3 stubborn PC problems you can fix
Published: May 9, 2006
Ever notice how each PC has a personality of its own? Or maybe
even multiple personalities? In the course of a week, your computer
may act friendly, moody, and sometimes downright mean.
However, don't take a hammer to your PC just yet. The following
is a list of common symptoms and treatments to help even the most
troublesome PCs. You don't even have to be a psychologist (at least
not yet) to deal with your PCs neuroses.
These solutions deal specifically with Windows XP, but overall
you'll find these tips work for all versions of Windows starting
with Windows 95 to Windows XP.
On This Page
You keep getting a Your system is running low on virtual memory
message
Perhaps you're more than familiar with this scenario: You're
working on your PC and notice performance getting gradually slower
and slower. Programs become harder to open and close. You wait
forever for Web pages to display. And then, you get some
serious-sounding virtual memory is too low message, like the one
displayed below.
By the way, don't worry. This message isn't as scary as it
sounds.
Viewing a virtual memory low message
Virtual memory is the space your PC uses when it’s short of RAM
(Random Access Memory), which is the memory used when running
programs like Microsoft Office Word or Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
So what can you do to correct this problem and prevent this
message from coming up in the future? The following are some
solutions to keep your PC from displaying the “virtual memory
minimum is too low” message.
Solution #1: Bump up the virtual memory size on your PC
The first solution is to increase your PC’s virtual memory
settings. To do so, you first need to determine how much RAM you
currently have.
| • |
To find the amount of RAM on your
PC:
| 1. |
On the Start menu, click My Computer. The
My Computer window is displayed. Click View
system information (located on the left-side of
the My Computer window). The Systems Properties
dialog box is displayed. |
| 2. |
Click the General tab. You can find the
RAM your computer currently has. |
|
Finding the RAM on your PC
| • |
To increase the virtual memory on
your computer:
| 1. |
On the Start menu, click My Computer. The
My Computer window is displayed. Click View
system information (located on the left-side of
the My Computer window). The Systems Properties
dialog box is displayed. |
| 2. |
Click the Advanced tab. Under
Performance, click Settings. The
Performance Options dialog box is displayed.
Selecting the Advanced tab in the Performance
Options dialog box
|
| 3. |
In the Virtual memory area of the
Performance Options dialog box, click Change.
The Virtual Memory dialog box is displayed.
Accessing the Virtual Memory dialog box
|
| 4. |
Change the Initial Size (MB) and
Maximum size (MB) text boxes to 1.5 times the
RAM you have (in MB). For example, if you had 768
MB, you would enter 1152 MB RAM in both the
Initials Size (MB) and Maximum Size (MB)
text boxes. |
| 5. |
Click OK three times. |
| 6. |
Click Set. Then, click OK. A
message appears, stating that you will need to
restart for the changes to take place. |
| 7. |
Click OK. Then, restart your computer for
your changes to take effect. |
|
Solution #2: Add more RAM to your PC
If you keep getting that dreaded “Your system is running low on
virtual memory” message – even after you’ve increased your PCs
virtual memory – then you may need to buy more memory for your PC.
To really work well, Windows XP needs a minimum of 256MB of RAM. The
more RAM you have, the better.
If you're at work, you should contact your company's IT
administrator before updating the memory on your computer. They may
have some available and can help you install it.
If you do need to purchase some more memory, stop by your local
computer shop. You can probably buy memory from them, and they’ll
probably install it for you. Or, you can buy memory online.
Your windows slide off the desktop . . . and you can’t grab them
We’re all familiar with moving program windows around the
desktop. You can click-and-hold the window’s title bar to move it
around. But what do you do when you accidentally move a window’s
title bar off the desktop so you can’t grab it anymore? The window
is stuck in that inconvenient position.
Solution: Use your keyboard to help move your window
The trick to moving these stubborn program windows is by using
your keyboard.
To use your keyboard to move a window:
| 1. |
Select the program window you’re trying to move. Then,
press ALT + SPACEBAR on your keyboard. The program’s
shortcut menu is displayed.
Accessing a window’s Control menu
|
| 2. |
On the menu that appears, click Move. |
| 3. |
Use your LEFT ARROW, RIGHT ARROW, UP ARROW, or DOWN
ARROW keys to move the window so you can see its title bar
on your screen. |
| 4. |
Once you’re done moving the window, press the ENTER key. |
Your taskbar has disappeared
The taskbar is that horizontal bar at the bottom or your computer
screen that displays open programs on your desktop. The taskbar also
contains the Start menu, which allows you to navigate to various
programs installed on your PC. In many ways, it’s your command
central.
Thus, there’s nothing more frustrating than going to start a
program, only to find the taskbar gone. A PC without a taskbar will
pull you to a grinding halt.
The good news is that the taskbar never disappears. It just
hides. It may be hiding behind other open windows, or at the top or
side of your screen. You can also (unintentionally) make the taskbar
so thin, that it seems invisible.
The following are possible reasons as to why your taskbar has
vanished, as well as solutions to keep your taskbar from ever
running away again.
Solution #1: Find your taskbar behind other windows
| 1. |
If you don’t see your taskbar, minimize all windows on
your desktop. See if your taskbar is hiding behind your open
windows.
Finding your taskbar behind maximized windows
|
| 2. |
To set your taskbar so it’s always on top of all desktop
windows, right-click the taskbar, and click Properties. |
| 3. |
In the Taskbar and Start Menu dialog box, click
to select the following:
| • |
The Lock the taskbar
check box |
| • |
The Keep the taskbar on top
of other windows check box |
|
| 4. |
Click OK. |
Locking and keeping your taskbar on top of other
windows
Now your taskbar will always be visible, no matter how many
windows you have open. Locking your taskbar also keeps you from
accidentally moving it around.
Solution #2: Find your taskbar elsewhere on your screen
If you have tried minimizing all windows on your desktop, and
still don’t see your taskbar—perhaps it’s been moved. Maybe you’ve
moved it yourself by accident. Or, perhaps someone’s playing a
practical joke on you. Regardless, the following will help you get
your taskbar back to its proper size.
| 1. |
As you did in the previous steps, minimize all windows
on your desktop. If you don’t see your taskbar at the bottom
of the screen, perhaps it’s hanging out to the side or top
of your desktop.
Finding a hiding taskbar on your desktop
|
| 2. |
Click-and-drag your taskbar back to the bottom of your
screen. |
| 3. |
Right-click the taskbar, and then click Properties. The
Taskbar and Start Menu dialog box is displayed. |
| 4. |
In the Taskbar and Start Menu dialog box (see
Figure 7), click to select the following:
| • |
The Lock the taskbar
check box |
| • |
The Keep the taskbar on top
of other windows check box |
| • |
Click OK. |
|
Solution #3: Thicken up your taskbar
You can make your taskbar a thin line—so skinny it’s hard to see.
To see if you’ve done this unintentionally, perform the following:
| 1. |
Minimize all windows on your desktop. Look at each side
of your screen. If you see a thin strip, that’s the taskbar.
Finding a taskbar that’s become a thin strip
|
| 2. |
Point your mouse at the strip. It changes into a
double-sided arrow. |
| 3. |
Click-and-drag the mouse toward the center of the screen
to thicken your taskbar. |
| 4. |
Once you’ve thickened the taskbar, you can drag the
taskbar back to the bottom of the screen by following the
steps in "Solution #2" above. |
