Solved Uncontrolled RAM usage

[Belvadier]

Hi,

I am have been having some problems recently with RAM usage. Normally when my computer is just sitting at the desktop it is using about 23% of my total RAM (which is 8gb) However, within the last day or so whenever I boot up the computer will start at about the normal 23% but then work its way up to the 40-60% range.

This will happen even if I am not using the computer or even if I just let it boot up and then sit there if I come back a few hours later the RAM use is sky high. In the process manager once I click the "show processes for all users" button and sort by the amount of memory being used I get an svchost.exe at the top and the RAM usage for this process will just grow and grow and continue to grow until I restart my computer.

Again, this happens even if I don't use my computer to do anything.

When I right-click on this process and select the "go to services" option the services that are listed are:

UxSms
TrkWks
HomeGroupListener
Netman
IPBusEnum
WPDBusEnum
PcaSvc
Sysmain
AudioEndpointBuilder
wudfsvc

Malwarebytes scan and Norton scan reveal no virus or malware.

The most recent piece of software I installed was Alpha Protocol via Steam, however I did uninstall this software and re-boot to test and see if it was the problem and it still did it with it uninstalled.

I am running windows 7 home premium 64 bit fully updated

The most annoying and strange thing is that it will start off low and then just keep growing and growing until a reboot, even if I don't use programs and just let it sit at the desktop.

Sorry for the somewhat wordy description, I just didn't want to leave anything out. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

(I attached a screen capture of the offending process just in case that helps out and in the picture i do realize that there are more things using my RAM there than just that process but I think you get the point)

EDIT: I just thought of this: my Norton Security Suite (provided by Comcast) just went through a MAJOR update where the whole program was basically changed. Not sure if this could be causing the problem or not, just thought I'd mention it.

 

[richc46]

Welcome
Step one is a full test with memtest.
Run it for 8 passes. Then test each slot for 8 passes
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/246994-guide-to-using-memtest86/

 

[karlsnooks]

Belvadier,

I've found RESMON and the CPU tab to be quite informative.

Is a possibility to 100% disable Norton and use Microsoft Security Essentials? That way we rule out any Norton-related problems.

There is a link in my sig for Microsoft Security Essentials and also for CCleaner which I'm going to ask you to use for the following:
LIST OF STARTUP PROGRAMS USING CCLEANER


CCleaner | Tasks icon | Startup tab | click on Save to text file button (bottom right side)

Using the PAPER CLIP icon in the top panel of a Message Reply window, attach the .txt file generated by CCleaner.

 

[logicearth]

Your computer is hardly idle. Why do you think your computer is idled with 96 processes running?
And I wouldn't be surprised if your desktop is taking a huge chuck with all those icons.

 

[Belvadier]

Welcome
Step one is a full test with memtest.
Run it for 8 passes. Then test each slot for 8 passes
Guide to using Memtest86+ - Geeks to Go Forums

Memtest ran and it passed with no errors

Belvadier,

I've found RESMON and the CPU tab to be quite informative.

Is a possibility to 100% disable Norton and use Microsoft Security Essentials? That way we rule out any Norton-related problems.

There is a link in my sig for Microsoft Security Essentials and also for CCleaner which I'm going to ask you to use for the following:
LIST OF STARTUP PROGRAMS USING CCLEANER


CCleaner | Tasks icon | Startup tab | click on Save to text file button (bottom right side)

Using the PAPER CLIP icon in the top panel of a Message Reply window, attach the .txt file generated by CCleaner.

Startup list is enclosed as requested.

I think the only way to be sure Norton is 100% turned off is to uninstall it. I can turn off the individual items such as the real-time protection, etc. but the program itself is still running...

 

[Belvadier]

Your computer is hardly idle. Why do you think your computer is idled with 96 processes running?

I did say in my OP that I was aware that at the time of the screen shot I had many other things open and that that was just used to show the specific process that was continuously growing out of control.

I had several chrome windows open, steam, my dropbox, etc. at the time of the shot however maybe I have some processes running that shouldn't be running? I don't know. I can take a screen capture after a fresh reboot before I do anything listing all of the processes if that helps...

Looking back I probably shouldn't have used that image for this post as i do have a lot of other stuff open.

EDIT: attached two screen shots of my entire process list after clicking the button to show processes for all users right after a reboot. Norton, dropbox and eraser do load at startup, other than that I've no real idea what everything else is. If it helps the only way for me to demonstrate what happens would be to take a shot of the list with the growing svc host after a fresh re-boot before i go to bed and then leave it on all night without doing anything (other than taking the screen shot) and show how much the usage has grown which I can do that if it will be helpful)

 

[richc46]

Your memory may be fine, but that test takes at least 8 hours to do properly.

 

[logicearth]

The highest process is under 250 MB even in your first screenshot. I suspect the problem is something else, something that Task Manager cannot see because it is not associated with a process, a memory leak for example.

Lets see what RAMMap shows.
RAMMap

 

[Belvadier]

Your memory may be fine, but that test takes at least 8 hours to do properly.

My apologies, I did not notice that you said to let it run 8 passes, that is something I think I will have to save until tomorrow.

The highest process is under 250 MB even in your first screenshot. I suspect the problem is something else, something that Task Manager cannot see because it is not associated with a process, a memory leak for example.

Lets see what RAMMap shows.
RAMMap

I got RAMMap but unfortunately I have no idea what all it is that I am looking at...

is there a log file I should post of screen shots? and if screen shots, which sections would you want to see?

 

[logicearth]

When in RamMap go to File > Save... That will create a snapshot anyone with RamMap can open and look at every single pane as it was when saved.

 

[Wishmaster]

What version of Norton Internet Security are you using? 360 or NIS?


It may be worth running Live Update, and also Check for a New Version.

 

[Belvadier]

Perfect, there ya go! thanks for all your help so far, also. I'm sorry it's 101mb too...not sure if this is the normal size of these files or not but that is quite large. the upload was stalling when i tried to attach it so i'm just going to link to the file in my dropbox if that's OK...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/26434728/RAMMap%207.7.11.RMP

if getting it from my dropbox is a problem let me know...

 

[Belvadier]

What version of Norton Internet Security are you using? 360 or NIS?


It may be worth running Live Update, and also Check for a New Version.

Well, LiveUpdate says everything is up to date. It used to be NIS that Comcast gave us but now (since the update about a week ago) it's just called "Norton Security Suite".

 

[logicearth]

Took me a bit, had to install a 64bit version on Windows for RamMap a snapshot from a 64bit version. Yay for Native VHD support in Windows 7 for that. Anyways...

I don't see much of anything wrong, the numbers all look good. I wonder now tho, I probably should have asked this from the beginning. Are you having any actual performance issues? Is the machine slowing down? Stuttering, having hicups? Sending weapons of mass destruction to various places?

If not...then you should be happy that most of your RAM is actually being used. Making all that money you spent worth while. Course...you could send me 4 GBs so that will be 4 GBs less of what you have to worry about being used.

 

[Belvadier]

Took me a bit, had to install a 64bit version on Windows for RamMap a snapshot from a 64bit version. Yay for Native VHD support in Windows 7 for that. Anyways...

I don't see much of anything wrong, the numbers all look good. I wonder now tho, I probably should have asked this from the beginning. Are you having any actual performance issues? Is the machine slowing down? Stuttering, having hicups? Sending weapons of mass destruction to various places?

If not...then you should be happy that most of your RAM is actually being used. Making all that money you spent worth while. Course...you could send me 4 GBs so that will be 4 GBs less of what you have to worry about being used.

Well thanks for going through all that trouble to read my RAMMap save. There hasn't really been anything detrimental that has happened to my computer because of this so far. All my programs still execute as they should, games play fluidly, no detectable hit to performance, it was just the irregularity in the fact that for over a year it has been operating at a certain level of ram usage and now it has suddenly changed and I don't know why...

 

[karlsnooks]

Belvadier,
WiN | MSCONFIG | STARTUP tab | uncheck ALL except for:
Sidebar C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun


This will not delete any programs. Simply stop them from running at startup time. You will be pleasantly surprised with the performance improvment.

Next. Download Microsoft Security Essentials (link in my sig). Delete, that is, uninstall Norton. Install and use the most compatible and least interfering AV and security program available, Microsoft Security Essentials. This is the only one I use and I've tried them all. It's the only one I will install on anyones computer.

 

[Belvadier]

Ok, well I uninstalled norton and got MSE, we'll see if that helps, probably a good chance that it will I'm guessing since the only things I've changed about my computer since this started happening was Alpha Protocol (not the problem, already uninstalled to see if it was) and the new version of Norton so I guess we'll see. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[karlsnooks]

Did you follow the suggestion regarding MSCONFIG? Yes or No

 

[Belvadier]

Did you follow the suggestion regarding MSCONFIG? Yes or No

Well, to a certain extent yes. I also allowed MSE, dropbox and eraser in addition to the sidebar because those are things that I would like to start up automatically...

 

[karlsnooks]

MSE you should allow. Try unchecking dropbox and eraser.