20-25% RAM usage when idling?

[PlayerType]

I dont know why my ram is around 20-25% usage.... I have 8GB btw. Is this normal?
I scanned my PC and it's completely clean. What could be the possible the reasons? I dont know if it was always there or it just happened.

 

[skit75]

Sounds about right.

You can do things to minimize RAM usage but if you just let windows handle it, a clean 64 bit Windows installation with service packs will use anywhere from 1-2GB in processes, idle.

 

[abaday789]

I could be wrong but could just be your OS using up some of your ram

 

[avenseth12]

Sounds right to me. You still have things running even with no programs open.

 

[Rookie_MIB]

Going to chime in that it's about right. Processes take memory, and you have quite a few processes and services running in the background with any OS that you don't really see.

All the little hardware drivers, network stacks, and if you're running integrated graphics that locks off a chunk too. Just as a frame of reference, I have a Win7 machine, it's clean (no virii), and I'm currently using up about 1.8GB of 4GB. 1GB alone is Firefox, so after the IGP locks off it's chunk, usage is about 25% for the system.

Win 7 is pretty good at managing RAM these days. Usually you won't even notice things slowing down until (or unless) you have something locked up with a memory leak chewing up your RAM. I had Firefox have one of the flash plugin containers spring a leak and was up to 95% usage and my poor computer was just dragging.

Pulled up task manger, shut down the process, things cleared right up.