Virtual Memory and Tabbed Browsing in Firefox

What does the system alert "Windows is increasing your virtual memory" mean? Should I be seeing this as often as I am?

"Virtual memory" might be more accurately called "substitute memory." When the computer runs out of the real stuff, Random Access Memory (RAM) made up of computer chips, it has to borrow some space on the hard drive as a cheaper but slower replacement.

Not only is it slower -- make that, much slower -- it's also noisier. A computer relying too much on virtual memory will often make a sustained series of grinding or grunting noises as it shuffles data to and from the hard drive.

Virtual memory isn't bad by itself. All modern operating systems rely on it to ease multitasking; they keep applications you're actually using in RAM and "page out" the others to the hard drive, then swap them back into RAM as needed. You just won't want to see the computer resort to this anytime you run more than two programs.

The fix for that situation is to install more memory -- easily the most cost-effective upgrade on the typical home computer. A realistic minimum for Windows XP or Mac OS X is 512 megabytes, and a gigabyte is not at all unreasonable in many cases.

I've gotten used to tabbed browsing in Firefox, but some links keep forcing my browser to open new windows. Can I make those links open in new tabs instead?

Sure -- but it won't always work. Hit Firefox's Tools menu, choose Options and select the "Tabs" tab. There, click the checkbox next to "Force links that open new windows to open in:" and click the button next to "a new tab." This, however, won't work with links that consist of "JavaScript" code instead of pointing to a specific Web page address (for instance, the links that bring up Gameday animations at Major League Baseball's Web site).

-- Rob Pegoraro

Rob Pegoraro attempts to untangle computing conundrums and errant electronics each week. Send questions to The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 orrobp@washpost.com.