk,R.click my computer,properties,advanced,virtual memory,
> change button,the amount is shown.Min should be 1 1/2 X ram,max is 3X ram.
> Letting windows manage is best,if you added a hd,youd set up with,let
windows
> manage (both), click set 2X,then reboot,reopen after,youll see 2X the
amount.
> I wouldnt worry to much on running processes in games,xp usually runs them
> at min.,or shuts them down during.
>
> "Still Learning" wrote:
>
> > Our newest desktop PC came with XP loaded. We purchased it so the kids
could play the current, more involved games.
> > Although there have been other glitches, the one we're dealing with now is
running a saved game from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
(LucasArts,BioWare). Each time we load the saved game, finally get through the
storyline and get ready to exit the ship on Dantooine, the game freezes (Send
error message box comes up).
> > Going to the game support pages it offers two possible solutions:
> > 1) turn off programs running in the background
> > 2) increase amount of virtual memory
> >
> > I'm familiar with Ctrl+Alt+Del getting to the running program box and
ending a task. However, I can't tell what any of the programs are by the
letters/abbreviations that show up. No matter which one I click to end, a
Warning box pops up telling me this could interfere with other programs. If I
guess wrong, Windows shuts down/restarts.
> >
> > So how do I indentify the programs abbreviated in the Task Manager box?
How do I know which ones I can safely close/disable/stop?
> >
> > And after all that, if I still need to increase the virtual memory, how do
I do that?
> >
> > Answers in American English (not tech-speak) would be greatly appreciated.
> > --
> > Thanks for your help!