220-1102 Question 585
Single answerLow memory warningsA user reports that their Windows 10 laptop frequently displays low memory warnings when they have a web browser, email client, and a spreadsheet open at the same time. The system has 4 GB of RAM and the hard drive has less than 1 GB of free space remaining. Task Manager shows memory usage near 95% during normal work. Which action should a technician take FIRST to address the low memory warnings with the least cost and disruption?
- A
Increase the size of the paging file manually
- B
Free up disk space so Windows can manage virtual memory properly
- C
Disable unnecessary startup applications in Task Manager
- D
Replace the hard drive with a faster SSD
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The best first action is to free up disk space. In Windows, low memory conditions are affected not only by installed RAM but also by available virtual memory, which relies on the paging file stored on disk. If the system drive is nearly full, Windows may be unable to grow or manage the paging file effectively, leading to low memory warnings even during routine use. Microsoft documentation and standard Windows troubleshooting practices support checking available disk space and virtual memory behavior when addressing memory-related alerts. After disk cleanup, additional steps such as reducing startup applications, verifying paging file settings, or recommending a RAM upgrade may be appropriate if the problem continues.
- A. Incorrect.
This is not the best first step. Windows uses a paging file as part of virtual memory, but with less than 1 GB of free disk space, manually increasing it may not be possible or effective. The immediate problem is that the system lacks sufficient free storage for Windows to expand or manage the paging file normally. A technician should first restore adequate free disk space.
- B. Correct.
This is correct. Low memory warnings can occur when physical RAM is heavily used and Windows cannot rely effectively on virtual memory because the drive is nearly full. Freeing disk space is the least costly and least disruptive first action, and it allows Windows to manage the paging file more effectively. This directly addresses a common real-world cause of low memory alerts on systems with limited RAM and low free storage.
- C. Incorrect.
This is a reasonable optimization, but it is not the best first action based on the scenario. The user experiences the issue during normal work with only a few common applications open, and the drive has critically low free space. Startup apps may help overall performance, but freeing disk space is the more immediate and direct fix for low memory warnings tied to virtual memory limitations.
- D. Incorrect.
This is not the best first step. Replacing the drive with an SSD can improve performance, especially paging responsiveness, but it does not directly solve the lack of free space unless the replacement also includes more capacity and data is migrated. It is also more costly and disruptive than basic cleanup.