Ram usage issue

[ilyail3]

I use windows xp sp2, norton antivirus
I have only 256 mb of RAM
Task Manager says that more than half of my memory is busy when I'm using windows while the list of application shows that only about 50 mb are busy
Take a look
http://www.freewebs.com/ilyail3/RAM.JPG
Where's the rest?
I can't run games because of lack of memory!

[Reverend]

How did you reach the figure of only 50 MB ???

[Big Booger]

How did you reach the figure of only 50 MB ???

Yeah because in the commit charge it is showing around 300MB of memory being used.

[ilyail3]

I mean that the sum of all the memory usage in the "processes" list is about 50-80 mb

[Reverend]

Well according to my rough calculations the memory usage adds up to at least 128 mb, and thats not including the rest of the processes below the scroll that we can't see in your screenshot. :confused:

[ilyail3]

the rest of the list includes only 6 programs that take below 1000 kb

[Reverend]

the rest of the list includes only 6 programs that take below 1000 kbI think you're misreading the list.

Your screenshot shows 19 processes above the scroll out of a total of 40,which means there are another 21 below the scroll.

Like i said before the first 19 add up to at least 128 mb,and your total "commit Charge" shows 300+.

So as you can see you are using way more than the 50-80 that you are claiming.

Basically you need to either free up some memory by uninstalling programs that you don't need or hardly ever use,or buy some more RAM. I would recommend you run at least 512mb,but 1Gb (2 x 512mb) would be better.

[FastGame]

ilyail3, wasn't the memory problem addressed here http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showpost.php?p=93484&postcount=14

You need to do as Reverend suggest, IMHO you have way too many un-important processes running.

Basically you need to either free up some memory by uninstalling programs that you don't need or hardly ever use,or buy some more RAM. I would recommend you run at least 512mb,but 1Gb (2 x 512mb) would be better.

[adiemus]

Meh, you need to buy ram. And, since it's not a very expensive upgrade (in general), what are you waiting for? Seriously, if you plan to game you need at least 512MB (usually). A lot of people have like 1GB (or more), personally, I have 768MB. I had 512 a while, but I wanted to see what an extra 256 would do. Anyway, get another stick of 256 ram, and see how it helps. I'm seriously a little shocked you haven't already done that.

-adiemus

[ianpac]

If you dont want to spend on a memory upgrade then download a free little program called Ram Idle from TweakNow.com which will reclaim idle ram when your free ram goes down below a critical level which you can define yourself.

256MB is quite sufficient to run XP plus accessories, the problem is that other programs lay claim to big chunks of your memory even though they are not using it. If XP were a better OS then it would have a Ram Idle type program built into it to manage your memory efficiently.

The program shows your free ram at all times in the taskbar. Even when I am running many programs simultaneously I never run out of memory and I have only 256MB too. ;)