High RAM usage without known reason

[Savin97]

About two weeks ago I noticed that when I turn my computer my ram usage was at 18% out 8 GB when idling which is perfectly normal, but then and this is abnormal, after about 45 seconds after boot the usage jumps to about 29% and is using 3GB when idling! This is not normal and I don't know what's causing it. Ive tried turning off all the startup items and services and even then it does this. I've tried looking through the task manager and still nothing. One thing that has fixed this is Windows repair but I had to restore to a previous backup because Repair made all of the games on my PC run very very slowly. Please help.

 

[MarkW]

What you are saying would apply if the operating system, Windows, was a dumb OS. But its not. MS-DOS was a dumb OS. Windows has slowly but surely become a smart OS over the years. It tracks what you do, and once it sees a pattern, lets say you load Chrome most days at about 7am, then about 6:30am, Windows will preload Chrome into available memory, and sit there. If you do then walk in and tell your computer to run Chrome, it starts almost instantly because it is in memory already. On the other hand, if you instead run programXYZ, and programXYZ needs more space than that is available with Chrome sitting in memory, then Windows takes a few milliseconds to release Chrome, and then loads up ProgramXYZ.

So yes, memory is being used. But unused memory is wasted memory. And you only loose a few milliseconds of time if Windows predicted wrong, and needs to open up the space it had preloaded. On the other hand, if it had preloaded the actual program you wanted to use, you saved a few seconds, and felt like your computer was pretty quick.

 

[Dunlop0078]

Open task manager and and click on the memory section in the processes tab, this will sort your programs by what is using the most memory and show those programs at the top, tell me what those programs are and how much memory they are using or post a screenshot.

 

[Savin97]

What you are saying would apply if the operating system, Windows, was a dumb OS. But its not. MS-DOS was a dumb OS. Windows has slowly but surely become a smart OS over the years. It tracks what you do, and once it sees a pattern, lets say you load Chrome most days at about 7am, then about 6:30am, Windows will preload Chrome into available memory, and sit there. If you do then walk in and tell your computer to run Chrome, it starts almost instantly because it is in memory already. On the other hand, if you instead run programXYZ, and programXYZ needs more space than that is available with Chrome sitting in memory, then Windows takes a few milliseconds to release Chrome, and then loads up ProgramXYZ.

So yes, memory is being used. But unused memory is wasted memory. And you only loose a few milliseconds of time if Windows predicted wrong, and needs to open up the space it had preloaded. On the other hand, if it had preloaded the actual program you wanted to use, you saved a few seconds, and felt like your computer was pretty quick.

The problem is that my PC didn't do this until about a month ago. Something is taking up RAM and Im afraid that this could result in performance drops in games and other applications.

 

[MarkW]

Afraid that it might? Or is?

Two very different things there.

 

[Savin97]

Afraid that it might? Or is?

Two very different things there.

Whatever, my point is: How do I cut down RAM usage?

 

[Dunlop0078]

Afraid that it might? Or is?

Two very different things there.

Whatever, my point is: How do I cut down RAM usage?

Open task manager and and click on the memory section in the processes tab, this will sort your programs by what is using the most memory and show those programs at the top, tell me what those programs are and how much memory they are using or post a screenshot.

 

[Savin97]

Afraid that it might? Or is?

Two very different things there.

Whatever, my point is: How do I cut down RAM usage?

Open task manager and and click on the memory section in the processes tab, this will sort your programs by what is using the most memory and show those programs at the top, tell me what those programs are and how much memory they are using or post a screenshot.

Task manager when idling with only winamp playing music:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UWU_lZl6sxSEhwOUdkbm55N1E

And CPU and RAM usage using ALLCPU METER gadget:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4UWU_lZl6sxelBrU0cwX091ODQ

It looks like there is a process that isn't accounted for in the task manager which is what worries me.

 

[Dunlop0078]

Hmm that looks pretty normal. What process do you think is unaccounted for? Do you have a windows desktop gadget? I would get rid of that it uses ram and microsoft have said they dont recommend that people use gadgets anymore they are easily exploited and are a security concern.

 

[MarkW]

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

 

[Dunlop0078]

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

He is asking why his computer is using noticeably more ram than it was before he is not asking for an explanation of how windows makes application open faster. And im not even sure if thats true I know my system doesn't pre load chrome into ram or any non essential application for that matter unless i tell it otherwise. Nor will it close an application to run another one for the sake of ram, im not really sure what you are talking about. The only thing i can think of that kind of does what your describing is like an SSHD which keeps apps that run frequently on the flash of the SSHD so they launch faster.

 

[Savin97]

Hmm that looks pretty normal. What process do you think is unaccounted for? Do you have a windows desktop gadget? I would get rid of that it uses ram and microsoft have said they dont recommend that people use gadgets anymore they are easily exploited and are a security concern.

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

He is asking why his computer is using noticeably more ram than it was before he is not asking for an explanation of how windows makes application open faster. And im not even sure if thats true I know my system doesn't pre load chrome into ram or any non essential application for that matter unless i tell it otherwise. Nor will it close an application to run another one for the sake of ram, im not really sure what you are talking about. The only thing i can think of that kind of does what your describing is like an SSHD which keeps apps that run frequently on the flash of the SSHD so they launch faster.

Don't think it's the gadget as turning off the sidebar process doesn't help. Do you know why it takes about 40 seconds until after boot to jump from 18 to 30% and why Windows repair fixes this issue?

 

[Savin97]

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

I'm thankful that you're trying to help me but that's a ridiculous argument. That's like saying "What should I save money when it's just sitting there doing nothing". Something is using RAM and on my PC and I don't know what that is. That is not good for two reasons. There is something running in the background that I don't know about and I have less resources for resource intensive applications.

 

[MarkW]

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

He is asking why his computer is using noticeably more ram than it was before he is not asking for an explanation of how windows makes application open faster. And im not even sure if thats true I know my system doesn't pre load chrome into ram or any non essential application for that matter unless i tell it otherwise. Nor will it close an application to run another one for the sake of ram, im not really sure what you are talking about. The only thing i can think of that kind of does what your describing is like an SSHD which keeps apps that run frequently on the flash of the SSHD so they launch faster.

I explained why. You might want to read what I posted again if you failed to get that part of it.

 

[Dunlop0078]

I guess what I said about it only taking milliseconds to empty out the memory when its needed for something else went right over your head.

Let me ask you this. I have to assume that you or your family bought a refrigerator. Do you leave it empty all the time? No? why not? Wouldnt it be better to always have room for fresh food? So you do agree that some things should be put into the refrigerator for later use?

Then how is that any different than your computers memory?

He is asking why his computer is using noticeably more ram than it was before he is not asking for an explanation of how windows makes application open faster. And im not even sure if thats true I know my system doesn't pre load chrome into ram or any non essential application for that matter unless i tell it otherwise. Nor will it close an application to run another one for the sake of ram, im not really sure what you are talking about. The only thing i can think of that kind of does what your describing is like an SSHD which keeps apps that run frequently on the flash of the SSHD so they launch faster.

I explained why. You might want to read what I posted again if you failed to get that part of it.

I did read your post that is what i was commenting on. I just don't believe your explanation is correct.

 

[Savin97]

What my PC RAM usage just after boot and before the jump to 30%:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4UWU_lZl6sxb3h4MTBRUHVrNms/view?usp=sharing

 

[MarkW]

I did read your post that is what i was commenting on. I just don't believe your explanation is correct.

Ok. I thought you wanted to know the truth. And that you came here to find out the truth.

My bad.

 

[Dunlop0078]

What my PC RAM usage just after boot and before the jump to 30%:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4UWU_lZl6sxb3h4MTBRUHVrNms/view?usp=sharing

I did read your post that is what i was commenting on. I just don't believe your explanation is correct.

Ok. I thought you wanted to know the truth. And that you came here to find out the truth.

My bad.

Dont be a troll. If you believe what you said find evidence to back it up because im pretty sure your wrong about the whole windows auotmaticlly pre loads programs into ram by itself to make them launch faster.

 

[Dunlop0078]

What my PC RAM usage just after boot and before the jump to 30%:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4UWU_lZl6sxb3h4MTBRUHVrNms/view?usp=sharing

Im not sure what could be causing this, I would try to find out what application or applications are getting loaded into ram and causing the spike to 30%. Try top watch task manager carefully and see if you can catch what happens when it spikes.

 

[Savin97]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

 

[Dunlop0078]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

Well honestly i have no idea. But i can do two things for you, I can make another post on here with that video and see if anyone more knowledgeable than me can figure it out if not, I go to IT school later I will ask my instructor and see if he knows what could be going on. And my god them Aston's are sexy.

 

[Savin97]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

Well honestly i have no idea. But i can do two things for you, I can make another post on here with that video and see if anyone more knowledgeable than me can figure it out if not, I go to IT school later I will ask my instructor and see if he knows what could be going on. And my god them Aston's are sexy.

haha, well thanks for your help anyway. If there's anything else you can, that would be great. And you're absolutely right about the Aston's.
Here's that picture if you want it: http://www.cuzzsoft.com/wallpaper/1920x1080-9036-aston-martin-one-77-wallpaper-5-hd.jpg

 

[Dunlop0078]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

My instructor said to do the same thing you did in this video but sort by cpu instead of memory, so you can see what program starts to use the cpu when the spike happens. It might just flash real quick so look closely.

He also said a lot of people have been having various types of memory issues with windows 10 so this issue might just fix itself after a microsoft patch.

 

[Savin97]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

My instructor said to do the same thing you did in this video but sort by cpu instead of memory, so you can see what program starts to use the cpu when the spike happens. It might just flash real quick so look closely.

He also said a lot of people have been having various types of memory issues with windows 10 so this issue might just fix itself after a microsoft patch.

Windows 10? Im running Windows 7 so that doesn't concern me. I'll try the CPU tracking method and get back to you.

 

[Savin97]

Desktop capture just after cold boot:
(Make sure you watch just this in 1080p so you can see the text clearer.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBedT_FoLQQ

My instructor said to do the same thing you did in this video but sort by cpu instead of memory, so you can see what program starts to use the cpu when the spike happens. It might just flash real quick so look closely.

He also said a lot of people have been having various types of memory issues with windows 10 so this issue might just fix itself after a microsoft patch.

Damn, tried it buy no dice. I've even recorded it and played it and 1/3 speed and nothing, no new CPU usage OR RAM usage. It looks like it's not a program but something else which makes no sense to me.