Help Please ... Almost total ram failure

Devvytm · September 20, 2020

Quick Specs of my Laptop:

Intel Core i3-7100u cpu @2.40ghz (2 cores 4 threads)

12gbs of ddr4 ram 2133mhz (laptop doesn't support overclocking) - dual channel

Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620

128gb ssd (m.2) 1tb hdd

Problem: System continually states that it is running out of memory. This even occurs when only chrome is open and all I am doing is watching a youtube video. All other applications (except core ones are closed). Still claims that it runs out of memory. When playing games the same thing happens from time to time where it will close the game because it has "run out of memory" but then not free up said memory until I close every other thing that is running, including background stuff such as steam. This wasn't a problem before so I am unsure of what is causing it and whether the problem lies in the upgrade to 12gbs, the reinstall of windows, the update of windows or simply just something I messed up. I have scoured the internet trying to find solutions. The most promising at the time of writing this seemed to be an issue with paging file where the person went in depth about how the computer operates when it comes to how it actually uses and sets aside memory for applications. They recommended either letting the system handle it or allocating more to paging file but the thing is, my current set up has it at over 31gbs which as you can no doubt tell is nearly triple the amount of ram available to the system. So I really don't know what else to do here. I'd think it is a problem with the ram sticks (I had a previous issue where the laptop wasn't turning on at all but which turned out to ok once I reseated the ram - this was after a lightning strike) but it was working fine past that moment and worked fine after the update and reinstall and update again of windows so I really have no idea what else to do. Cpu usage, despite how low end it is in 2020 is perfectly fine. Unless I am doing something really taxing it doesnt even go up past 20% usage (while typing this with plenty of tabs open and other stuff running in the background it is sitting at 8 - 11% usage.) yet the ram on the otherhand is sitting firmly at 53% usage (6.3gbs according to task manager). For context: see the screenshot where I show that NOTHING is using that much ram. Heck, even chrome which is usually very taxing is barely testing the waters here. The other screenshot shows just how steady the ram usage is at over 6gbs. Please help!