Windows using too much RAM.

21 public posts in this discussion.

Post 1

Howdy,

Question, why would windows be using up 46% of my RAM when its doing nothing? I don't have anything running in the background and I only have msn open but when I close that nothing changes.

I have 2x2gig sticks of RAM, I've run a RAM test and it's come up fine.

I've reinstalled windows and the problem is still there, althout it was gradually moving up to 80% doing nothing, then there wasn't enough free for me to do anything.

Have a Gigabyte motherboard I think GA-P35-DS3
Q6600 Quad core not O/C
9800GTX
74gig raptor HDD as main
Windows 7 64bit

Thats all I think..... Help would be MUCH appreciated, Thanks :)

Edit: If It helps, I only have Firefox and MSN open atm, and Task manager is telling me ...

Total Memory: 4094
Cached: 2193
Available: 2169
Free: 37

Post 2

The self proclaimed experts will probably correct me but here it goes.

Microsoft changed how Windows Vista and Windows 7 handle memory. Instead of the operating system leaving the memory un-used it caches all the avaliable physical memory in the system.

In Windows XP the virtual memory manager will push page files to your swap file on your computer that were not used after a period of time. Though the problem was when you came back and started using the application it had to fetch these pages out of the swap file and back into memory (long delay)

In Vista/7 it takes a different approach. It takes up all the available memory and loads commonly used programs (page files) into memory using all the available memory in the machine. Kind of reverse page filing in Windows 98/XP/2000. So instead of needing you to request the pages of memory to be reloaded, it pro-activity keeps all the available memory loaded with the most frequently used programs, instead of storing it to the hard disk.

The problem comes, is when you start up a new game or application system that has not been used before. It will need to determine what applications to take out of the cache and page back into the hard disk drive. So you may experience a slower game start up time, due to the nature that everything in the cache will need to be flushed to make room.

Though there is more of a technical overview of it, but generally what you see in Vista/7 is very different than how they handled memory in windows XP/2000. Though your system is working correctly and you should not be worried.

Coding Horror: Why Does Vista Use All My Memory?

Secondly you should post questions on web sites like this that have a larger broad user base than GU

Super User

Though, the benefit of windows vista/7 new memory manager has mainly been a waste of time. We're moving into the era of SSD and the access times to physical hard disk driver is now on par with physical memory, that I see SSD + physical memory will soon combine to be one instead of two parts.

Post 3

Thanks for that mate appreciate it, just when it starts eating it all and slowing my computer down when nothing is running, thats what worries me :P

Post 4

Yea i think its the windows feature 'super fetch'

Post 5

superfetch is the feature, you can turn it off.

Post 6

Is the TL;DR version of chad's post basically saying it uses ram like linux?

Post 7

More or less. Basically instead of it doing nothing windows puts it to use. Not much point in not using it if its not really doing anything else.

Post 8

Quote:
Secondly you should post questions on web sites like this that have a larger broad user base than GU

you are such a dick... was that really needed!! he didnt need to be told that. your whole attitude sucks... i read that post thinking you might actually be ok and this was a nice post for you but you had to tag that on to the end. there is one word for you and its WANKER

Post 9

Well i have 12GB + 4gb and 2GB USB wich i use for readyboost and buffers for some apps and im using 10% and my lan pc wich is closer to yours is a Q6600 6gb DDR2 800 and its using 27% both are using windows 7 Pro X64 and i agree with Chads Quote:
Microsoft changed how Windows Vista and Windows 7 handle memory. Instead of the operating system leaving the memory un-used it caches all the avaliable physical memory in the system.

In Windows XP the virtual memory manager will push page files to your swap file on your computer that were not used after a period of time. Though the problem was when you came back and started using the application it had to fetch these pages out of the swap file and back into memory (long delay)

In Vista/7 it takes a different approach. It takes up all the available memory and loads commonly used programs (page files) into memory using all the available memory in the machine. Kind of reverse page filing in Windows 98/XP/2000. So instead of needing you to request the pages of memory to be reloaded, it pro-activity keeps all the available memory loaded with the most frequently used programs, instead of storing it to the hard disk.

The problem comes, is when you start up a new game or application system that has not been used before. It will need to determine what applications to take out of the cache and page back into the hard disk drive. So you may experience a slower game start up time, due to the nature that everything in the cache will need to be flushed to make room.

Though there is more of a technical overview of it, but generally what you see in Vista/7 is very different than how they handled memory in windows XP/2000. Though your system is working correctly and you should not be worried.

BUT!! Not the wise A%$ comment he used at the end
Quote:
Secondly you should post questions on web sites like this that have a larger broad user base than GU there are alot of people who like to solve probs for people and if we are to get bigger amounts of people posting we should get more people to post probs. More posts = more people to come. People who are nasty and rude are people who are small.. Please be nice or u will end up pushing people away! ;)

NOTE: Ilike soving probs and i like to be corrected if im wrong:-D Live and learn and u dont learn if u dont ask/do!!

{EDIT}

Also to free some ram and stop HDD usage disable file indexing i did and my HDD are bearly used when pc is idle

Post 10

I can't believe you're all surprised at a retarded comment from chad.

lol

The people who regularly post here, with their powers combined, are quite well versed in various aspects of PC troubleshooting. It is rare as rockinghorse shit that a problem goes unresolved in my experience.

Post 11

A good portion of us are techs IRL and those that aren't have been pulling apart computers or doing various other things with them for many years. Personally I always ask here first if google can't solve my issue.

Post 12

@grandinferno
Your were most welcome to make a reply to his post. I see neither, just talk about my answer. I redirected him to superuser because it does have a much larger broader scope of users to solve any other problems that he may come up with. Mind you maybe more polite users judging by your response.

@Xolares
If you think its was a smart ass comment then so be it. I'm trying to be helpful here, but I'm not the one throwing stones from the fence.

Post 13

Quote from chad;375474:
I see neither, just talk about my answer.

...well as far as I can see there's no need to reply. I'm awaiting to see what happens when he turns off superfetch or whatever it's called.

This is a community that prides itself in its broad expertise in IT. Telling a member to post elsewhere and not here is not only counterproductive to the growth of this community, but also potentially damaging to forums we know and love.

So help away, just don't be a dickhead in the process.

Post 14

Chad; how can asking a question on this small community be so detrimental, if you've read it and responded with helpful information in the space of 25 minutes? You've proven yourself wrong inside the same post.

Do you understand what irony is? No, probably not. Never mind.

Post 15

Quote from chad;375408:
The self proclaimed experts will probably correct me but here it goes.

Need i say any more?

Post 16

Yeah, you do. Quoting yourself in that context as a reply to my comment makes no sense.

Post 17

Read chads quote backwards... explains all :P

Post 18

OMG YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!

Post 19

nothing wrong with suggesting other resources as a possible helpful solution.

... chad still has all the savoir-faire of a senile goat, however.

Post 20

Quote from paladin;375505:
nothing wrong with suggesting other resources as a possible helpful solution.

Absolutely nothing wrong with it.... unless he's suggesting that the OP goes elsewhere INSTEAD of asking here... which is what he did.

:)

Post 21

Beer is good has anyone had there xmas beer yet?