Added memory but only 30% of available memory ever used

[Rob]

I am running XP Home with Service pack 2 regularly updated on a PC
with Athlon XP +2400 processor. The system shipped 4 years ago with
265 MB of RAM. Soon after purchase I added another 512 MB. The
performance was much improved.

Recently I added another 1 GB, making 1 3/4 GB total. There is some
improvement in performance but almost never is more than 30% of the
available memory in use. At the same time an amount of virtual memory
is in use equivalent to about 4/5 of the amount of main memory.

Is this normal? Or is there some adjustment I should make to allow
more of the main memory to function?

When fitting I followed the instructions to put the smallest module in
the first slot and next smallest in the second.

Thanks for any help.

Rob

 

[Gerry]

Rob

"At the same time an amount of virtual memory is in use equivalent to
about 4/5 of the amount of main memory." On what basis are you making
this assertion?

In Task Manager you're looking at allocations of virtual memory not
usage.
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

Use page file monitor to observe what is the peak usage. Start it to run
immediately after start-up and look at the log. Pagefilemon takes
snapshots. You need to run it at the beginning of the session at then
run it again at intervals throughout the sessions. The log is Pagefile
log.txt. If you right click on the file in Windows Explorer and select
Send to, Desktop (Create Shortcut). The same applies to
XP_PageFileMon.exe.

A small utility to monitor pagefile usage:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

Note programs using undo features, particularly those associated with
graphics and photo editing, require large amounts of memory so if you
use this type of programme check these first observing how the page
usage increases when they start and whether the usage decreases when you
close the programme.



--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Rob]

Rob

"At the same time an amount of virtual memory is in use equivalent to
about 4/5 of the amount of main memory." On what basis are you making
this assertion?

In Task Manager you're looking at allocations of virtual memory not
usage.
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm

Use page file monitor to observe what is the peak usage. Start it to run
immediately after start-up and look at the log. Pagefilemon takes
snapshots. You need to run it at the beginning of the session at then
run it again at intervals throughout the sessions. The log is Pagefile
log.txt. If you right click on the file in Windows Explorer and select
Send to, Desktop (Create Shortcut). The same applies to
XP_PageFileMon.exe.

A small utility to monitor pagefile usage:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

Note programs using undo features, particularly those associated with
graphics and photo editing, require large amounts of memory so if you
use this type of programme check these first observing how the page
usage increases when they start and whether the usage decreases when you
close the programme.

Thanks Gerry. I've followed up your leads and installed pagefilemon.
You are right that the actual amount of virtual memory used is
smaller, usually around 250 MB. But last night, when I was doing other
things and not monitoring, I got a message that my virtual memory was
too small at 1 GB and that Windows would resize it automatically. (I
had set it at 1 GB min and 3 GB max, largely out of curiosity as
usually I let Windows manage it.)

I noticed, when reading the info you linked to, that Windows normally
will try to use as much of the available RAM as possible. Mine
(according to MemUse and Task Manager) never seems to get beyond the
3/4 GB available before I added the latest 1GB. Do you have enough
knowledge to comment on this? (The added 1GB is recognised, though
initially when I first connected it it wasn't. I removed it, ran the
vacuuum cleaner over the socket and refitted it. Then it was
recognised.)

At the moment, according to MemUse and Task Manager, it's using 440 MB
out of an available 1.8 GB, with 300 MB virtual memory allocated out
of 2.5 GB available. Page file usage monitor says 60 MB in use out of
1000 page file size.

All this may be perfectly normal. I don't have the knowledge, which is
why I am asking.

I know the added 1 GB has some effect, though not huge, because
previously if I had 2 desktops open at the same time, the system
frequently froze when I attempted to switch between them. This no
longer happens.

 

[Gerry]

Rob

What made you add the extra memory? My feeling is that it may not have
been needed. It all depends on how typical the readings you are
reporting are?

Graphics and camera related programmes need extra memory, especially
when an undo feature is being used. The extra memory will beneficial if
and when you use such programmes.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Rob]

Rob

What made you add the extra memory? My feeling is that it may not have
been needed. It all depends on how typical the readings you are
reporting are?

Graphics and camera related programmes need extra memory, especially
when an undo feature is being used. The extra memory will beneficial if
and when you use such programmes.

Sucker for the Crucial adverts? It does seem to have helped the
problem I described, with more than one desktop open, though.

You think that this apparent underuse of memory is normal behaviour
then? Despite what I read about Windows on your link:
"Windows will always try to find some use for all of RAM — even a
trivial one. If nothing else it will retain code of programs in RAM
after they exit, in case they are needed again. Anything left over
will be used to cache further files — just in case they are needed."

Rob