The message “You don’t have enough system and video memory to start the game” is most strongly associated with the PC version of The Last of Us Part I. It does not automatically mean your PC lacks physical RAM or VRAM. The same warning can result from a wrong-GPU assignment, a graphics-driver regression, damaged shader data, insufficient Windows commit capacity, or a Linux/Proton graphics-stack problem.
Work through the checks below in order. Do not buy hardware or manually set an enormous page file until you have confirmed what Windows or the game is actually detecting.
What this error actually means
“System memory” generally means your computer’s main RAM. “Video memory” normally means memory available to the GPU—dedicated VRAM on a discrete graphics card, or system RAM shared with an integrated GPU.
The launch check can also be affected by memory already used by browsers, launchers, recording tools, virtual machines and overlays; Windows commit capacity; a disabled or constrained page file; incorrect GPU selection; and a driver reporting less usable memory than the hardware physically contains.
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Windows can manage graphics allocations between local graphics memory and system memory, but shared system memory is not a performance-equivalent replacement for dedicated VRAM. See Microsoft’s documentation on video-memory management and GPU virtual memory.
Check the game’s requirements first
For The Last of Us Part I, the Steam listing gives these broad requirements:
| Requirement | Published specification |
|---|---|
| Minimum system RAM | 16 GB |
| Minimum graphics memory | 4 GB VRAM-class GPU |
| Recommended system RAM | 16 GB |
| Recommended graphics memory | 8 GB VRAM-class GPU |
| Listed minimum GPU examples | GTX 970, GTX 1050 Ti, Radeon RX 470, Radeon RX 6500 XT |
Meeting the minimum means the game may run at minimum settings; it does not guarantee reliable startup under every driver, resolution, background workload or graphics configuration. VRAM capacity alone also does not determine performance. GPU architecture, driver support and the actual adapter selected by the game matter.
Fix the error in this order
1. Restart Windows completely
Choose Restart, rather than only closing the game or signing out. A restart clears stuck game processes, launcher allocations and some graphics-driver states. It can also remove temporary memory pressure created during shader compilation.
After restarting, open Steam and the game only. Temporarily close browsers, Discord, recording software, RGB utilities, hardware monitors, virtual machines and other launchers. This is a safe diagnostic step, although it is not a guaranteed fix.
2. Confirm the RAM and GPU Windows sees
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Open Performance.
- Check Memory for installed RAM and current usage.
- Check GPU for the adapter being used, dedicated memory and shared memory.
- If multiple GPUs appear, identify the discrete gaming GPU.
Do not treat a large “shared GPU memory” number as equivalent to dedicated VRAM. Integrated graphics borrow system RAM, while a discrete GPU normally has its own local memory.
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3. Force the game to use the high-performance GPU
This is especially important on laptops with hybrid graphics.
- Open Settings.
- Go to System → Display → Graphics.
- Add the game executable if it is not listed.
- Select it and choose Options.
- Select High performance, then click Save.
Add the actual game executable from the installation folder, not only the Steam shortcut or a separate launcher. On desktops, also check that the monitor is connected to the discrete GPU rather than the motherboard video output. Laptop manufacturer GPU-mode controls, NVIDIA Optimus or AMD switchable-graphics settings may provide an additional high-performance option.
4. Update or reinstall the graphics driver
Download drivers from the manufacturer rather than from third-party driver sites:
Use the case history to choose the right approach:
- If the error existed before a driver update, install the current appropriate driver.
- If it began immediately after an update, try the driver’s clean-install option or test a known-good version.
- If the GPU is old, confirm that the selected driver still supports the card and operating system.
NVIDIA’s official 556.12 release notes specifically document a fix for The Last of Us Part 1 out-of-memory errors associated with 555.xx drivers. This is strong evidence that at least some reports were driver regressions, not insufficient physical memory.
5. Check the Windows page file
A disabled or severely restricted page file can reduce Windows’ available commit capacity even when Task Manager shows plenty of unused physical RAM. The page file is not VRAM and cannot make an underpowered GPU meet the game’s graphics requirements.
- Press Win + R.
- Enter
sysdm.cpl. - Open Advanced.
- Under Performance, click Settings.
- Open Advanced and click Change under Virtual memory.
- Enable Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
- Click OK and restart Windows.
Make sure the drive containing the page file has adequate free space. If automatic management is already enabled, do not assume that manually entering a huge value will help. Increasing the page file can address a commit-capacity bottleneck; it does not increase dedicated VRAM.
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6. Accept Safe Mode if offered
If the game offers a prompt such as Run in Safe Mode to reset default settings, choose Yes. Safe Mode normally resets graphics settings to conservative defaults.
Once it launches, allow shader compilation to finish. Do not immediately restore ultra textures or a high resolution. Increase texture quality, resolution and other memory-heavy settings gradually.
7. Verify the Steam files
- Open Steam → Library.
- Right-click the game and select Properties.
- Open Installed Files.
- Select Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for the process to finish, then restart Steam.
Verification can repair missing or corrupted executable, shader or data files. It will not repair an incompatible driver, a wrong-GPU assignment or genuinely inadequate hardware.
8. Rebuild shader data carefully
Shader compilation can create a temporary memory spike and may fail after a driver change or when cached data is damaged. Close the game, restart Windows, update or clean-install the driver, verify the Steam files, then relaunch and let compilation complete without repeatedly interrupting it.
Use a built-in shader-cache reset option if the game provides one. Avoid deleting folders based on a generic internet path: cache locations vary by game version, driver and installation type.
9. Disable overlays and monitoring tools
Temporarily disable the Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay, Xbox Game Bar, NVIDIA or AMD overlays, MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner overlays, recording software and GPU-tuning utilities. If the game starts, re-enable these tools one at a time to find the conflict.
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10. Return overclocks to stock and check for wider instability
Remove GPU, CPU and RAM overclocks or undervolts. Confirm that the GPU is detected correctly in Device Manager and the vendor control panel, and that Windows is not using a generic display driver.
Test another demanding game. If several games crash or show corrupted graphics, investigate overheating, failing hardware, display-driver resets in Event Viewer and Windows memory errors. A failing GPU, unstable overclock or driver timeout can produce a misleading memory-related message.
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NVIDIA users: understand the 555.xx driver issue
NVIDIA’s 556.12 notes record a specific The Last of Us Part 1 out-of-memory fix affecting 555.xx drivers. If the problem appeared immediately after moving to a 555-series driver, install a current supported driver first, preferably with a clean installation.
Some community reports describe rolling back from 555.85 to 552.12, but that is historical troubleshooting evidence, not a universal current recommendation. Older drivers may lack later game fixes, security updates or support for newer software. Use a rollback only when the regression is reproducible and the current supported driver does not resolve it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Laptops and integrated graphics
A laptop may have both an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU. If the game is assigned to the integrated adapter, it may see limited usable graphics memory even though the laptop contains a capable discrete card.
Check Windows Graphics settings, the laptop maker’s performance or GPU-mode utility, NVIDIA Optimus or AMD switchable-graphics controls, and the power mode. On a desktop, verify the display cable is connected to the discrete card. Integrated GPUs use system RAM as graphics memory, so the total shared-memory figure should not be interpreted as dedicated VRAM.
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Linux and Proton
Windows page-file instructions do not apply to Linux. The same message can appear under Proton when Vulkan or vkd3d-Proton cannot allocate the memory exposed by the driver. A CachyOS report, for example, pairs the message with vkd3d-Proton memory-allocation warnings.
For Linux, test these variables one at a time:
- Use the correct proprietary NVIDIA driver where applicable, or the current supported AMD stack.
- Try another Proton version, including the game’s recommended Proton build.
- Distinguish native Steam from Flatpak Steam and confirm the game has access to its files and drivers.
- Test Wayland versus X11 as a diagnostic change.
- Back up the Proton prefix before recreating it.
- Avoid NTFS-mounted game libraries when permissions or compatibility are suspect.
Do not mix a Windows registry or page-file fix into a Proton diagnosis. First determine whether the failure occurs only under Proton or also with other Vulkan games.
Remote Desktop, virtual machines and cloud PCs
A remote or virtual graphics adapter may expose different capabilities from the physical GPU. A game running in a virtual machine should not automatically be assumed to see the host GPU’s full dedicated memory. Microsoft documents GPU virtualization and GPU paravirtualization. Test locally on the physical machine where possible.
When you really need more RAM or a new GPU
An upgrade is reasonable when the PC is below the game’s published minimum, the page-file drive is healthy, drivers are clean and current, and multiple demanding games show similar failures.
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- Below the minimum GPU tier or VRAM: a stronger discrete GPU may be necessary.
- More RAM: cannot fix a dedicated-VRAM shortage or a graphics-driver regression.
- More VRAM: cannot fix corrupted files, wrong-GPU selection or a page-file problem.
- An SSD: may improve loading and shader-compilation experience, but does not increase RAM or VRAM. The Steam listing marks an SSD as recommended, not as a direct memory-error cure.
Do not use “RAM booster” or memory-cleaner utilities as a primary fix. They cannot add dedicated VRAM and may introduce another background service or overlay.
If the error still appears
Record the information that separates a hardware limit from a software failure:
Quick Recap
- CPU and exact GPU model.
- Installed RAM and dedicated VRAM.
- Windows or Linux distribution and version.
- Graphics-driver version.
- Whether the game reaches shader compilation, the title screen or level loading.
- Whether it worked previously and which driver changed beforehand.
- Whether it launches after a clean restart or in Safe Mode.
- Whether the machine uses hybrid graphics, Remote Desktop, a virtual machine or Proton.
- Relevant crash logs or Event Viewer display-driver errors.
- Whether other demanding games fail in the same way.
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