You can configure your PC's virtual memory by these steps.
Right click on My Computer > left click on Properties > Advanced > Settings > Advanced. Under Virtual memory left click on Change.
Select (left click) on the Drive on wich Windows XP is installed. In most cases this will be Drive C.
Select ''No Page file''.
Left click on OK, OK, OK, ignoring any warning messages regarding no page file/virtual memory.
Restart the computer.
Recreate the page file. If the computer seems to become unstable while setting the new page file, again, restart the computer and perform the process in Safe Mode.
Under Drive:
Space available: Select the radio button labeled: Custom size:
To play it safe, in both the Initial (MB)size: and Maximun size: dialogue boxes type the maximum desired virtual memory/page file size (in MB's) provided you have the free memory space to spare. If you don't have enough free memory available enter the amount of memory you can spare, and meanwhile seriously consider getting a larger Hard Drive.
Mine is set to 4096MB (4GB), max. allowed by XP. This may seem like quite a lot (and probably is), but the reason for this is that recent programs/games now require a lot more RAM and virtual memory to function efficiently. This can also hold true when many processes\programs are running simultaniousely.
Some say that Virtual memory should be 1.5 or 2.5 times the size of RAM. This is just a general rule of thumb. Perhaps just doubling or tripling your current VM size will be adaquate. Having a larger pagefile size does not hurt performance, it only takes up a bit of additional disk space.
After setting the new page file size left click on
OK > OK > OK. Then restart the computer.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Fix CMOS Checksum Error
If you are a computer user, chances are that you may have encountered or currently encountering the dreaded CMOS Checksum Bad Error. The good news is that for the most part, while this error can cause frustration, it can usually be fixed in a short amount of time and with only minor tinkering. Here are some tips.
The Error Explained
The CMOS Checksum Bad Error is an error that occurs when the CMOS values are incorrect. Usually to guard your Bios software, your CMOS memory stores a specific value, each time you boot up your computer this value which is a number is checked against the stored value in the CMOS memory. If these two values are different, it causes an error message. If these values are the same, the computer proceeds as normal.
Each computer usually deals with the CMOS Checksum Bad Error differently. Some computers will warn the end user and continue to boot up using settings in the CMOS, other computers might warn the end user and then use the default settings in the BIOS as the correct settings and carry on with a normal boot or reboot. Usually, within the error message it will state which strategy your computer has employed.
What Causes CMOS Checksum Bad Errors?
There are usually three main reasons that a CMOS Checksum Bad Error has occurred. They include:
Situation Remedies
If you have encountered this error and would like to fix your computer, here are some remedies for each situation:
CMOS Battery Not Functioning Properly: If you suspect your CMOS battery is not functioning properly you can easily change it. Before changing your battery, reboot your computer to make sure that the error still exists. If it does, go into your CMOS and write down all of the settings. If all settings are lost, you can usually get them from your computer manufacturer. Now locate the battery and remove it, you might need to consult your computers manual or tech support to remove your battery. Take down the CMOS batteries information such as volt, size, etc. Once you have your new battery, you can replace it and reenter your CMOS settings. If your battery was the cause of the CMOS Checksum Bad Error, you should have remedied the problem.
Your BIOS has Been Updated (either by you or possibly a virus): If your BIOS has been updated recently, your CMOS settings may have become reset. Make sure that the values entered in the BIOS are correct or simply reset them to the default settings. If you believe that a virus updated your BIOS settings, run a virus scan and make sure that the BIOS settings are back to the default.
The Computer Was Shut Down Improperly: Sometimes when running MS Windows, if you shut down your laptop or desktop without first properly shutting down your operating system it will corrupt the CMOS settings causing the CMOS Checksum Bad Error. You can easily avoid this error by making sure that you completely shut down your computer before turning off the power. Usually this entails going into the Start Menu/ Turn Off Computer/ Shut Down. If you received the error, shut down the computer properly, if this is the cause of the error, the error message will not return.
The Error Explained
The CMOS Checksum Bad Error is an error that occurs when the CMOS values are incorrect. Usually to guard your Bios software, your CMOS memory stores a specific value, each time you boot up your computer this value which is a number is checked against the stored value in the CMOS memory. If these two values are different, it causes an error message. If these values are the same, the computer proceeds as normal.
Each computer usually deals with the CMOS Checksum Bad Error differently. Some computers will warn the end user and continue to boot up using settings in the CMOS, other computers might warn the end user and then use the default settings in the BIOS as the correct settings and carry on with a normal boot or reboot. Usually, within the error message it will state which strategy your computer has employed.
What Causes CMOS Checksum Bad Errors?
There are usually three main reasons that a CMOS Checksum Bad Error has occurred. They include:
- CMOS Battery not functioning properly
- Your BIOS has been updated (either by you or possibly a virus)
- The computer was shut down improperly (e.g. shutting off the computer's power without first shutting down the computer (MS Windows requires you to shut down your computer before shutting off the power).
Situation Remedies
If you have encountered this error and would like to fix your computer, here are some remedies for each situation:
CMOS Battery Not Functioning Properly: If you suspect your CMOS battery is not functioning properly you can easily change it. Before changing your battery, reboot your computer to make sure that the error still exists. If it does, go into your CMOS and write down all of the settings. If all settings are lost, you can usually get them from your computer manufacturer. Now locate the battery and remove it, you might need to consult your computers manual or tech support to remove your battery. Take down the CMOS batteries information such as volt, size, etc. Once you have your new battery, you can replace it and reenter your CMOS settings. If your battery was the cause of the CMOS Checksum Bad Error, you should have remedied the problem.
Your BIOS has Been Updated (either by you or possibly a virus): If your BIOS has been updated recently, your CMOS settings may have become reset. Make sure that the values entered in the BIOS are correct or simply reset them to the default settings. If you believe that a virus updated your BIOS settings, run a virus scan and make sure that the BIOS settings are back to the default.
The Computer Was Shut Down Improperly: Sometimes when running MS Windows, if you shut down your laptop or desktop without first properly shutting down your operating system it will corrupt the CMOS settings causing the CMOS Checksum Bad Error. You can easily avoid this error by making sure that you completely shut down your computer before turning off the power. Usually this entails going into the Start Menu/ Turn Off Computer/ Shut Down. If you received the error, shut down the computer properly, if this is the cause of the error, the error message will not return.
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