Memory won't go above 50% usage, but high CPU usage

[Bradyt]

I am using a Samsung laptop Windows 8.1 64-bit with Intel i5 @ 2.60 ghz

I have never had this issue before, but I updated my computer last night and a few more updates this morning and have had several issues. I was able to correct some of the others (for example, I couldn't control screen brightness), but I can't figure this one out: If I play ANY kind of game (Civ 5, for example) the laptop will start lagging badly. I go to task manager to check my performance and it shows that CPU is at or near 100% and memory is at a consistent 45%. If I close a few background programs, the CPU usage rate lowers a bit, but the memory stays at 45%.

What I am suspecting is that the laptop is switching to CPU at 45% memory usage. A friend of mine helped me fix this issue a long time ago, but I think the update last night reset the fix we applied.

The issue is where there was some setting with the computer that only allows me to use about half of my RAM and he fixed it with a few simple clicks to get to some page with my memory info on it and then typing in the full amount of RAM I have available, rather than half of it, which was there by default. Unfortunately, neither of us can remember how to do it again.

 

[Karsten75]

This? I know it says Windows 7, but I believe it's similar for Win 8.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-virtual-memory-size#1TC=windows-7

Or this one:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-system-configuration#1TC=windows-7

 

[Bradyt]

I have 6GB of RAM, btw. It will also lag if I am using my tablet emulator. Again, though, it has never lagged before today for either of these things.

 

[Karsten75]

I just added a different link.

 

[Bradyt]

This is exactly it! Thank you very much. Do you know which numbers I should put in the "Initial" and "max" blanks? For example, is "initial" what it was before, or do I put 0? And for Max, do I put my max available (which is 6GB or 6000MB), or do I put a lower adjusted number (for example, 5,890MB, since that is technically how much 'usable' RAM I have)?

It seems like my friend had me put a HIGHER number last time. I don't remember exactly why he had me do that though and he could have been wrong to tell me so.

 

[Bradyt]

Nevermind, I found that answer elsewhere on this site. Thanks so much for your help!

And, for anyone experiencing this problem in the future, the "initial" number is less important (from what I understand), so you should just put something like 400. On the max, put 1.5 x your max available (so if you have 6GB, put 9GB).

 

[Bradyt]

Agh. I guess this only partially fixed the problem. It is now using up to a maximum of 57%, but still gets stuck there (always on a static number, too. Something like 1377MB). Meanwhile, my CPU usage climbs to 90-100% usage rates. Is there something else I can do?