Fix: ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM 635 (0x27B)

Increasing virtual memory is the quickest fix

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ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM
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The ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM Windows system error, with code 635 (0x27B), appears when Windows doesn’t have enough virtual memory (page file) to offload inactive processes and, as a result, is about the increase the virtual memory.

The message for Error Code 635 reads, {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.

Before you proceed to the solutions, restart the PC, install pending Windows updates, and disable any active performance optimization software.

How can I fix ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM in Windows?

1. Manually increase the virtual memory

  1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type View advanced system settings, and click on the relevant result.
  2. Click on Settings under Performance in the Advanced tab.settings
  3. Again, go to the Advanced tab, and click on Change under Virtual memory.change
  4. Untick the checkbox for Automatically manage paging file size for all drives, select No paging file, and click on Set.no paging file
  5. Select the Custom size option, enter the following details in the fields underneath using the following formula based on the available physical RAM, and click on Set and OK:
    • Initial size: 1.5 x Available physical RAM x 1024
    • Maximum size: 3 x Available physical RAM x 1024increase virtual memory to fix ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM
  6. For instance, if your PC has 4 GB physical RAM, the values become:
    • Initial size: 6144 (1.5 x 4 x 1024)
    • Maximum size: 12288 (3 x 4 x 1024)
  7. Once done, restart the computer and check for improvements.

If virtual memory is indeed low on your PC, Windows will throw the ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM Win32 system error as soon as the RAM is about to fill up. So, the quickest solution is to manually increase the virtual memory. As for its values, I went with Microsoft’s own recommendation!

2. Uninstall non-critical apps

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.
  2. Select all unused, non-critical apps listed here individually, and click Uninstall.uninstall to fix ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM
  3. Once done, restart the PC to apply the changes.

When you have too many apps installed, their background processes are likely to take up a significant chunk of available memory, leading to ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM 635 (0x27B) {Virtual Memory Minimum Too Low}. So, uninstall apps that are no longer necessary!

If a quick removal doesn’t work, you can use a top-rated software uninstaller to wipe all traces of the app.

3. Test the physical RAM for faults

  1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and click on the relevant result.
  2. Click on Restart now and check for problems.windows memory diagnostic to fix ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM
  3. After running the scan, check the mdsched.exe logs for faults with the RAM.

When Windows Memory Diagnostic doesn’t find any issues, use an advanced, open-source RAM testing software like Memtest86+ to run a wide array of scans on individual memory modules. If any issues are now found, replace the malfunctioning RAM stick with a new one!

4. Scan the PC for malware

  1. Press Windows + S to open Search, type Windows Security, and click on the relevant result.
  2. Click on Virus & threat protection.windows security
  3. Click on Scan options.
  4. Select the Full scan entry and then click on Scan now.malware scan to fix ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM
  5. Wait for the scan to complete. It usually takes 10-30 minutes.

5. Reinstall Windows

When nothing else works, you can always reinstall Windows from scratch. This will clear out any inconsistencies in the OS and remove the conflicting and resource-intensive apps. As for the critical files, save them to an external data drive to prevent data loss.

To reinstall Windows, go to Microsoft’s official website> download the Media Creation Tool > use it to create a bootable Windows USB > restart the PC > change the boot order to the bootable USB > run the Windows setup > proceed with the reinstallation.

reinstalling Windows
Reinstalling Windows from a bootable USB

Remember, the ERROR_COMMITMENT_MINIMUM system error is easily fixable, and in 4 out of 5 cases, increasing the virtual memory will do the trick. And besides getting rid of the error, an increase in virtual memory will also make Windows run faster!

For any queries or to share which fix worked for you, drop a comment below.

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