Memory Suck Down

[Guest]

When my computer boots up and starts running programs in the background there is about 65% of the memory left available. The system releases the memory used by other programs when the programs are terminated, however, something is slowly - 2 to 4 hours - sucking up the memory until it gets low enough, 40% or so, that it causes severe performance problems. I am forced to reboot and the process begins again. Do you know what could be causing this? Thank you in advance...

 

[CWatters]

Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and select the Processes tab. Note the "Mem Usage" column.
Repeat 2 hours later and compare.

When my computer boots up and starts running programs in the background

there is about 65% of the memory left available. The system releases the
memory used by other programs when the programs are terminated, however,
something is slowly - 2 to 4 hours - sucking up the memory until it gets low
enough, 40% or so, that it causes severe performance problems. I am forced
to reboot and the process begins again. Do you know what could be causing
this? Thank you in advance...

 

[Alex Nichol]

When my computer boots up and starts running programs in the background there is about 65% of the memory left available. The system releases the memory used by other programs when the programs are terminated, however, something is slowly - 2 to 4 hours - sucking up the memory until it gets low enough, 40% or so, that it causes severe performance problems.

You are being misled in thinking that it is undesirable to have all the
memory in use. XP is doing its level best to achieve just that - even
if the uses are trivial (such as retaining the code of the program you
exited ten minutes ago, just in case you want to load it again). If
another use comes along these trivial uses will be dropped instantly.
Do *not* use any of the programs that purport to manage memory or free
memory - they have only a cosmetic effect at best and may in fact cause
trouble.

That said it is a mistake to try and keep every program you own loaded
and active - this is bound to give any system indigestion

And read up at www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm