1.3.14

What to do When We Run Out of Memory

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Running out of Memory

There are many approaches that we might take when we are running low on memory:

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Installing more Random-Access Memory

  • When we run out of RAM, we can purchase and install more RAM so that we can store more data.
  • This is not always ideal because:
    • RAM can be expensive.
    • We may only need more memory on a temporary basis.
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Virtual memory

  • Virtual Memory is a technique where we use secondary storage as if it were RAM.
  • Virtual memory is not always ideal since:
    • Virtual Memory can have negative impacts on performance.
    • Virtual Memory can have negative impacts on the health of Solid State Disks (SSDs).
    • We might have limited space in secondary storage.
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Terminating processes

  • Each program/process will use a certain amount of memory.
  • By closing some processes that we are not using, we can free the memory that they are using.
  • This is not always possible because we may need all the processes.

Jump to other topics

1Components of a Computer

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.2Thinking Ahead

6.3Thinking Procedurally

6.4Thinking Logically

6.5Thinking Concurrently

7Problem Solving & Programming

8Algorithms

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