Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

What I am talking about is that when I 1st boot up my computer, i have
something like 768 RAM (a 256 & a 512 MB chips), and "Available physical
memory = 390.55 MBs. OK, that's 64 MBs for video, plus otherv stuff.
Acceptable. But I notice as the day goes on, I might check an hour later
and only see 250 MBs available physical memory. I guess it depends what I
have opened. But this is checking with no programs open at all. No
extra icons in place in my tray (only those there when I started ther
computer up).

But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
available RAM?

Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).

...D.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

There are several programs that can free RAM like
FreeMem Pro (http://www.freemempro.com/)
Free Ram Optimizer XP (http://www.voodoofiles.com/13009)

Or you can just search (http://www.google.com) for memory utilities.



"...D." wrote:

> Available Physical Memory - where does it go?
>
> What I am talking about is that when I 1st boot up my computer, i have
> something like 768 RAM (a 256 & a 512 MB chips), and "Available physical
> memory = 390.55 MBs. OK, that's 64 MBs for video, plus otherv stuff.
> Acceptable. But I notice as the day goes on, I might check an hour later
> and only see 250 MBs available physical memory. I guess it depends what I
> have opened. But this is checking with no programs open at all. No
> extra icons in place in my tray (only those there when I started ther
> computer up).
>
> But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
> they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
> written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
> available RAM?
>
> Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
> or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).
>
> ...D.
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Hi, D.

If you want to learn about how WinXP manages memory, see MVP Alex Nichol's
explanation at:
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

Pay special attention to "Why is there so little Free RAM?", where we find
this line: "Windows will always try to find some use for all of RAM - even
a trivial one. If nothing else it will retain code of programs in RAM after
they exit, in case they are needed again." So, it is WinXP itself, not
"badly written programs", that decides how much to keep in RAM.

Do you actually have a problem, D., or are you just trying to learn more
about WinXP? Most memory problems were left behind when we moved from
MS-DOS to WinXP. Of course, increasing RAM to the gigabyte range helped,
too. My first computer (the original TRS-80 in 1977) had just 16 KB RAM!

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP

"...D." <d@no_usenet_email..org> wrote in message
news:3t46q09c1kcucqmj7469a5mlq8r9op559g@4ax.com...
> Available Physical Memory - where does it go?
>
> What I am talking about is that when I 1st boot up my computer, i have
> something like 768 RAM (a 256 & a 512 MB chips), and "Available physical
> memory = 390.55 MBs. OK, that's 64 MBs for video, plus otherv stuff.
> Acceptable. But I notice as the day goes on, I might check an hour later
> and only see 250 MBs available physical memory. I guess it depends what I
> have opened. But this is checking with no programs open at all. No
> extra icons in place in my tray (only those there when I started ther
> computer up).
>
> But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
> they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
> written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
> available RAM?
>
> Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
> or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).
>
> ...D.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

....D. wrote:
> Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

>
> But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
> they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
> written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
> available RAM?
>
> Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
> or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).

Unless you are seeing substantial slowdowns and sluggish performance, I
think you may be barking up a tree without any critters worth chasing on the
limbs. You don't mention what version of Windows you are using, so hard to
say much more without that info. Generally speaking, your RAM is always
there and always working for you --- regardless of what any reporting tools
state.

--

....Sky

================

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

OK. The program does work. In fact it freed about 40 MBs above what I
start with after I boot and all start-up programs have loaded.

Basically, I have 512 & a 256 MB memory sticks giving me what - 768 MBs
RAM? 64 MBs are taken by video, and after start-up programs (several are
Norton) I have about 380 MBs free according to Windows XP's System Info.
I was finding myself at times down to 260 MBs RAM free after running some
programs. It was worse - I had the new Google search engine installed,
and found it was using over 30 MBs RAM all by itself. Having a search
engine that also looks on your hard drive is cool, but too much RAM used,.
so I uninstalled it.

Anyhow, after just now running Agent for Usenet, and another program, I
checked my RAM, it was down to 350 MBs (nothing running) from my start up
amopunt of 380 MBs free.. OK, I fired up Ram2Free, and it monitored my
memory - this time I actually got smart and clicked the "Free RAM" button.
It took about 30 seconds to flip through some "pages" it called them. It
optimized. After exiting, I fired up my System Info again. I was up to
like 420 MBs free - got the 30 MBs back the programs I started had stolen,
plus 40 MBs above my start-up free RAM..

So if you think it doesn't make a difference in performance, so be it. At
least it eases my mind. If I still end up with a slow down after freeing
up RAM then at least I will know it isn't a RAM issue.

...D.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

....D. <d@no_usenet_email..org> wrote:

>OK. The program does work. In fact it freed about 40 MBs above what I
>start with after I boot and all start-up programs have loaded.
>
>Basically, I have 512 & a 256 MB memory sticks giving me what - 768 MBs
>RAM? 64 MBs are taken by video, and after start-up programs (several are
>Norton) I have about 380 MBs free according to Windows XP's System Info.
>I was finding myself at times down to 260 MBs RAM free after running some
>programs. It was worse - I had the new Google search engine installed,
>and found it was using over 30 MBs RAM all by itself. Having a search
>engine that also looks on your hard drive is cool, but too much RAM used,.
>so I uninstalled it.
>
>Anyhow, after just now running Agent for Usenet, and another program, I
>checked my RAM, it was down to 350 MBs (nothing running) from my start up
>amopunt of 380 MBs free.. OK, I fired up Ram2Free, and it monitored my
>memory - this time I actually got smart and clicked the "Free RAM" button.
>It took about 30 seconds to flip through some "pages" it called them. It
>optimized. After exiting, I fired up my System Info again. I was up to
>like 420 MBs free - got the 30 MBs back the programs I started had stolen,
>plus 40 MBs above my start-up free RAM..
>
>So if you think it doesn't make a difference in performance, so be it. At
>least it eases my mind. If I still end up with a slow down after freeing
>up RAM then at least I will know it isn't a RAM issue.
>
> ...D.

Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
whatever may be required.

What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.

RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
of your computer and mount them on the wall. 🙂

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 19:28:55 GMT, Ron Martell <ron.martell@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
>is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
>so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
>manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
>might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
>sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
>does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
>instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
>whatever may be required.
>What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
>Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
>the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
>you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
>requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
>will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
>drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.
>RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
>of your computer and mount them on the wall. 🙂
>Good luck
>Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Ok I have assimilated, and believe your advice as to how RAM operates.

However, the guy who wrote this little utility seems to know a thing or
two. What if this Free RAM program looks at those components of Windows
that we hear about that are useless to most people - the ones that are on
a list on a website somewhere that I haven't gotten around to yet - I know
there are several such components recommended to disable, just because
they'll never be used by Windows unless you are part of some weird huge
network or some non-average situation. What if it is looking at those
components, & freeing that RAM you really do not need?

No answer needed. There is no way to know whether or not...
...D.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"...D." <d@no_usenet_email..org> wrote in message
news:1ov9q0dd0j1e9hlfssu2rts1aespctprq7@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 19:28:55 GMT, Ron Martell <ron.martell@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
>>is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
>>so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
>>manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
>>might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
>>sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
>>does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
>>instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
>>whatever may be required.
>>What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
>>Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
>>the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
>>you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
>>requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
>>will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
>>drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.
>>RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
>>of your computer and mount them on the wall. 🙂
>>Good luck
>>Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
>
> Ok I have assimilated, and believe your advice as to how RAM operates.
>
> However, the guy who wrote this little utility seems to know a thing or
> two. What if this Free RAM program looks at those components of Windows
> that we hear about that are useless to most people - the ones that are on
> a list on a website somewhere that I haven't gotten around to yet - I know
> there are several such components recommended to disable, just because
> they'll never be used by Windows unless you are part of some weird huge
> network or some non-average situation. What if it is looking at those
> components, & freeing that RAM you really do not need?
>
> No answer needed. There is no way to know whether or not...


> ...D.
>

The amount of RAM freed by these programs is usually offset by the resources
consumed in the effort to free RAM.. the gain is more often than not
minimal..

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

If the components are truely unused then they'll get dropped from memory by the memory manager. If it truely never used it will take NO memory.

--
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.uscricket.com
"Mike Hall" <mike.hall.mail@sympatico.ca> wrote in message news:%23Q4aYyn0EHA.1564@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
> "...D." <d@no_usenet_email..org> wrote in message
> news:1ov9q0dd0j1e9hlfssu2rts1aespctprq7@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 19:28:55 GMT, Ron Martell <ron.martell@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
>>>is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
>>>so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
>>>manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
>>>might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
>>>sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
>>>does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
>>>instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
>>>whatever may be required.
>>>What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
>>>Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
>>>the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
>>>you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
>>>requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
>>>will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
>>>drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.
>>>RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
>>>of your computer and mount them on the wall. 🙂
>>>Good luck
>>>Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
>>
>> Ok I have assimilated, and believe your advice as to how RAM operates.
>>
>> However, the guy who wrote this little utility seems to know a thing or
>> two. What if this Free RAM program looks at those components of Windows
>> that we hear about that are useless to most people - the ones that are on
>> a list on a website somewhere that I haven't gotten around to yet - I know
>> there are several such components recommended to disable, just because
>> they'll never be used by Windows unless you are part of some weird huge
>> network or some non-average situation. What if it is looking at those
>> components, & freeing that RAM you really do not need?
>>
>> No answer needed. There is no way to know whether or not...
>
>
>> ...D.
>>
>
> The amount of RAM freed by these programs is usually offset by the resources
> consumed in the effort to free RAM.. the gain is more often than not
> minimal..
>
>
>