DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON!! Free RAM <100 out of Available 6326

AaLF · 25 Dec 2015

We have a mid-range PC normally a good-performance PC under generic conditions. But I think its running a little flat.

Installed is 8.0Gb with -

1 x Cdrive HDD
2 x 2Gb Terrabite HDD data storage (70 percent full)
1 x 500Gb SDD data storage

And here are the Task Manager results

Before pic = with nothing open
Available 6326
free 1070

After 1-4 pics = as I open one folder then more folders.
With 4 folders open "free" drops to 99. Yes 99.

LMiller7 · 25 Dec 2015

I see nothing in the screenshots that is unusual or cause for concern. Low free memory is a good thing, zero being the optimum value. I have seen zero free memory many times with no problems whatsoever. Windows, and any other modern OS as well, was designed to operate this way. Free memory has never been a desirable thing in any Windows OS released in the last 20+ years.

Windows will always try to find some use for as much memory as possible with the goal of maximizing performance. The lowering value for free memory is an indication it is doing it's job. Free memory is wasted memory. It is an evil which should be avoided whenever possible. The ideal state would be zero free memory at all times but we are not there yet.

The important number is "Available" memory and you have no shortage of that.

I don't know why free memory is displayed so prominently. It seems that most people who notice it misinterpret it's meaning. I would be more concerned about a high value than a low one.

AaLF · 25 Dec 2015

But nothing opens. This PC saves opens & photoshop's plenty of pics. Just to open a folder or two with bulk photos with thumbnails is taking up to 6 hours.

If RAM is not a problem what is? (keep in mind the reformatt is only days old and not many programs installed)

LMiller7 · 25 Dec 2015

Sorry, I don't know what your problem is but memory clearly is not it. The original post only hinted that there was a problem.

Golden · 25 Dec 2015

Try indexing/reindexing the folder

AaLF · 25 Dec 2015

Can I tell win7 to index each HDD? (too many folders)

How does one 'index' a drive?

Golden · 25 Dec 2015

AaLF said:

Can I tell win7 to index each HDD? (too many folders)

How does one 'index' a drive?

Index Locations - Add or Remove

AaLF · 25 Dec 2015

Thanksmuchly. So far looking good. :)