task manager (performance)

[KRK]

Hello, can someone help me to interpret the data I see on the performance
tab (memory) in task manager please? I have 2 Gb of ram.

The display shows a green bar for memory which shows 772MB. Below it says
Physical memory, Total 2045, cached 1601, free 25. Then 'Kernel memory,
Total 224, paged 151, nonpaged 72.

What are all these memories?. Do I really only have 25 MB ram free?

I took these readings with my pc running only background system tasks.

Thanks for you help

KK

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello, can someone help me to interpret the data I see on the performance
tab (memory) in task manager please? I have 2 Gb of ram.

The display shows a green bar for memory which shows 772MB. Below it says
Physical memory, Total 2045, cached 1601, free 25. Then 'Kernel memory,
Total 224, paged 151, nonpaged 72.

What are all these memories?. Do I really only have 25 MB ram free?

You say "*only* have 25 MB ram free," as if having only a little free
is bad.

You have it backwards. Wanting to minimize the amount of memory
Windows uses is a counterproductive desire. Windows is designed to use
all, or most, of your memory, all the time, and that's good not bad.
Free memory is wasted memory. You paid for it all and shouldn't want
to see any of it wasted.

Windows works hard to find a use for all the memory you have all the
time. For example if your apps don't need some of it, it will use that
part for caching, then give it back when your apps later need it. In
this way Windows keeps all your memory working for you all the time.

 

[KRK]

Thanks , I see (I think).

KK

You say "*only* have 25 MB ram free," as if having only a little free
is bad.

You have it backwards. Wanting to minimize the amount of memory
Windows uses is a counterproductive desire. Windows is designed to use
all, or most, of your memory, all the time, and that's good not bad.
Free memory is wasted memory. You paid for it all and shouldn't want
to see any of it wasted.

Windows works hard to find a use for all the memory you have all the
time. For example if your apps don't need some of it, it will use that
part for caching, then give it back when your apps later need it. In
this way Windows keeps all your memory working for you all the time.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks , I see (I think).

You're welcome. Glad to help.