Task Manager - Where's my 100MB RAM?

[Ervin]

I have 512MB RAM and Windows uses about 70 to 80MB to load
my services, etc, during bootup. This leaves 440MB to
operate with. Task Manager says I only have 350MB
available. Why is the 90MB difference not explained? Where
is it used?

Windows XP Home v5.01.2600 SP1 | Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
| eMachines T2042 | 2GHz Intel Celeron Processor | 512MB
RAM | 40GB Hard Drive | Intel 3D AGP Graphics | 10/100Mbps
Ethernet | CD-RW 40x Write | DVD 16x Play

 

[Pat Garard]

G'Day Ervin,

The answer to your question is too BIG for the
context (understanding) out of which you have
asked it.

Open Task Manager, Performance Tab and look
at the very bottom line (right hand end) - something
like 'Commit charge: 338M / 3074M' !!!!

This indicates that WinXp has 3G (3074M) of
working memory !?!

Please do some research on 'Virtual Memory',
and 'Paged Dynamic Memory', then ask the
question again.
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Australia

______________________________________

 

[Nick Burns]

My computer uses about 210 megs of my 1 gig, after boot. That looks normal
to me.

 

[Guest]

ROM caching, video card AGP aperture, network card buffer, file caching, and
so on would probably explain somewhere between 60 and 100MB and up. The first
three are taken away by the BIOS even before XP starts up. The file cache can
mostly be reclaimed by XP for other things, if and when needed. The AGP
aperture can possibly be shared and used by other things, as well.

Also, make sure that you are doing all of your math with
1024KB = 1MB and 1024B = 1KB in mind.

|I have 512MB RAM and Windows uses about 70 to 80MB to load
|my services, etc, during bootup. This leaves 440MB to
|operate with. Task Manager says I only have 350MB
|available. Why is the 90MB difference not explained? Where
|is it used?
|
|Windows XP Home v5.01.2600 SP1 | Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
|| eMachines T2042 | 2GHz Intel Celeron Processor | 512MB
|RAM | 40GB Hard Drive | Intel 3D AGP Graphics | 10/100Mbps
|Ethernet | CD-RW 40x Write | DVD 16x Play

 

[Ervin]

Thanks, Nick. Yeah, I know it's normal, I just think it
could be presented a little more clearly, that's all.

I'm obviously (plainly evidently) not as advanced in
computing as the bloody Limey; it made me wonder if
something was loading in Task Manager that I couldn't see
(you can find several items in System Information Startup
in addition to what TM shows).

Gotta go... gotta study virtual memory .

 

[Pat Garard]

Now! Now! Ervin!
A 'Limey' is the American term for an 'Englishman'.

You have 512MB installed.

Right-Click 'My Computer', select 'Properties. On
the System Tab, note the amount of memory available
to WinXp (lower right) - often 448MB

If 448MB, then that is the TOTAL physical memory
available to Xp. The Difference Of 64MB has been
used almost certainly by your OnBoard Video - NOT
services.

If 512MB, then THAT is the total physical memory
available to Xp.

This memory is ALL the physical memory available
to, and used by, WinXp.

This space is depleted by 'non-paged' dynamic
memory used for Cache, buffers etc and Xp itself. What
remains contains ALL the services, programs etc that
you know about - YET Xp uses it as though there were
3GB of available memory.....

If I have upset you, then OF COURSE I apologise, but
NONE of what is going on will make much sense to you
until you take the advice that was offered in good faith.

I do believe that Microsoft, with their usual REASONABLE
standard of clarity, have displayed it as clearly as possible.

Or to put it slightly differently, until you understand virtual
memory, you are really not qualified to pass ANY comment
on how clearly, OR how un-clearly, Task Manager displays
memory-related data.

Yes! DO study 'Virtual Memory'!! You'll be a lot Wiser -
and Sharper!!!
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Australia

______________________________________

 

[Ervin]

Thanks, Pat. No, I'm not upset; I appreciate your help.