Should available memory match total memory?

[Guest]

I was checking out my System Information and saw something confusing. It
lists my Total Physical Memory as 1,024.00 MB, but my Available Physical
Memory is pegged at 505.00 MB. Shouldn't these be the same number, or at
least very close? I honestly have no clue and I can't find the answer listed
anywhere.

I have 1GB of ram installed, if it's only accessing half of that, maybe that
can explain some minor performance issues I experience.

Just as a additional bit of info, my Total Virtual Memory is 2.00GB,
Available Virtual Memory is 1.96BG, and Page File Space is 2.40GB.

Do all these sound like what they're supposed to be? If not, how might I
fix it? Also, if it is supposed to be like this, can someone explain why?
Thanks so much!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I was checking out my System Information and saw something confusing.
It lists my Total Physical Memory as 1,024.00 MB, but my Available
Physical Memory is pegged at 505.00 MB. Shouldn't these be the same
number, or at least very close?

No, they can never even be close. If all your memory were available, you
couldn't possibly be doing anything, not even running Windows.

Ken

 

[Jim]

I was checking out my System Information and saw something confusing. It
lists my Total Physical Memory as 1,024.00 MB, but my Available Physical
Memory is pegged at 505.00 MB. Shouldn't these be the same number, or at
least very close? I honestly have no clue and I can't find the answer
listed
anywhere.

I have 1GB of ram installed, if it's only accessing half of that, maybe
that
can explain some minor performance issues I experience.

Just as a additional bit of info, my Total Virtual Memory is 2.00GB,
Available Virtual Memory is 1.96BG, and Page File Space is 2.40GB.

Do all these sound like what they're supposed to be? If not, how might I
fix it? Also, if it is supposed to be like this, can someone explain why?
Thanks so much!

Total physical memory is the amount that is installed on your motherboard
less the amount allocated to a shared memory graphics controller.
Available physical memory is the above number less the amount allocated to
the loaded processes.
Total virtual memory is the amount of virtual memory that any process can
use.
Available physical memory is the above number less the amount used by some
bookkeeping programs.
Page file space is the maximum size of the page file ever needed.

Jim

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Jim

Not sure about your last definition. If you have set a maximum page
file size it is the maximum you (the user) is allowing the system to
use. If no maximum is set the maximum is the amount of free disk space
available.

--

Regards.

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

 

[Jim]

Jim

Not sure about your last definition. If you have set a maximum page file
size it is the maximum you (the user) is allowing the system to use. If no
maximum is set the maximum is the amount of free disk space available.

--

Regards.

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

Yes, it is more than a bit unclear.

What I should have said is the maximum pagefile size is the one which the
user sets when he controls the pagefile size. However, in the system
managed size case, it is either the current maximum size or (perhaps) the
maximum size ever needed.

I set my systems to the system managed case, but I haven't seen one reduce
the pagefile size.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Thank you guys, you answered what I needed.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

What minor performance issues?

Please look in the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for
Warning and Error Reports and post copies here.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427/en-us

Part of the Description of the error will include a link, which you
should double click for further information. You can copy using copy
and paste. Often the link will, however, say there is no further
information.
http://go.microsoft.com/fw.link/events.asp
(Please note the hyperlink above is for illustration purposes only)

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event Viewer.
Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of the
message. This will paste the info from the Event Viewer Error Report.
Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from Event Viewer.



--

Hope this helps.

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