Short form: I want to use a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick as RAM, but seem to be unable to use more than 4GB, due to the system requirements, limiting what I can enter for values (size). WHY?? More detail: The computer is a desktop machine, having a 3.0GHz dual-core processor, and 4GB RAM installed. I believe the hard drive is a 1T. I have a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick, which I want to use to boost the RAM, for games, and such. There are 3 spare USB ports on the back of the tower. The flash drive is new, with NO files saved on it. When I go into the Settings; Computer; Virtual Memory, the computer is not allowing me to enter a value greater than 4096 in the field for "Initial Size" or "Maximum Size", for the Page File of the USB drive. The Value for C: that I see is: "2096-4092". Main Question: Is there some reason why I cannot allocate more of the memory stick for RAM? (Does the flash drive need to be formatted?) Does the values for C: need to be changed? I presently have "4090" entered for values "Initial Size" and "Maximum Size" in the custom size, for the Page File of the USB Drive. Screenshot provided of Virtual Memory Settings screen: (you can see the L: drive settings (selected), and the C: settings, also) http://prntscr.com/336ocy Question 2: Also, is the "4G" of RAM which I have added to the machine, being added to the 4GB which is already installed in the tower? Question 3: Does the OS wait until the system RAM is full before using the External RAM? Thanks! edit to add: What I learned from Microsoft article "How To Set Performance Options in Windows XP": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417/en-us To manually change the size of virtual memory, follow these steps: ... Note After you change the size of the paging file, you may be prompted to restart Windows. If you are prompted to restart, the changes will not take effect until Windows is restarted. ... To have Windows select the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. For example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size is 384 MB, and the maximum size is 1152 MB. For best performance, do not set the initial size to less than the minimum recommended size under Total paging file size for all drives. The recommended size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer. It is good practice to leave the paging file at its recommended size as performance can decrease if a paging file is too large. However, you may increase its size if you frequently use programs that use lots of memory , such as graphics programs or games. What I am unclear of here, is that, as you can see in the screenshot, the Recommended Size under Total paging file size for all drives is 3019M. And, the values set for the Paging File in C are 2046-4092 . The tower has been rebuilt, and has 4GB RAM . I do not know if these numbers reflect an original build of 2GB, whereas 3GB (3019M) would be 1.5 times the installed RAM, perhaps. Under Virtual Memory, I see the following (shown in screenshot): Drive C Space available: 725194MB *Custom Size Initial Size: 2046 Maximum Size: 4092 Total paging file size for all Drives Minimum allowed: 2MB Recommended: 3019MB Currently Allocated: 2046MB Given that the system has 4GB RAM installed, shouldn't the minimum be 1.5 times that value, or ~6000MB ? (not 3019MB), and the maximum be 3 times ? (not 4092) "The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size." Can I change the values on the Virtual memory for C drive to 2046-12000MB ? That is what I am reading from the article. But, it also says to not have a paging file on the same drive as the programs. "Try to avoid having a paging file on the same drive as the system files, usually drive C." Also, why am I unable to enter values greater than 4096 for the USB drive in Initial or Maximum? I also have a question as to whether I should select "Programs" or "System Cache" in memory usage, due to the cache requirements of games, running very few programs. edit 2: I learned that the usb drive needs to be formatted in NTFS, so I did that, which isn't easy, as that isn't a selection in the choices in the Format menu, without going into Device Mgr. A friend was telling me about formatting a usb drive ex-fat for a newer application, and got me thinking. I had selected FAT32 for this one, and had noticed no change in the page file graph usage after adding the drive, like it wasn't getting any data placed on it. So, as custom settings for this USB drive, I have the Initial value at 4091 and the Maximum at 4096, with "System Cache" selected as opposed to "Programs" in Memory usage, in Performance settings. Any answers or tips would be appreciated. Am I on the right track?

Thanks. I was able to use the Toshiba Disc Creator, with a little help from your tutorial link, but is the disc bootable? We'll see. I was unable to get that other software to even download. (ImgBurn) "Error downloading File Not Found: (404)" But, I did get some Mobogenie app or toolbar which I had to remove. Now, are you saying to power the machine OFF with the cd in the drive, then power ON, and the cd will auto run the memory diag program? The website seems to indicate this, as well, but not very clearly. I will read the page on the utility again. "When the program loads, it immediately begins scanning your RAM." Is this what happens when you restart with the cd in the drive? Or, does 'bootable' simply mean that is starts to run when it is inserted in the drive?

http://support.toshiba.ca/support/ceg/tsb/en/view.asp?docid=TSB000026 John

I found in Toshiba Disc Creator, the 'Bootable Disc Settings' But, when I click browse, and select the file windiag.iso I get a popup dialog box with the following message: "The selected file is of the wrong format to be used as a boot image. Please verify the file type." (The laptop machine with Windows 7 is a Toshiba). I will try ImgBurn

If you have a floppy drive and floppy diskettes then you can create a bootable floppy and use it to boot the computer. If you do not have a floppy drive have the utility save the CD file to the hard disk, it will be an .iso file. Then burn the .iso file to a CD, Windows XP cannot do this natively, you have to use third party software like ImgBurn to burn the image to CD, Windows 7 can do this natively (without third party burning tools). John

Windows Memory Diagnostic from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.09.utilityspotlight.aspx Save CD Image to Disk, from which you can save an ISO image of the program to your hard drive. Then you can burn that image onto a CD and make it bootable using CD creation software. After you build your bootable media, reboot your PC and start the diagnostic from the floppy or CD. Does this mean that first I save the file to hard drive. Then, burn the file onto cd? (What is meant by 'make it bootable')? "...reboot your PC and start the diagnostic from the floppy or CD." You also said to reboot the machine with the cd. Does this mean, install the cd before powering down the machine, and then do a restart? Does the machine automatically start the program from the cd?

Having trouble: Adding RAM with a USB memory stick to a Windows XP desktop that has 4GB installed

Anonymous

Short form:

I want to use a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick as RAM, but seem to be unable to use more than 4GB, due to the system requirements, limiting what I can enter for values (size). WHY??

More detail:

The computer is a desktop machine, having a 3.0GHz dual-core processor, and 4GB RAM installed. I believe the hard drive is a 1T.

I have a 16GB USB flash drive memory stick, which I want to use to boost the RAM, for games, and such. There are 3 spare USB ports on the back of the tower. The flash drive is new, with NO files saved on it.

When I go into the Settings; Computer; Virtual Memory, the computer is not allowing me to enter a value greater than 4096 in the field for "Initial Size" or "Maximum Size", for the Page File of the USB drive.

The Value for C: that I see is: "2096-4092".

Main Question:

Is there some reason why I cannot allocate more of the memory stick for RAM?

(Does the flash drive need to be formatted?)

Does the values for C: need to be changed?

I presently have "4090" entered for values "Initial Size" and "Maximum Size" in the custom size, for the Page File of the USB Drive.

Screenshot provided of Virtual Memory Settings screen: (you can see the L: drive settings (selected), and the C: settings, also)

http://prntscr.com/336ocy

Question 2:

Also, is the "4G" of RAM which I have added to the machine, being added to the 4GB which is already installed in the tower?

Question 3:

Does the OS wait until the system RAM is full before using the External RAM?

Thanks!

edit to add:

What I learned from Microsoft article "How To Set Performance Options in Windows XP":

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308417/en-us

To manually change the size of virtual memory, follow these steps:

...Note After you change the size of the paging file, you may be prompted to restart Windows. If you are prompted to restart, the changes will not take effect until Windows is restarted.

...

To have Windows select the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. For example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size is 384 MB, and the maximum size is 1152 MB.
For best performance, do not set the initial size to less than the minimum recommended size under Total paging file size for all drives. The recommended size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer. It is good practice to leave the paging file at its recommended size as performance can decrease if a paging file is too large. However, you may increase its size if you frequently use programs that use lots of memory, such as graphics programs or games.

What I am unclear of here, is that, as you can see in the screenshot, the Recommended Size under Total paging file size for all drives is 3019M.

And, the values set for the Paging File in C are 2046-4092.

The tower has been rebuilt, and has 4GB RAM.

I do not know if these numbers reflect an original build of 2GB, whereas 3GB (3019M) would be 1.5 times the installed RAM, perhaps.

Under Virtual Memory, I see the following (shown in screenshot):

Drive C

Space available: 725194MB

*Custom Size

Initial Size: 2046

Maximum Size: 4092

Total paging file size for all Drives

Minimum allowed: 2MB

Recommended: 3019MB

Currently Allocated: 2046MB

Given that the system has 4GB RAM installed, shouldn't the minimum be 1.5 times that value, or ~6000MB ? (not 3019MB), and the maximum be 3 times ? (not 4092)

"The recommended minimum size is the same as 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size."

Can I change the values on the Virtual memory for C drive to 2046-12000MB ?

That is what I am reading from the article. But, it also says to not have a paging file on the same drive as the programs.

"Try to avoid having a paging file on the same drive as the system files, usually drive C."

Also, why am I unable to enter values greater than 4096 for the USB drive in Initial or Maximum?

I also have a question as to whether I should select "Programs" or "System Cache" in memory usage, due to the cache requirements of games, running very few programs.

edit 2:

I learned that the usb drive needs to be formatted in NTFS, so I did that, which isn't easy, as that isn't a selection in the choices in the Format menu, without going into Device Mgr.

A friend was telling me about formatting a usb drive ex-fat for a newer application, and got me thinking. I had selected FAT32 for this one, and had noticed no change in the page file graph usage after adding the drive, like it wasn't getting any data placed on it.

So, as custom settings for this USB drive, I have the Initial value at 4091 and the Maximum at 4096, with "System Cache" selected as opposed to "Programs" in Memory usage, in Performance settings.

Any answers or tips would be appreciated.

Am I on the right track?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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149 answers

Anonymous

2014-03-31T03:21:26+00:00

Thanks. I was able to use the Toshiba Disc Creator, with a little help from your tutorial link, but is the disc bootable?

We'll see.

I was unable to get that other software to even download. (ImgBurn)

"Error downloading File Not Found: (404)"

But, I did get some Mobogenie app or toolbar which I had to remove.

Now, are you saying to power the machine OFF with the cd in the drive, then power ON, and the cd will auto run the memory diag program?

The website seems to indicate this, as well, but not very clearly. I will read the page on the utility again.

"When the program loads, it immediately begins scanning your RAM."

Is this what happens when you restart with the cd in the drive? Or, does 'bootable' simply mean that is starts to run when it is inserted in the drive?
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Anonymous

2014-03-31T03:06:02+00:00

http://support.toshiba.ca/support/ceg/tsb/en/view.asp?docid=TSB000026

John
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Anonymous

2014-03-31T02:54:43+00:00

I found in Toshiba Disc Creator, the 'Bootable Disc Settings'

But, when I click browse, and select the file windiag.iso I get a popup dialog box with the following message:

"The selected file is of the wrong format to be used as a boot image. Please verify the file type."

(The laptop machine with Windows 7 is a Toshiba). I will try ImgBurn
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-03-31T02:38:06+00:00

If you have a floppy drive and floppy diskettes then you can create a bootable floppy and use it to boot the computer. If you do not have a floppy drive have the utility save the CD file to the hard disk, it will be an .iso file. Then burn the .iso file to a CD, Windows XP cannot do this natively, you have to use third party software like ImgBurn to burn the image to CD, Windows 7 can do this natively (without third party burning tools).

John
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Anonymous

2014-03-31T02:22:14+00:00
Windows Memory Diagnostic

from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.09.utilityspotlight.aspx
- Save CD Image to Disk, from which you can save an ISO image of the program to your hard drive. Then you can burn that image onto a CD and make it bootable using CD creation software. After you build your bootable media, reboot your PC and start the diagnostic from the floppy or CD.
Does this mean that first I save the file to hard drive.

Then, burn the file onto cd? (What is meant by 'make it bootable')?

"...reboot your PC and start the diagnostic from the floppy or CD."

You also said to reboot the machine with the cd. Does this mean, install the cd before powering down the machine, and then do a restart?

Does the machine automatically start the program from the cd?
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments