My gaming computer is constantly using 40% ram while idling. it used to use <10% idle.

[DavidHK]

I am not entirely sure what is going on here. When I first made my computer, the cpu and ram stayed under 10% when idling. Even after several restarts and uninstalling over 100 programs (I haven't cleaned my software in a couple years), the ram usage is several times higher than it should be.

Here is a screenshot of my processes from all users after a clean boot: http://i.imgur.com/C0U3xsh.png

Firstly, there are 5 chrome processes using around 50k-100k each, and the only tab I have open is the one I am using right now. Memory is at a solid 43%
Secondly, svhost.exe is using around 400k memory total - is that normal?

Under Services, every service is either stopped or running, nothing is currently being started up.
I checked to make sure all 8gb of ram is working under the Performance tab.
I tried logging on to a different account, and the memory is still above 40% even before I launch anything.

Specs:
Intel 3570K Quad core @ 3.4GHz (stock)
AMD Radeon R9 290 4gb superclocked
ASRock Z77 Extreme 4
8GB 1600MHz Corsair Vengeance (4x2) (red)
1.5TB Storage Space (500GB+1 TB)

What can I do to fix this high memory usage? It is severely affecting my computer when running intensive games like GTA V while trying to browse the internet, etc.

Like I said, my computer used to only use <10% ram idle , and now it uses >40% ram idle
note: I haven't fresh installed in a couple years.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[McFee]

Personally I like to do a fresh reinstall every year. I think of it like an oil change for your car. needs to be done. think of all the windows updates that have happened over the years. Maybe time for a good clean reinstall. Backup your steam games! save yourself some time and bandwidth!

 

[jkteddy77]

First of all, this sounds a lot like some malicious software is tampering with your PC. Sounds cliche, and maybe you've already done this, but run both a virus-scanner (I use Webroot, use whatever anti-virus you choose) and Download and run Malawarebytes as well, as that program catches malaware that main antiviruses miss (even catches stuff my premium Webroot scanner misses) If those find anything, let them clean and delete the viruses or troubling programs it finds (some programs/processes hide themselves from the task manager, so malicious programs could still be running)
Also run a program called Ccleaner, use it to clean out unnecessary files as well as clean out your registry for any odd entries that could be resulting in this sort of behavior.

Secondly, even after a clean boot, how many programs in the taskbar in the lower right hand corner are still running when testing RAM usage? If there are some there, manually close them, see if that changes anything. I know Chrome itself running in the taskbar can take up lots of RAM. Disable it running in the background at the very bottom of the Chrome settings page. Chrome and others using that many K is fine, that's only 40mb, everyone's chrome uses that.

Thirdly, a fresh install, while inconvenient, would be my last option. If the above don't work, search a bit deeper before giving up though.

That's the best advice I have knowing the situation you've explained, sure hope you can figure it out.