Windows 8.1 RAM Usage

[Filipomel]

I was just wondering, is it normal for windows 8.1 to be constantly using around 2.3gb of ram when I don't even have many applications running? If it isn't what can I do to identify what processes I can close without messing up my PC to free up RAM?

 

[ingtar33]

yep.

windows 8 will chew up as much ram as it can to avoid using pagefile caching.

 

[neieus]

Yep it will pretty much use up to about half your ram until you exceed 4GB of total system ram.

Added: This is after initial start up.

 

[Filipomel]

yep.

windows 8 will chew up as much ram as it can to avoid using pagefile caching.

Yep it will pretty much use up to about half your ram until you exceed 4GB of total system ram.

Added: This is after initial start up.

Ok thanks for the help, but does anyone know if RAM usage will be any better in Windows 10?

 

[ingtar33]

Ok thanks for the help, but does anyone know if RAM usage will be any better in Windows 10?

actually this is INTENDED behavior for windows8. i don't think M$ sees it as a negative that needs fixing

see windows8 is filled with little "cheats" (for lack of a better word) to make it seem "faster" then windows7

one "cheat" is to use ram instead of the slower pagefile
another is to load services in "batches" to "simulate" a fast boot by loading to the metro/desktop screen before all the services are started
another is to turn on all the "fast boot" options automatically in your system bios on install
another was to remove AERO, which taxes lower end system's graphic cards

if you were to manually time start times on two systems... one with windows 8 and another with windows7, and you manually turned on all the same fast boot options, turned off the windows7 splash screen, turned off the page file in windows 7, and didn't stop the stopwatch until windows 8 stopped starting up services you'd find the two OS start up just as fast as eachother.