2GB ACTS LIKE 1GB

[ramatic]

Hello Guys.

I have 2GB ram running on Win XP SP2, and set paging file size to 4094MB. However, the system only allows me to use up to around 850MB to 900MB of ram. Whenever I hit the 850MB->900MB PF Usage (Windows Task Manager), I can no longer open any new program and the whole system seems a little slower. My CPU usage is low at all times. I have AMD 64 X2 3800+.

Can someone kindly explain what is happening here? I thought I had at least 2GB of ram to use. It's really fraustrating. Please help me out.

Thank you in advance.

 

[ramatic]

 

[Schrovan_Rip]

To quote from SearchSMB.com

pagefile-

DEFINITION - In storage, a pagefile is a reserved portion of a hard disk that is used as an extension of random access memory (RAM) for data in RAM that hasn't been used recently. A pagefile can be read from the hard disk as one contiguous chunk of data and thus faster than re-reading data from many different original locations. Windows NT administrators or users can reset the system-provided default size value of the pagefile to meet their particular needs.

In other operating systems, the pagefile is called a swap file or a swap partition.

Basically the page file is on the hard drive not your ram. What is the amount of free hard drive space on your hard drive?

 

[Mondoman]

I haven't really looked into this, but it might have something to do with the overall 4GB memory addressing limit when running a 32-bit OS. On typical systems, up to about 1GB of the addresses are assigned to non-main-memory hardware (e.g. memory-mapped I/O etc), leaving about 3GB usable for memory. I would think that the total physical memory + virtual memory could not exceed this roughly 3GB total. If I understood your post correctly, you have 2GB of physical RAM and can't use more than 900MB or so of additional virtual memory, which would fit the roughly 3GB limit.

 

[Schrovan_Rip]

I think your right Mondoman.

Ramatic I think I have read some where your page file should be around 1.5 to 3 times the amount of ram but I don't know if this apllies to XP.

Try the list out below

1) Try decreasing your page file to the size of your ram. There are some people which say its better to have no page file at all. The reason is that as you know; apps that are being used are loaded into your ram. If the CPU can't find the info on the ram it must ask for the info from the hard drive.

This is why computer games run faster with more ram, (to an extent). The CPU isn't needing to ask the really slow hard drive for info.

This could also be why your CPU usage is low. It could be getting starved but you say you only feel your computer getting slow after around 850 MB page file usage, so it could be something else but I think its either the page file or ram.


Also what is the speed of your ram, and what programs are you using?

2) See if a friend will let your borrow some of his/her ram. Prefferbly faster/higher total amount than yours.

You want to find out what is the bottleneck of your system. I could be your Ram, the page file or both but your need to try an eliminate one or the other.

 

[joefriday]

As Windows Task Manager shows, there is still 1.2GB of ram unused.

To the OP: reduce your page file to 1GB, and see what happens. If nothing, drop it down to 512MB. If that doesn't due anything, try no pagefile.

BTW, what program are you running that consumes so much memory but no CPU usage, a 1,000 Firefox windows? :?

 

[ramatic]

Excellent information, finally I am able to hit the PF Usage 1.5GB and beyond after lowering the size of paging file down to around 1GB. Bigger isn't always better, I am a firm believer now.

Thank you guys. All the information given is invaluable.
For those who are interested, I run mostly these following applications on the background:

- MSN, Yahoo Messanger
- Outlook
- CuteFTP
- Many IE/FF Windows
- uTorrent
- Word/Excel

I guess that explains why the CPU usage is pretty low.

Again, Thank You!

 

[Dudeson]

just to add 2 this forum. i had always believed that ur page file should only be 1.5 times larger then the amount of ram u have. otherwise problems but yeah. good job

 

[jkflipflop98]

just to add 2 this forum. i had always believed that ur page file should only be 1.5 times larger then the amount of ram u have. otherwise problems but yeah. good job

To add even more, I've ran windows xp for the past year and six months on 1 gig of ram and no pagefile.

 

[ramatic]

Bad News.

The lowering the size of paging file only worked for a short while, then stopped working.

I have set the size to 0MB (no paging file) and the max PF usage I can hit is around 1.2GB. Beyond that point, I cannot open any new software and the system slows down a lot.


What's the real cause for this?
Is 2GB not enough?

 

[joefriday]

2GB should definately be enough. I'm at a loss as to why your system slows down.

 

[darkangelism]

It doesnt sound like the ram is the issue then, more like some background tasks.

 

[ramatic]

darkangelism: Can you be more specific? I thought background tasks were already accounted in PF Usage.

It is really fraustrating now. Any idea?

 

[ramatic]

Although it shows that I have 1230 MB of Free Ram, I am not able to open any new program.

Any clue?