Physical vs Virtual memory

[Capt.Propwash]

I see lately that FSX requires a HUGE portion of my 4GIG DDR3 physical memory. Is there a way to force it to use more virtual memory, or is there a way to force other 'services' to use the virtual memory thus freeing up the physical?

[Slotback]

There might be a way, but I don't know what it is.

With that said, I don't understand why you would want to. Your processor can access physical memory at speeds of something like 8 gigabytes per second. Virtual memory is on the hard disk is over ten times slower and in some workloads hundreds of times slower.

or is there a way to force other 'services' to use the virtual memory thus freeing up the physical?

Windows 7 on default settings should do that automatically when RAM gets low. Best thing I can say is that you should end unnecessary background services.

[Capt.Propwash]

already have been through START> (RUN) > MSCONFIG and shut down what does not need to be there.. as well as running GAME BOOSTER, even when i am not flying. my page file is set to 4GB but yet no matter when i look, the virtual memory is always down around 500Mb - 1 Gig but physical memory stays constantly full around 3.5 GB of 4.

[machineman9]

Don't forget that in Vista and 7 any RAM you don't have being used, is actually being wasted. Vista was never a RAM-hog, it was merely using all your memory for something, rather than leaving it spare.

What is the actual memory usage of FSX from the processes tab on Task Manager? That may give a better picture of what is being used usefully (for the game) or being left over for other tasks.

[Slotback]

Capt.Propwash,

It is better to fill up the physical memory first before the virtual memory is even touched. Why? Because physical memory is much faster than virtual memory. It would slow it down forcing it to use virtual memory. You want the virtual memory to stay empty, that's a good thing. However with that said, if FSX starts using virtual memory then it might be wise to upgrade to more memory.

on't forget that in Vista and 7 any RAM you don't have being used, is actually being wasted. Vista was never a RAM-hog, it was merely using all your memory for something, rather than leaving it spare.

In Windows 7 the task manager only counts the actual memory being used and does not include the spare memory used to pre-load other applications.

http://i.imgur.com/lX3nk.jpg

Resource Monitor shows the amount of the spare memory used under "standby" but as you can see Task Manager doesn't include that.

[EVVFCX]

Hi Capt,  with you being on win 7 64bit like me, why not use a spare modern memory stick setup as extended system memory, if you use one with an led to indicate it's being accessed, you will see that it is used.

Look for memory sticks that are readyboost compatible.