Question When system starts using paged memory?

[Dean0919]

Please someone explain me in a simple way, when Windows starts using paged memory (when physical memory isn't enough and it uses SSD/HDD instead)? How to know when this happens? For example, if I open Task Manager, if in "Commited" number exceeds my physical memory (32GB), does this mean, now system is using my SSD/HDD?

I want to have enough RAM so system doesn't use my SSD, so SSD doesn't wear off sooner and it lasts longer. Right now, in my screenshot it says 23.0/42.4GB for committed and 17.GB in use. As I understand it's not using right now my SSD, right? But few days ago, I noticed that my memory usage was 80% and in committed it said 50GB/42.4GB, if I remember correctly. Does it mean, in that scenario OS was using SSD because physical RAM wasn't enough?

P.S. Shall I keep page filing on my SSD or change it to HDD? And shall I upgrade to 64GB if sometimes I reach to 80% memory usage?

 

[kanewolf]

Please someone explain me in a simple way, when Windows starts using paged memory (when physical memory isn't enough and it uses SSD/HDD instead)? How to know when this happens? For example, if I open Task Manager, if in "Commited" number exceeds my physical memory (32GB), does this mean, now system is using my SSD/HDD?

The first indication is that your performance with get terrible.
The screen shot you show has 14GB of available RAM out of 32GB installed.

 

[Dean0919]

The first indication is that your performance with get terrible.
The screen shot you show has 14GB of available RAM out of 32GB installed.

I edited my initial post a bit and asked more questions. Can you refresh answer them if it's possible?

 

[geofelt]

Windows manages ram.
It will keep unused pages in ram in anticipation of instant reuse.
You will almost always see ram use from task manager in the 80% area.
That is not a problem.

The real problem comes when a needed virtual page is not resident in ram and needs to be fetched from the page file.
When running actively, open task manager then resource monitor.
Look at the memory tab and find the column for hard page faults.
If you see a continuous hard fault rate of more than zero, you likely need more ram.

When you get a hard fault, the cpu stops dead for that app while the page fault is resolved.
You want the page file on a ssd, not a HDD. A page fault is resolved some 40x faster on a ssd.
With ssd devices now in the TB range, wear is no longer a realistic issue to be concerned about.

 

[Dean0919]

So, if I understand correctly, if committed number exceeds number of my physical memory, then this means system is using additionally page file thing (SSD/HDD) and this means I need to upgrade RAM. Correct?

 

[kanewolf]

So, if I understand correctly, if committed number exceeds number of my physical memory, then this means system is using additionally page file thing (SSD/HDD) and this means I need to upgrade RAM. Correct?

It means you need to take a look at WHY you are using so much RAM. Do you have a bunch of things running at start-up that you never use? Are you trying to run Chrome with 1000 tabs? Are you trying to game and do 4K video editing at the same time? IMO, none of those things are a reason to upgrade RAM. You could, and that would hide the reason for running out.

 

[CountMike]

So, if I understand correctly, if committed number exceeds number of my physical memory, then this means system is using additionally page file thing (SSD/HDD) and this means I need to upgrade RAM. Correct?

Windows use several hidden files for caching all the time and that can't be influenced no matter how much physical RAM you have. Only adjustable one is paging file but none of them will have any effect on SSD/HDD "life" as it's been used much more by other services, paging file influence is very, very small.
That said, only way to have more RAM is to add more RAM or to optimize your system to use as little RAM as possible in idle state.
If you are so (unnecessarily) concerned about SSD life, you can always set page file to some minimal value or to 0 but some programs demand access to page file or even certain size, Adobe for instance is notorious for that.

 

[Dean0919]

It means you need to take a look at WHY you are using so much RAM. Do you have a bunch of things running at start-up that you never use? Are you trying to run Chrome with 1000 tabs? Are you trying to game and do 4K video editing at the same time? IMO, none of those things are a reason to upgrade RAM. You could, and that would hide the reason for running out.

Yes, I do heavy multitask. This is my usual taskbar:

As you see I usually have 20 Chrome profiles opened all the time (I need it for some certain game) and as you see I have opened bunch of other apps and plus when I decide to play a game, I don't close those things, so imagine all these apps + heavy gaming. Sometimes it does exceed 32GB. I have two sticks of Patriot Viper memory and I still have 2 more empty slots on motherboard. I'm thinking to get another pair of those memory sticks...

 

[USAFRet]

I have two sticks of Patriot Viper memory and I still have 2 more empty slots on motherboard. I'm thinking to get another pair of those memory sticks...

Adding more RAM is not guaranteed to work.
Replacing your current 16+16 - 32GB with a set of 2x32GB will work.

 

[Dean0919]

Adding more RAM is not guaranteed to work.
Replacing your current 16+16 - 32GB with a set of 2x32GB will work.

That's actually a great idea. I'll do it and maybe even my current sticks will work too additionally, who knows. Thanks for the advice.

 

[geofelt]

More ram is never a negative(except cost)
Have you checked your hard fault rate?
If you have no hard faults, adding ram is a waste.