Exact memory used

[Ramesh]

Hi,

Is there a way to find out how much of memory is actually being used at any
point in time? Does the commit number in task manager indicate the memory
used?

The purpose is to determine the amount of memory required in my PC. I
already have 512MB (2 x 256) but i find the commit figure most of the time
around 650MB (at times reaching 750MB) and slows down the system
tremendously. I need to decide whether to replace a 256 with 512MB (768MB
total) or 1GB (total 1.25GB).

Any guidance please?

Thanks in advance.
Ramesh

 

[Jim Macklin]

RAM is getting cheap, if it is in current production. It is
getting expensive if it is an obsolete type.

Depending on what mobo you have you may want to have
identical RAM modules, if the banks are reading in phase.

Given a choice, I'd go with the 1 GB module or even better,
two 1 GB modules.

Post which mobo you have and somebody will make a more exact
suggestion.

Slow operation can be due to many things, too many
background programs running [spyware?], CPU getting too hot
and throttling back, hard drive problems slowing virtual
memory.


| Hi,
|
| Is there a way to find out how much of memory is actually
being used at any
| point in time? Does the commit number in task manager
indicate the memory
| used?
|
| The purpose is to determine the amount of memory required
in my PC. I
| already have 512MB (2 x 256) but i find the commit figure
most of the time
| around 650MB (at times reaching 750MB) and slows down the
system
| tremendously. I need to decide whether to replace a 256
with 512MB (768MB
| total) or 1GB (total 1.25GB).
|
| Any guidance please?
|
| Thanks in advance.
| Ramesh
|
|

 

[Ian D]

Hi,

Is there a way to find out how much of memory is actually being used at
any point in time? Does the commit number in task manager indicate the
memory used?

The purpose is to determine the amount of memory required in my PC. I
already have 512MB (2 x 256) but i find the commit figure most of the time
around 650MB (at times reaching 750MB) and slows down the system
tremendously. I need to decide whether to replace a 256 with 512MB (768MB
total) or 1GB (total 1.25GB).

Any guidance please?

Thanks in advance.
Ramesh

If the total commit nears or exceeds your total physical RAM
you are using the page file and your system will slow down.
If your system uses dual channel RAM you're best to remove
both 256's and go with a pair of 1GB's. At 1.25GB you'll
have mis-matched RAM, and a single gig (2x512MB) will be
marginal looking at your usage. Besides what's shown in
the total commit, additional RAM is used for system cache.

 

[Ramesh]

Thanks Jim and Ian. Looks like a good bet would be to go for 2 x 512MB for
the current requirement. I actually tried with 256 + 1 gig and it worked
pretty well. system seemed to breathe so much easier. but considering the
mismatch indicated by you, guess 2x512 may be a better idea.

dont want to put in too much either cos its a rather old laptop using DDR.
likely to replace laptop itself maybe in a year or so.

thanks again
ramesh

 

[Jim Macklin]

It may or may not be using DUAL CHANNEL RAM, check the
specifications to see. If you go to www.crucial.com and
enter the makes and model they will report what memory you
should be using.


| Thanks Jim and Ian. Looks like a good bet would be to go
for 2 x 512MB for
| the current requirement. I actually tried with 256 + 1
gig and it worked
| pretty well. system seemed to breathe so much easier.
but considering the
| mismatch indicated by you, guess 2x512 may be a better
idea.
|
| dont want to put in too much either cos its a rather old
laptop using DDR.
| likely to replace laptop itself maybe in a year or so.
|
| thanks again
| ramesh
|
| | >
| > | >> Hi,
| >>
| >> Is there a way to find out how much of memory is
actually being used at
| >> any point in time? Does the commit number in task
manager indicate the
| >> memory used?
| >>
| >> The purpose is to determine the amount of memory
required in my PC. I
| >> already have 512MB (2 x 256) but i find the commit
figure most of the
| >> time around 650MB (at times reaching 750MB) and slows
down the system
| >> tremendously. I need to decide whether to replace a
256 with 512MB
| >> (768MB total) or 1GB (total 1.25GB).
| >>
| >> Any guidance please?
| >>
| >> Thanks in advance.
| >> Ramesh
| >>
| > If the total commit nears or exceeds your total physical
RAM
| > you are using the page file and your system will slow
down.
| > If your system uses dual channel RAM you're best to
remove
| > both 256's and go with a pair of 1GB's. At 1.25GB
you'll
| > have mis-matched RAM, and a single gig (2x512MB) will be
| > marginal looking at your usage. Besides what's shown in
| > the total commit, additional RAM is used for system
cache.
| >
|
|

 

[Ian D]

Thanks Jim and Ian. Looks like a good bet would be to go for 2 x 512MB
for the current requirement. I actually tried with 256 + 1 gig and it
worked pretty well. system seemed to breathe so much easier. but
considering the mismatch indicated by you, guess 2x512 may be a better
idea.

dont want to put in too much either cos its a rather old laptop using DDR.
likely to replace laptop itself maybe in a year or so.

If the performance is satisfactory and stable with the 1.25 gig, then go
with that. Since it is an older laptop, it may not use dual DDR. Even
if it is dual DDR the performance difference won't be that noticeable
unless you're using CPU intensive applications, usually 10-15% on
benchmarks. If you've already bought the 1GB, save your money to
put 4 gigs in your next laptop.

ID

 

[Gerry]

Ramesh

To judge the need for more RAM memory the normal way is to monitor
pagefile usage If consistently more than 50 mb adding memory will
usually be beneficial.

Is the computer left on 24/7?

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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~