Possible solution(s) to my RAM problems?

[kwitel]

Thanks in advance for reading.
Im using a Del Optiplex with Windows 7/64 bit, 6GB of RAM and a 4th Gen i5.

About a month ago a tech-friend replaced my 500gb internal drive with one 256ssd for the OS and a 1TB optical drive for storage.

Ever since then (and it could just be coincidence), I keep getting low memory alerts. Its usually Firefox or Chrome that is the culprit but its been iTunes and even Evernote as well. I dont use anything very memory intensive and I rarely keep more than 3 browser tabs open.

Have any ideas what could be the problem here?

I just ordered another 2gbs of ram from Crucial...

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Have you run Memtest 86?

Have you monitored actual RAM usage at any given moment in Task Manager? How much does it say is installed and in use?

If you truly "don't use anything very memory intensive", the new 2 GB of RAM is a waste of money, particularly if you don't know if you've been using all of the current 6.

 

[kwitel]

Have you run Memtest 86?

Have you monitored actual RAM usage at any given moment in Task Manager? How much does it say is installed and in use?

If you truly "don't use anything very memory intensive", the new 2 GB of RAM is a waste of money, particularly if you don't know if you've been using all of the current 6.

I have not. I will download and try that out.

I am looking at TM right now and its says I have 6046mbs of RAM which sounds right and 4.36gbs or 74% of my RAM is being used, which sounds correct as well.
Thats said and maybe im doing this wrong, but when adding up all the memory usage on the Processes tag I get maybe a Gig or a gig and half of memory.

Why then does it say 4.36 of gigs is being used in the performance tab?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

4.36 is highly suspicious. I've never ever used more than 3 plus, including times when I've had 50 or more browser tabs open.

A gig or gig and a half sounds much more likely.

I'd run complete virus and malware scans as a starting point.

Any odd looking stuff in processes or installed apps that you can't readily identify? Or in non-Microsoft services?

Maybe others have better ideas. I'm not a memory guru.

 

[kwitel]

4.36 is highly suspicious. I've never ever used more than 3 plus, including times when I've had 50 or more browser tabs open.

A gig or gig and a half sounds much more likely.

I'd run complete virus and malware scans as a starting point.

Any odd looking stuff in processes or installed apps that you can't readily identify? Or in non-Microsoft services?

Maybe others have better ideas. I'm not a memory guru.

Have done all of that and cant seem to find anything suspicious.

Appreciate the help.

 

[AddRAM]

Yes, 74% is way high.

 

[LMiller7]

I am looking at TM right now and its says I have 6046mbs of RAM which sounds right and 4.36gbs or 74% of my RAM is being used, which sounds correct as well.
Thats said and maybe im doing this wrong, but when adding up all the memory usage on the Processes tag I get maybe a Gig or a gig and half of memory.

Why then does it say 4.36 of gigs is being used in the performance tab?

Adding up the numbers in the memory usage column will never equal total usage. It was never intended that it would. With default configuration the numbers do not show full process usage and there are some very significant users of memory that are not processes, not all of which are shown in Task Manager.

74% usage does seem high. A good place to start would be to post a screenshot of Task Manager - Performance tab. This will provide a high level view of memory usage and is more important at this point than a look a process usage. The problem may not be a process at all and in many cases it isn't.

 

[Callender]

Check Page File settings:

Start> Run

type sysdm.cpl

press Enter.

Advanced> Performance> Settings> Advanced> Virtual Memory> Change

Post a screenshot for us to look at.

 

[kwitel]

I am looking at TM right now and its says I have 6046mbs of RAM which sounds right and 4.36gbs or 74% of my RAM is being used, which sounds correct as well.
Thats said and maybe im doing this wrong, but when adding up all the memory usage on the Processes tag I get maybe a Gig or a gig and half of memory.

Why then does it say 4.36 of gigs is being used in the performance tab?

Adding up the numbers in the memory usage column will never equal total usage. It was never intended that it would. With default configuration the numbers do not show full process usage and there are some very significant users of memory that are not processes, not all of which are shown in Task Manager.

74% usage does seem high. A good place to start would be to post a screenshot of Task Manager - Performance tab. This will provide a high level view of memory usage and is more important at this point than a look a process usage. The problem may not be a process at all and in many cases it isn't.

Check Page File settings:

Start> Run

type sysdm.cpl

press Enter.

Advanced> Performance> Settings> Advanced> Virtual Memory> Change

Post a screenshot for us to look at.

Please see attached.

Thanks.

 

[kwitel]

And Performance:

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Someone, maybe your friend, turned off your paging file, per the last pic in post 9--for unknown reasons.

Put a checkmark in that "automatically manage paging file size for all drives" box and make sure that "no paging file" choice below it is NOT checked. Just let Windows manage it.

You have 98 processes. That's high, but I've seen higher. Somewhere in the 60s might be closer to average. I have 61 processes at this moment. So you have a lot of things going on in that PC. Maybe you need each and every one of them, that's up to you--but they all gnaw on your RAM and performance a little bit.

Right now, you have about 2 GB RAM cached and about 1 GB available. Those figures are tolerable, but as a point of reference, I have 8 GB installed and right now I have over 6 GB cached and over 6 GB available. So you are using a lot more than I am----somewhere, somehow.

 

[kwitel]

Someone, maybe your friend, turned off your paging file, per the last pic in post 9--for unknown reasons.

Put a checkmark in that "automatically manage paging file size for all drives" box and make sure that "no paging file" choice below it is NOT checked. Just let Windows manage it.

You have 98 processes. That's high, but I've seen higher. Somewhere in the 60s might be closer to average. I have 61 processes at this moment. So you have a lot of things going on in that PC. Maybe you need each and every one of them, that's up to you--but they all gnaw on your RAM and performance a little bit.

Right now, you have about 2 GB RAM cached and about 1 GB available. Those figures are tolerable, but as a point of reference, I have 8 GB installed and right now I have over 6 GB cached and over 6 GB available. So you are using a lot more than I am----somewhere, somehow.

Done and that seems to have lowered my physical memory usage dramatically (although I still need to wait and see with more usage).
Im not sure why I have so many processes relative to you or the average user but I will go through each of them and see if I can figure whats what.
On a daily basis I never use more than the following:

1. Outlook
2. Firefox
3. Itunes
4. CRM
5. Dropbox

I would consider that basic use, no?


Other than that, I have the usual Anti-Virus, Malwarebytes, some Logitech apps and thats about it.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You may knowingly USE only those 5 things daily, but you've got a carload of things going regardless, probably most of them "automatically" when you start up.

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running?

How many things do you have checked off in msconfig startup tab? You need zero to run Windows.

 

[kwitel]

You may knowingly USE only those 5 things daily, but you've got a carload of things going regardless, probably most of them "automatically" when you start up.

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running?

How many things do you have checked off in msconfig startup tab? You need zero to run Windows.

I have a huge list of startup services and all are checked but a large portion of them say they have been stopped.
The one s that are stopped, do i have to uncheck those as well?

Btw, I think you solved my problem.
I have a number of things running right now including 4 tabs open in FF, all of which would normally prompt a memory warning but im at 52% of memory...

 

[essenbe]

Try holding down the windows key and press R. Type msconfig in the search box and press enter, go to the startup page. Uncheck everything you can live without. Nothing but your AV is necessary to run at startup. All programs will run just fine when you need them, they will just not start with Windows and will only be running when you open them.

 

[Callender]

RE: Chrome. I don't use it so can't help.

RE: Firefox. Try this setting but make a note of you current settings so that you can revert if needed.



Also see:

The Page File Guide for Windows 7, 8.1 and 10

 

[kwitel]

You may knowingly USE only those 5 things daily, but you've got a carload of things going regardless, probably most of them "automatically" when you start up.

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running?

How many things do you have checked off in msconfig startup tab? You need zero to run Windows.

So it looks like im back up at 70-80% again, even though I thought this was resolved.

How do I know what is "non-Microsoft"?

And are you referring to processes or start-up items?

 

[derekimo]

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running?

How do I know what is "non-Microsoft"?

In the services tab, you can check the box "Hide all Microsoft Services",

 

[kwitel]

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running?

How do I know what is "non-Microsoft"?

In the services tab, you can check the box "Hide all Microsoft Services",

View attachment 387152

Thanks.

There are 18 non-MS services running...

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I've got 11 running and 3 stopped.

Of my 11 running, 6 are Intel, 3 are related to antimalware, and I think the other 2 are unnecessary--I just haven't shut them off.