Help a Techie out

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Hey everyone,
So I'm looking for some clarification and some understanding on an issue. RAM. Simple enough, right? Random Access Memory. But when you have used all of your RAM, and you need more, what happens? I've head that your OS uses your HDD space as virtual RAM or something similar to that, but I'm not sure. Can anyone shed light to this? How does it create something virtual to make up for actual hardware, and why does it work?
 
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2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
Hey everyone,
So I'm looking for some clarification and some understanding on an issue. RAM. Simple enough, right? Random Access Memory. But when you have used all of your RAM, and you need more, what happens? I've head that your OS uses your HDD space as virtual RAM or something similar to that, but I'm not sure. Can anyone shed light to this? How does it create something virtual to make up for actual hardware, and why does it work?

Google is your friend.
HowStuffWorks "How Virtual Memory Works"
 
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K
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Interesting stuff!
 

chscag

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Moved. Not a subject for the "Lounge". Please read our forum descriptions and Sticky notices before posting.
 
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As a techie, shouldn't you know that sort of stuff? ;)
 
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might want to add an "Aspiring" to the front of techie, but yea, it's pretty cool. :)
 

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