Low memory warnings running Parallels on Mac Mini

**colindunscombe** · 07-20-2008, 02:49 PM

I have an intel Mac mini on which I have installed Parallels running XP as a guest OS. (The usual reasons, no decent GPS and small selection of front ends on Mac OS).
The form factor is excellent plus it all integrates well into the car. Only problem is I keep getting Low Memory warnings, despite upgrading the Ram from 512 to 2 Gb. Loading anything new on the XP partition triggers the warning. It's a real pain as I then have to go through the disk clean-up routine and have now just about pared the contents of the hard drive down to the absolute minimum.
Anyone have any suggestions(preferably those that don't recommend unusual or painful positions or barnyard animals).

Colin

**Bugbyte** · 07-21-2008, 12:38 AM

Are you confusing RAM memory with hard disk storage? It sounds like it.

If you are low on hard disk space on the XP partition, adding RAM does not make your hard disk larger. I think you need to get a larger hard disk.

**Machinehead** · 07-21-2008, 11:13 AM

Or partition more space to the XP volume.

**Bugbyte** · 07-21-2008, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by Machinehead

Or partition more space to the XP volume.

Good point! A larger partition would work if you can afford to take it from the Mac partition.

**Machinehead** · 07-21-2008, 05:28 PM

I can't remember if it's VMware Fusion or Parallels that allows you to set the volume size so that it only takes up what you actually use versus the total volume size.

**colindunscombe** · 08-12-2008, 10:12 AM

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, you were right I had confused the HDD size with the RAM. I've just increased the size of the virtual HDD and hopefully this will cure the problem.

Colin

**colindunscombe** · 08-13-2008, 01:45 PM

Ever spoken too soon, I increased the virtual HDD from 8GB to 40 GB thinking that would be sufficient, then working on my setup last night I had the warning of "Low virtual memory"....WTF??

**colindunscombe** · 08-15-2008, 05:18 PM

OK, so there's no confusion.

This is the message that I get -

"Windows - Virtual Memory Minimum Too Low"

Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process, memory requests for some applications may be denied. For more information see Help.

Needless to say when I try to find the item in help there is no such topic!!

I would be grateful if anyone could give me a steer. My system currently has 804MB of RAM and 40GB of HDD allocated to it.

Thanks
Colin

**Machinehead** · 08-15-2008, 05:23 PM

Now it makes more sense. Under Control Panel, System, Advanced Tab, Performance Settings, Advanced Tab, Virtual memory Change. See what your paging file size is. I typically run with the no paging file on my carpc.