PC runs out of video memory when playing games+discord? Swapfile issue?

Troubleshooting Video Memory Errors and Game Crashes on PCs with NVIDIA GPUs: A Guide to Swap File and Memory Management

Experiencing frequent crashes during gaming sessions, especially when loading new areas or starting moments, can be frustrating. These issues often manifest as video memory errors, with games closing unexpectedly and Discord also crashing simultaneously. The problem can intensify when streaming or sharing a screen via Discord. If you’re encountering similar issues, understanding the underlying causes and potential solutions is crucial.

Common Symptoms and Scenarios

Video memory error messages during game load or scene transitions.
Game crashes coinciding with high memory utilization.
Discord crashing, especially when streaming or sharing your screen.
Problems become more pronounced when streaming content on Discord or running resource-intensive applications.

Potential Causes: Swap File and Memory Allocation

One frequently overlooked factor is the system’s virtual memory configuration, commonly known as the swap file. The swap file acts as an overflow for physical RAM, temporarily storing data when RAM is fully utilized. Misconfigured or inadequate swap space can lead to errors, particularly in high-demand scenarios like gaming or streaming.

In some cases, users have experienced issues after manually adjusting their swap file size, either reducing it or disabling it entirely. Restoring the swap file to the operating system’s default “system managed” setting often helps alleviate these problems. However, persistent issues may still remain despite such adjustments.

Key Considerations for Troubleshooting

Assess Your VRAM and System RAM Usage
Monitor your GPU’s VRAM consumption during gameplay using tools like MSI Afterburner or NVIDIA’s own performance overlay.
Evaluate if your system’s RAM is fully utilized when these errors occur.
Verify and Configure Swap File Settings
Ensure your Windows swap file is set to “System managed size” to allow dynamic adjustment based on workload.
Consider increasing the initial and maximum size if you experience frequent memory errors, especially if your system has limited RAM.
Update GPU Drivers and System Software
Keep your NVIDIA GPU drivers up-to-date to benefit from performance improvements and bug fixes.
Ensure your Windows OS is current, as updates often improve memory management.
Monitor Background Processes
Close unnecessary applications that may be consuming significant memory resources during gaming or streaming sessions.
Check for Hardware and Overclocking Issues
Ensure your GPU and system are not overclocked