When working with heavy programs, many Windows 10 users periodically encounter a system message that appears about the lack of memory on the computer. What this warning indicates, what kind of memory we are talking about, and what needs to be done in this case, we will talk in this article.
To free up memory for programs to run normally, save your files, and then close and restart any open programs.
Naturally, the message refers to the system's RAM and virtual memory, and not hard drive space. Among the most common reasons for the low memory warning to appear are:
- Too many programs or processes running
- There is not enough random access memory (RAM) on the computer to function properly
- Incorrect paging file configuration (or disabling it completely)
- The system disk has run out of space, preventing the dynamic page file from growing
- Memory leak in one of the programs
Amount of RAM and number of running applications
The first and second reasons, I think, do not require any special comment and are closely related. The solution is to increase the size of RAM on the computer by purchasing an additional memory stick (on a modern system, for comfortable work there should not be less than 4 GB of RAM) and/or close unused resource-intensive applications (you can use the task manager to see how much memory a particular process/program consumes ).
Setting up the swap file
As you probably know, the page file is an extension of your computer's RAM and is a hidden file called pagefile.sys on the system drive into which Windows dumps data from unused (but running) programs in RAM.
By default, the size of the paging file in Windows 10 is controlled by the system (and this is normal). There are MSFT recommendations (simplified) that in modern Windows it recommends setting the initial (minimum) size of the paging file equal to the amount of physical memory (RAM) installed on the computer. In this case, the maximum size of the paging file is limited to three times the amount of physical RAM. However, these recommendations are often violated by the users themselves or by all sorts of “system optimizers”. If the available space in this file is not sufficient to accommodate new data pages of running applications, Windows may issue warnings about insufficient computer memory.
The paging file on disk is, by definition, slower than RAM, so the more data is stored in it and the more actively it is used, the more the system will slow down from the user's point of view. Naturally, the decision to add RAM will be better than increasing the size of the paging file
To avoid the warning, verify that the page file is enabled and change the minimum and maximum page file size.
Not enough hard drive space
Check that there is enough space on the Windows system disk to accommodate the paging file of the sizes specified in the paragraph above. Everything, of course, is individual, but in a modern user edition of Windows, when there is less than 8-10 GB of free space on the system disk, this is not very good.
Memory leak
You can find the process with leaked memory using the task manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del), to do this, go to the tab Details and sort processes by column Memory.
Look to see if there are any programs with abnormal memory consumption on the list (naturally, you need to be aware that in nature there are also resource-intensive applications: games, graphic and video editors, browser, etc.). Try updating/reinstalling/uninstalling such a program (everything is very individual here, perhaps a bug with a specific program has already been described by the manufacturer or on a specialized forum). In some cases, it’s worth checking whether it’s enabled (this feature can sometimes help save RAM a lot).
If the memory leak is associated with one of the drivers or system components, the utility will help identify the problematic driver Poolmon(the technique is described in the article).
Owners of budget tablets running Windows, when updating the system to the latest version (for example, from Windows 10 version 1511 to), often encounter the problem of insufficient Flash memory on the gadget’s built-in storage. The solution may be temporary or permanent, but another method can also be used, not so radical.
What do we need
To install a major Windows 10 update on a device with limited free disk space, you only need a few things:
- An installation flash drive containing the latest version of the operating system (that is, the same update that you plan to install). The drive can be microSD or USB with a capacity of 16 GB (an 8 GB flash drive will not be enough);
- If you only have a USB flash drive on hand, and the device on which you plan to install the update has only a MicroUSB port, then you will additionally need a USB OTG adapter that allows you to connect a USB 2.0 or 3.0 standard device to the MicroUSB port.
How to create a Windows 10 installation flash drive
As mentioned above, to implement our plan we will need a flash drive with the latest Windows 10 installation files. If you already have one, great, just make sure that the architecture of the files on it matches the architecture of the operating system on which you will roll the update, since you You will not be able to install an update from a flash drive containing a 64-bit version of the OS if the tablet is currently using a 32-bit version, and vice versa. Also, make sure that your installation drive contains an operating system edition that matches the OS edition on the device on which you will install the update, otherwise activation will fail after installation and you will need a new product key.
If you don’t have an installation disk, create it using the official Media Creation Tool, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft website by clicking the “Download tool now” button.
So, launch the Media Creation Tool on the tablet, check the option “Create installation media for another computer.”
If necessary, we select the language, edition and architecture, but usually the Media Creation Tool determines the correct parameters automatically.
Select “USB flash memory device” as the media type.
Select our media from the list. Click “Next” and wait for the files to download. At the end, click “Done”.
Installing Windows 10 update
After creating the installation disk, you can proceed directly to installing the update.
Open the flash drive in Explorer, run the Setup.exe file and follow the instructions of the installation wizard, not forgetting to select the “Keep personal files and applications” option along the way.
When the installation program reports that “Windows requires more space,” click “Select another drive or connect an external drive...” and select our external drive from which to install, i.e. it will serve us not only as a source of installation files, but also as a temporary storage in which the installer will save all the files necessary for the update procedure.
Click the “Update” button, and then “Install”. We are waiting for the installation to complete. The installation will complete after a few black screens and reboots when you return to your desktop.
Note: On some tablets, the MicroUSB port simultaneously serves for charging and data transfer, which makes the update process a little more complicated if a USB flash drive is used to store temporary files. Therefore, before you start updating, make sure that your tablet's battery is fully charged.
Have a great day!
After the release of such “heavy” games as Asphalt 7, Modern Combat 4, etc. Many owners of Windows Phone smartphones have a memory problem. In this article I will tell you how you can “scrape” a gigabyte or two from the “others” folder.
What is the problem? It's all in the mysterious "others" folder. Almost everything is stored in it. Starting from the application cache, ending with copies of photos that you recently uploaded to SkyDrive. But you cannot clean this folder using standard Windows Phone tools.
Moreover, to install the same Asphalt 7 you will need not 1 gigabyte, but as many as 4. After all, to install you need to download the installation file, then you need to unzip it, only after that you can enjoy the game. Oh yes, you still need space for the cache. Below are the methods by which I was able to free up memory on Windows Phone HTC 8s.
Method one
If you like to take photographs, then you probably use automatic photo uploading to SkyDrive? Then this method will not suit you. You can disable this feature and your memory will no longer be filled with copies of photos.
Method two
If you don’t want to bother installing special programs and looking for perverted ways to clear the memory of Windows Phone, then I can only advise you to completely reset your smartphone. After setting up your smartphone, you will be able to find about 400 megabytes of free space.
Method three
Artificial memory filling! Yes, you heard right. The thing is that the system itself knows how to get rid of unnecessary files. It's enough to give her a reason to do it. For example, fill up all the free space. In this case, the system will try to free memory.
Patient One - Shink Storage
The program is not convenient and has not been translated into Russian. And the memory filling process is not displayed. And after the memory is full, it requires a reboot of the smartphone. You can download it completely free of charge.
Patient two - Storage Cleaner
Now this is more interesting. The program is in Russian, has instructions, displays the process of filling the memory, and does not require a reboot. It deletes not only copies of photos, but also installation files, recognizes unnecessary program cache and deletes it. You can also download it for free.
Hope these solutions help you :)
Also, not long ago Nokia released an update for its smartphones. This update contained a feature (if you haven’t found this, look in the settings). With its help, you can find out which application is taking up your free memory.
After checking, you can remove the insidious program and reinstall it. This will remove unnecessary program cache.
Also, Joe Belfiore (Vice President of Microsoft) promised to fix the memory problem in future updates. Well, we hope and wait.
Did the solutions I suggested help you?! We share our experiences and reviews in the comments!
Windows 10, with each major update (Anniversary Update, Creators Update), creates a Windows.old folder on the system disk, which contains files from the old version of the system: this is done so that you can roll back the system if something in the new version does not suit you arranged.
However, the problem is that the weight of this folder is often 10 GB - on devices with drives of 500-1000 GB, this volume most likely exists, but on tablets or laptops the system SSD volume can be only 64-128 GB, and They may not have 10 free GB. And especially for these devices, Microsoft has made it possible to create a backup of the old system on another disk. However, alas, yes, the backup will be on another disk, but to install the update itself, you still need to free up about 6-7 GB on the system disk. But, you see, this is still easier to do than freeing up about 20 GB (10 for backup and 6-7 for installation).
In order to take advantage of this, download a tool for creating a bootable flash drive from the official Microsoft website. Launch it, agree to the terms, then select “Create an installation drive”, agree to use the recommended settings for your PC, and select your flash drive: 
After creating a bootable USB flash drive, open it in Explorer, run Setup.exe, click on “Save personal files and applications.” After the installer informs you that “Windows requires more space,” connect a drive to the PC (any one with a capacity of more than 10 GB, you can even use an SD card), then click on “Select another drive or connect an external drive...” and indicate this drive: 
That's it, now we continue the update as usual. After its completion, if you are satisfied with everything in the new version of the system, you can delete the backup folder on the external drive.
Installing the new Windows 10 on new and small tablets is a serious task in itself, even for strong enthusiasts of this matter. But using this operating system on this kind of product, as it turns out, is even more exciting.
However, if you succeed in installing it, then you can also use it later, although not without “grinding teeth.”
For example, just now I was able to observe Windows 10 on a 7-inch Toshiba Encore WT7 (with a 1.33 GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory) and, I must say, if you plan to do the same trick with a similar tablet, then you won’t be able to will prevent you from knowing what awaits you after the successful completion of the Windows 10 installation.
So, Windows 10 on a small 7-inch tablet: how to live with it then? So this means:
- perspective No. 1 - looking for an SD card
If the built-in memory in your tablet, as in our Encore, is not initially large (16GB is definitely not enough), then you will need a memory card with a larger capacity in preparation for the very first attempt to install Windows 10 on this device. Experts recommend how to start the procedure for installing a new OS, connect to the tablet another SD card with at least 8 gigabytes or a blank flash drive of similar or larger capacity.
- perspective No. 2 - regularly clear the memory
Most likely, you will have to carry out this activity not just often, but almost constantly, because the tablet’s memory fills up very quickly and then it begins to “stupid” with a vengeance. You can free up scarce megabytes either using the standard Windows 10 utility, Disk Cleanup, or download a free, more advanced program (for example). By the way, you will need to remove unnecessary things immediately after completing the installation of Win 10; at a minimum, you should delete system files.
- perspective No. 3 - “getting rid of” OneDrive
It is clear that if you, as a real advanced user, are already accustomed to OneDrive, then you are unlikely to like the prospect of disabling this service on any of your mobile and non-mobile devices. However, the inherent lack of memory and processing power, characteristic of many Windows tablets, will in any case make itself felt and very soon force one to seek compromises. And disabling OneDrive is still one of the quick and effective ways to significantly relieve the load on your tablet’s system. In addition, you can access OneDrive through a browser.
Let us remind you: To disable the 10 OneDrive service in Windows 10, you need to go to the settings of this application (the icon on the toolbar), tap the “Unlink from OneDrive” button and in the same place, but a little higher, uncheck the “Automatically start OneDrive when you log into Windows” . And believe me, after this your tablet with the new Win 10 will work much faster.
