Seeing there was so many question about this on another thread I wanted to clarify it.

(Originaly posted by someone else)

Let's recap on your Windows XP OS performance parameters

Go to My Computer and right click
Click properties
Click the Advanced Tab
Click settings in Performance
Click the Advanced Tab
Click Change in the Virtual Memory

Click the Custom Size Button

In the Initial Size box enter the value that is in your Maximum Size Box

In my case it is 3072, so now I have the value 3072 in both boxes.

Click Set

Click OK all the way back out.

You should get a reboot message from XP and go ahead and reboot to set

You've now allowed your Memory (Dimms) to execute at their full capacity and your Windows XP is happy.

And now you're Blazing !!!!!

________________________

(Response by someone else)

I believe the maximum is the value that is in the "Maximum Size" box
If you have the same value in both boxes that would mean that you're already maxed out

---------------------
The clarification by me.

This has really nothing to do with your physical ram until it is all used up.
If you put the same it both boxes it just forces windows to automatically allocate the whole swapfile (virtual memory) for immediate use and windows will not thrash the size of the swap file every time you open/close more windows/programs. If you have lots of hard drive space just put double the amount of physical ram you have you should be good unless your really low on ram. Windows will tell you if you really max out on virtual memory. All that'll happens is Windows will tell you your out of virtual memory and maybe reboot you, close a window or just give a pop up. If you have more than enough ram in your system this won't even effect your performance at all. It is a good tweak for older systems or systems that don't have enough ram. Just remember to shrink the size of the virtual ram as small as possible when you defrag your drive because that allocated space does not get defragged and you will eventually slow down a bit. If you have enough ram in your system you can set the virtual memory to 0 and you won't have a problem. I don't recomend doing this other than to defrag.