Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

[...D.]

Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

What I am talking about is that when I 1st boot up my computer, i have
something like 768 RAM (a 256 & a 512 MB chips), and "Available physical
memory = 390.55 MBs. OK, that's 64 MBs for video, plus otherv stuff.
Acceptable. But I notice as the day goes on, I might check an hour later
and only see 250 MBs available physical memory. I guess it depends what I
have opened. But this is checking with no programs open at all. No
extra icons in place in my tray (only those there when I started ther
computer up).

But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
available RAM?

Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).

...D.

 

[Guest]

There are several programs that can free RAM like
FreeMem Pro (http://www.freemempro.com/)
Free Ram Optimizer XP (http://www.voodoofiles.com/13009)

Or you can just search (http://www.google.com) for memory utilities.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, D.

If you want to learn about how WinXP manages memory, see MVP Alex Nichol's
explanation at:
Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

Pay special attention to "Why is there so little Free RAM?", where we find
this line: "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." So, it is WinXP itself, not
"badly written programs", that decides how much to keep in RAM.

Do you actually have a problem, D., or are you just trying to learn more
about WinXP? Most memory problems were left behind when we moved from
MS-DOS to WinXP. Of course, increasing RAM to the gigabyte range helped,
too. My first computer (the original TRS-80 in 1977) had just 16 KB RAM!

RC

 

[Ron Martell]

There are several programs that can free RAM like
FreeMem Pro (http://www.freemempro.com/)
Free Ram Optimizer XP (http://www.voodoofiles.com/13009)

These programs, and all others of similar ilk, are pure unadulterated
crapware that are totally incapable of performing any beneficial
function for any computer under any circumstances.

For a more technical evaluation of these items see
http://www.radsoft.net/resources/software/reviews/redux/


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Sky King]

Available Physical Memory - where does it go?

But my question is - why are these programs keeping memory in RAM when
they are no longer opened or turned on or anything? Are these badly
written programs or something that don't remove the RAM they used from my
available RAM?

Is there any way to re-free this trapped RAM? Or track down the culprit
or culprits (wouldn't know what to look for in task manager).

Unless you are seeing substantial slowdowns and sluggish performance, I
think you may be barking up a tree without any critters worth chasing on the
limbs. You don't mention what version of Windows you are using, so hard to
say much more without that info. Generally speaking, your RAM is always
there and always working for you --- regardless of what any reporting tools
state.

 

[...D.]

Unless you are seeing substantial slowdowns and sluggish performance, I
think you may be barking up a tree without any critters worth chasing on the
limbs. You don't mention what version of Windows you are using, so hard to
say much more without that info. Generally speaking, your RAM is always
there and always working for you --- regardless of what any reporting tools
state.

Well, this is a Windows XP newsgroup, so I am using Windows XP. If you
want to know whether home or Pro, it is XP Home.

Now, several people here saying don't bother. So then - it doesn't matter
if I run an intensive program like Madden 2005 - whether I have 380 MBs
RAM free or 260 MBs RAM free? Because I can see a swing like that after
running some programs. I have not figured out which program or programs
are the big culprits yet - should only be 5 MBs here and there it seems to
me. I have just now put a shortcut to my system info on my desktop and
will be checking more.

I do notice slow downs at times. Sometimes substantial, like just loading
something. I've even gone & rebooted at hese times. I've looked in my
task manager at these times and have nothing running - CPU is 95 - 98%
free. I have not looked at my available RAM at these times enough to see
if the reason for the slowdowns i experience is less RAM or not.

OK - I found a free RAM manager. Called Ran2Free, by GDS. It is a one
man operation. This guy has a several freeware programs, and making them
is a hobby, I also just tried out his screen saver utility, and it works
nicely (lets me call up my screen saver any time I want - adds an icon to
my tray). But I have to check out the Ram2Free program more, as yet I
haven't engaged it when I had RAM deficiencies. It did free up 2 MBs
right after I started the computer.

Now a question - it is just a little tiny program (Ram2Free). It doesn't
even add an icon anywhere. I can start it up - not sure if it frees
memory & shuts off, or continues to monitor - probably the former, but not
sure. There is a command line option to add if I want to put it in the
Windows scheduler. With the command line parameter, (/f) it will turn on
the program, optimize the RAM, and shut off. I have never messed with
the Windows scheduler before - I tried, my only options were like
daily/weekly/monthly. My question is how do I schedule something to run
every half hour?
...D.

 

[...D.]

OK. The program does work. In fact it freed about 40 MBs above what I
start with after I boot and all start-up programs have loaded.

Basically, I have 512 & a 256 MB memory sticks giving me what - 768 MBs
RAM? 64 MBs are taken by video, and after start-up programs (several are
Norton) I have about 380 MBs free according to Windows XP's System Info.
I was finding myself at times down to 260 MBs RAM free after running some
programs. It was worse - I had the new Google search engine installed,
and found it was using over 30 MBs RAM all by itself. Having a search
engine that also looks on your hard drive is cool, but too much RAM used,.
so I uninstalled it.

Anyhow, after just now running Agent for Usenet, and another program, I
checked my RAM, it was down to 350 MBs (nothing running) from my start up
amopunt of 380 MBs free.. OK, I fired up Ram2Free, and it monitored my
memory - this time I actually got smart and clicked the "Free RAM" button.
It took about 30 seconds to flip through some "pages" it called them. It
optimized. After exiting, I fired up my System Info again. I was up to
like 420 MBs free - got the 30 MBs back the programs I started had stolen,
plus 40 MBs above my start-up free RAM..

So if you think it doesn't make a difference in performance, so be it. At
least it eases my mind. If I still end up with a slow down after freeing
up RAM then at least I will know it isn't a RAM issue.

...D.

 

[Ron Martell]

OK. The program does work. In fact it freed about 40 MBs above what I
start with after I boot and all start-up programs have loaded.

Basically, I have 512 & a 256 MB memory sticks giving me what - 768 MBs
RAM? 64 MBs are taken by video, and after start-up programs (several are
Norton) I have about 380 MBs free according to Windows XP's System Info.
I was finding myself at times down to 260 MBs RAM free after running some
programs. It was worse - I had the new Google search engine installed,
and found it was using over 30 MBs RAM all by itself. Having a search
engine that also looks on your hard drive is cool, but too much RAM used,.
so I uninstalled it.

Anyhow, after just now running Agent for Usenet, and another program, I
checked my RAM, it was down to 350 MBs (nothing running) from my start up
amopunt of 380 MBs free.. OK, I fired up Ram2Free, and it monitored my
memory - this time I actually got smart and clicked the "Free RAM" button.
It took about 30 seconds to flip through some "pages" it called them. It
optimized. After exiting, I fired up my System Info again. I was up to
like 420 MBs free - got the 30 MBs back the programs I started had stolen,
plus 40 MBs above my start-up free RAM..

So if you think it doesn't make a difference in performance, so be it. At
least it eases my mind. If I still end up with a slow down after freeing
up RAM then at least I will know it isn't a RAM issue.

...D.

Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
whatever may be required.

What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.

RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
of your computer and mount them on the wall.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[...D.]

Free RAM is more appropriately described as *useless* RAM because that
is what it represents - RAM for which the Windows memory manager has
so far been totally unable to find any use for. By design the memory
manager will always attempt to find some use, anything whatever that
might be of some potential benefit rather than just leaving the RAM
sitting there idly going to rot. And just as soon as some better use
does come along for some of that RAM the memory manager will
instantaneously drop the more trivial items from RAM so as to free up
whatever may be required.
What your snake oil "memory freeing" program has done is to force
Windows to unnecessarily drop some items from RAM, usually reducing
the size of the disk cache, so as to provide this "useless memory" for
you. Then when (and it is almost always when and not if) Windows
requires those items that were dropped from the disk cache in RAM it
will take up to 1,000 times longer to reload these items from the hard
drive than it would to access them if they had remained in RAM.
RAM exists to be used. If you really want free RAM take the chips out
of your computer and mount them on the wall.
Good luck
Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Ok I have assimilated, and believe your advice as to how RAM operates.

However, the guy who wrote this little utility seems to know a thing or
two. What if this Free RAM program looks at those components of Windows
that we hear about that are useless to most people - the ones that are on
a list on a website somewhere that I haven't gotten around to yet - I know
there are several such components recommended to disable, just because
they'll never be used by Windows unless you are part of some weird huge
network or some non-average situation. What if it is looking at those
components, & freeing that RAM you really do not need?

No answer needed. There is no way to know whether or not...
...D.

 

[Mike Hall]

Ok I have assimilated, and believe your advice as to how RAM operates.

However, the guy who wrote this little utility seems to know a thing or
two. What if this Free RAM program looks at those components of Windows
that we hear about that are useless to most people - the ones that are on
a list on a website somewhere that I haven't gotten around to yet - I know
there are several such components recommended to disable, just because
they'll never be used by Windows unless you are part of some weird huge
network or some non-average situation. What if it is looking at those
components, & freeing that RAM you really do not need?

No answer needed. There is no way to know whether or not...

...D.

The amount of RAM freed by these programs is usually offset by the resources
consumed in the effort to free RAM.. the gain is more often than not
minimal..

 

[David Candy]

If the components are truely unused then they'll get dropped from memory by the memory manager. If it truely never used it will take NO memory.