Many Windows users have encountered the common "memory cannot be read" error. In this case, the application that caused this error immediately stops its work, that is, the user does not have the opportunity to save any data; the results of hours of work can be instantly destroyed. That is why it is important to understand what the fatal error "memory cannot be read" means.
This error only occurs on Windows. And in order to better explain this problem, it is necessary to know some of the peculiarities of memory use in the named operating system.
What is Windows Memory Manager
Memory in Windows OS usually consists of two components:
1. Physical memory, which is a random access memory (RAM), i.e. a real device connected to the motherboard of the computer;
2. Virtual memory (called the paging file). This area of memory is not created using a real device, but using a special file located on the hard disk of the computer. The paging file is used to increase the total amount of computer memory without purchasing additional devices.
These two pieces of memory need to be shared across all applications. This task is solved by a special part of the operating system - the memory manager. Memory allocation is a complex process, but its main principle is as follows: all applications reserve the amount of memory they need through an “intermediary” - the memory manager. It doesn't matter for the program whether it uses physical memory or a paging file, it only requests the amount it needs, after which the manager allocates a certain amount of memory.
It is in this mechanism of resource allocation that a failure can occur: it happens if an application tries to read an area of memory that is already reserved by another program or system. Thus, the error "memory cannot be read" means that the application tried to read (read in translation from English - "read") the area of memory to which it does not have access.
Causes of the "memory cannot be read" error
There are many reasons why an application might try to read data from a "foreign" memory area:
1. Initially incorrectly designed software;
2. The presence of malicious software on the computer (viruses, Trojans, worms, etc.);
3. Damaged paging file or other system files;
4. Software conflicts, including in hardware drivers;
5. Damage to the sector where part of the paging file is located, damage or overheating of RAM.
Unfortunately, this is not a complete list, which greatly complicates the identification of the cause of the "memory cannot be read" error in each individual case. However, these reasons are the most common.
