Not high, but annoying ram usage...

[Killjoy_NS]

Hi to all!

I guess somebody noticed already, but when my PC "sits in idle"....sometimes....ram memory goes up to 10GB of usage and it won't go down until I restart my PC.

It is usually around 2.5GB - 3.5GB on startup with nothing on.

Only startup apps are AMD Adrenalin, AVG PC TuneUp and Windows Defender.

 

I've got 32GB on 3200MTs (4x8GB (2 ram kits), x64 Windows 10.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

[Needfuldoer]

Unused RAM is wasted RAM.

 

You've got plenty, don't worry about it.

[YoungBlade]

I don't know why you found @Needfuldoer's response to be funny. It's absolutely correct.

 

Modern operating systems are designed to take advantage of system memory by caching applications and files into RAM where possible. This helps to alleviate storage bottlenecks, and there is literally no reason not to do this when RAM is plentiful.

 

What is the point of having nearly 30GB of RAM sitting empty on your computer? How does it benefit you in any way?

[Killjoy_NS]

1 minute ago, Needfuldoer said:

Unused RAM is wasted RAM.

 

You've got plenty, don't worry about it.

Yeah, I know.....but....I just want to know what's causing that.
I can't believe that MS is unable to fix "memory leaks"...

My PC just.......sits...
I checked the weather before I went for work this morning....and that's about it.
After work, I jumped into "Asphalt Legends".....played few tracks...by accident jumped to Task Manager and WOOOW!

10GB??? Of what? Where???

[filpo]

3 minutes ago, Killjoy_NS said:

10GB??? Of what? Where???

you played a game, that's normal

[Killjoy_NS]

1 minute ago, YoungBlade said:

I don't know why you found @Needfuldoer's response to be funny. It's absolutely correct.

 

Modern operating systems are designed to take advantage of system memory by caching applications and files into RAM where possible. This helps to alleviate storage bottlenecks, and there is literally no reason not to do this when RAM is plentiful.

 

What is the point of having nearly 30GB of RAM sitting empty on your computer? How does it benefit you in any way?

It is FUNNY cause he is right.

Well, I haven't noticed "memory leaks" when I had 16GB (2x8GB/2933MTs).

 

I don't mind usage IF THERE is an app, game.....which "sucks" that much of a ram.

I LOOOOVE free space!

 

P.S. 32GB to be exact (something is reserved on hardware) whatever the hell that means....some 76.2MB.

[filpo]

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

32GB to be exact

32-2 = 30

 

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

I don't mind usage IF THERE is an app, game

In windows 11 using only one app (edge with this open) and NO background tasks my laptop uses 4.4gb of ram, you're fine

Edited January 18 by filpo

[Killjoy_NS]

1 minute ago, filpo said:

you played a game, that's normal

Well it could be....but ram is taken by an app, game....and it usually drops down for the same amount of memory...right?
I don't believe that Asphalt Legends takes 6GB of ram to run...

[YoungBlade]

Just now, Killjoy_NS said:

It is FUNNY cause he is right.

Well, I haven't noticed "memory leaks" when I had 16GB (2x8GB/2933MTs).

 

I don't mind usage IF THERE is an app, game.....which "sucks" that much of a ram.

I LOOOOVE free space!

 

P.S. 32GB to be exact (something is reserved on hardware) whatever the hell that means....some 76.2MB.

It's because as your amount of RAM grows, the aggressiveness of disk caching increases.

 

You can see this old web page about Linux for an explanation of why the system using more RAM in this case is actually a good thing - modern Windows does the exact same thing as Linux has been doing for decades. https://www.linuxatemyram.com/

[Killjoy_NS]

1 minute ago, filpo said:

32-2 = 30

Oh, right.....USABLE 30GB....or little less...

[filpo]

Just now, Killjoy_NS said:

I don't believe that Asphalt Legends takes 6GB of ram to run...

it's a game, it uses the RAM there is on offer, it's completely normal. Even rocket league for me uses 10 at times, even though igpu laptops from this age can run it at 300 fps+ 

 

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

and it usually drops down for the same amount of memory...right?

what? Can you clarify that? I'm just not sure I understand

[Killjoy_NS]

8 minutes ago, filpo said:

what? Can you clarify that? I'm just not sure I understand

What you don't understand?

You know how ram works, right?
 

You "turn on" bunch of apps....you have 8GB of ram....Windows "sucks" 2GB....you have usable 6GB...bunch of apps "USE" 6GB....you don't have more ram....PC stutters.....if "Virtual Memory" is disabled...BUT

when you "turn off bunch of apps".....your PC can "breathe" and you will get your 6GB of ram back.

 

Have I missed something?

[podkall]

17 minutes ago, YoungBlade said:

Modern operating systems are designed to take advantage of system memory by caching applications and files into RAM where possible. This helps to alleviate storage bottlenecks, and there is literally no reason not to do this when RAM is plentiful.

when SSD's cache is used less because of enough RAM, sounds like a win to me

[filpo]

4 minutes ago, Killjoy_NS said:

What you don't understand?

I didn't understand the 'drops down bit'. Thought you meant 'downclocks'

 

6 minutes ago, Killjoy_NS said:

if "Virtual Memory" is disabled...BUT

it'll also stutter if Virtual RAM is disabled cuz it's not as fast as normal RAM but ye, I get what you mean

[Killjoy_NS]

5 minutes ago, podkall said:

when SSD's cache is used less because of enough RAM, sounds like a win to me

Well, my SSD is strictly boot drive...and it has 250GB.

How can I check SSD cache....IF it is used???

[podkall]

2 minutes ago, Killjoy_NS said:

Have I missed something?

no, you didn't miss anything, almost

 

it's just that modern OS like Windows understands how RAM works, and uses lot of it when it can,

 

in case there's more RAM needed, the less important files that are waiting in case they are needed, are dumped from the RAM, and the RAM doesn't fill up

 

look at my RAM, half of it is full, the other half is standby and there's only 500MB truly "free",

 

I do have bunch of programs open, but none of them go near the usage of Firefox, which only takes about less than 2GB total:

 

[podkall]

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

Well, my SSD is strictly boot drive...and it has 250GB.

How can I check SSD cache....IF it is used???

very likely your boot drive is also cache drive, unless you changed something in Windows settings, then it's whatever disk you set the cache towards

[Killjoy_NS]

2 minutes ago, filpo said:

I didn't understand the 'drops down bit'. Thought you meant 'downclocks'

 

it'll also stutter if Virtual RAM is disabled cuz it's not as fast as normal RAM but ye, I get what you mean

Well, if we take these modern....nvme ssd.....they are not much slower than ram.....but yeah...it is better to have enabled "Virtual Memory" on SSD than on HDD.

[Killjoy_NS]

2 minutes ago, podkall said:

no, you didn't miss anything, almost

 

it's just that modern OS like Windows understands how RAM works, and uses lot of it when it can,

 

in case there's more RAM needed, the less important files that are waiting in case they are needed, are dumped from the RAM, and the RAM doesn't fill up

 

look at my RAM, half of it is full, the other half is standby and there's only 500MB truly "free",

 

I do have bunch of programs open, but none of them go near the usage of Firefox, which only takes about less than 2GB total:

 

Interesting...

Is that....POLISH language?

[Killjoy_NS]

4 minutes ago, podkall said:

very likely your boot drive is also cache drive, unless you changed something in Windows settings, then it's whatever disk you set the cache towards

How can I check if my drive is "cache drive"???

[podkall]

2 minutes ago, Killjoy_NS said:

Interesting...

Is that....POLISH language?

Czech

 

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

How can I check if my drive is "cache drive"???

since you're asking, it's likely your boot SSD,

 

are you on Windows?

 

here's Windows' natural blueprint,

 

Which drive is OS? That one. Good, let's put everything on that drive by default.

 

What does that mean?

 

Simple,

 

Downloads, Pictures, Videos folders are all same drive as your OS by default,

 

Desktop is located on your OS drive by default,

 

appdata is OS drive by default,

 

Documents and Music folders? OS drive

 

now you know

 

• and unless you have like 0,0001GB left on your OS drive, it's fine

The one thing I personally changed though, is my Download folder is now on my HDD,

and I also don't know how, but for HDD my Windows created similar folders inside my HDD for Movies, Music, etc. - and before I even started putting Music and Movies in default Music folder, I started to put it in the same name same picture folder that's located on HDD

 

the last part might be confusing to understand, so if you're confused, just ask additional questions

[Killjoy_NS]

2 minutes ago, podkall said:

Czech

 

since you're asking, it's likely your boot SSD,

 

are you on Windows?

 

here's Windows' natural blueprint,

 

Which drive is OS? That one. Good, let's put everything on that drive by default.

 

What does that mean?

 

Simple,

 

Downloads, Pictures, Videos folders are all same drive as your OS by default,

 

Desktop is located on your OS drive by default,

 

appdata is OS drive by default,

 

Documents and Music folders? OS drive

 

now you know

 

• and unless you have like 0,0001GB left on your OS drive, it's fine

The one thing I personally changed though, is my Download folder is now on my HDD,

and I also don't know how, but for HDD my Windows created similar folders inside my HDD for Movies, Music, etc. - and before I even started putting Music and Movies in default Music folder, I started to put it in the same name same picture folder that's located on HDD

 

the last part might be confusing to understand, so if you're confused, just ask additional questions

Ooooooh....I know what you mean.
Nothing is on my boot drive eg. C DRIVE....except DESKTOP....but I don't have anything on desktop.
Games are installed on my 7200rpm WD Blue, most of the storage are on WD Blue 3TB 5400rpm.

Except, "microsoft store" games....which are: Asphalt Legends, Solitaire Collection and some "Cook-off" game which my wife is playing...

 

All "default" folders (Music, Videos etc.) are relocated to my hard drives...

[Killjoy_NS]

15 minutes ago, podkall said:

and I also don't know how, but for HDD my Windows created similar folders inside my HDD for Movies, Music, etc. - and before I even started putting Music and Movies in default Music folder, I started to put it in the same name same picture folder that's located on HDD

 

the last part might be confusing to understand, so if you're confused, just ask additional questions

Just change locations of your folders (Music, Videos etc.) on your HDD.

Right click on folder - Properties, TAB Location and change to another drive.
For me its: D:\Music for example.
Windows will automatically relocate folders to another drive.

 

So when I open "This PC" and open any folder (Music, Videos)

it is not opening C:\UserName\Pictures BUT D:\Pictures.

[podkall]

1 minute ago, Killjoy_NS said:

Ooooooh....I know what you mean.
Nothing is on my boot drive eg. C DRIVE....except DESKTOP....but I don't have anything on desktop.
Games are installed on my 7200rpm WD Blue, most of the storage are on WD Blue 3TB 5400rpm.

Except, "microsoft store" games....which are: Asphalt Legends, Solitaire Collection and some "Cook-off" game which my wife is playing...

 

All "default" folders (Music, Videos etc.) are relocated to my hard drives...

that's cool then, you wouldn't really want to have HDD as your cache drive, as that's an asset apps might use for big files that are just too large for RAM even if you have lot of RAM,

 

and there's also temporary files, which are found when you type %temp% in windows search (or in run command)

 

random cool thing about temp folder, some apps when they crash, can have the temporary work saved there: (at least if they do autosaves every couple of minutes)

these are blender autosaves from October 2023

 

 

and now I know what I was doing on October in Blender

 

if you're curious, I was just screwing around trying to make things on a table: (nothing interesting happened then, the saved file has probably same progress)

 

Just now, Killjoy_NS said:

Just change locations of your folders (Music, Videos etc.) on your HDD.

Right click on folder - Properties, TAB Location and change to another drive.
For me its: D:\Music for example.
Windows will automatically relocate folders to another drive.

 

I don't need to, Windows somehow did it by default low-key, I still had to pin the folders to the quick-start but I didn't need to assign any folders,

 

to explain what I mean, here's a folder called Videos, it's 3,5MB and it's located on my C: drive:

 

Here's another Videos folder, but this one is on my A: drive, and it's that much:

 

 

• And both folders exist, I just use the A drive one, for obvious reasons..

[Killjoy_NS]

16 minutes ago, podkall said:

that's cool then, you wouldn't really want to have HDD as your cache drive, as that's an asset apps might use for big files that are just too large for RAM even if you have lot of RAM,

 

and there's also temporary files, which are found when you type %temp% in windows search (or in run command)

 

random cool thing about temp folder, some apps when they crash, can have the temporary work saved there: (at least if they do autosaves every couple of minutes)

these are blender autosaves from October 2023

 

 

and now I know what I was doing on October in Blender

 

if you're curious, I was just screwing around trying to make things on a table: (nothing interesting happened then, the saved file has probably same progress)

 

I don't need to, Windows somehow did it by default low-key, I still had to pin the folders to the quick-start but I didn't need to assign any folders,

 

to explain what I mean, here's a folder called Videos, it's 3,5MB and it's located on my C: drive:

 

Here's another Videos folder, but this one is on my A: drive, and it's that much:

 

 

• And both folders exist, I just use the A drive one, for obvious reasons..

Well, yes. You can't avoid "ProgramDATA" folder which is on C: drive......or TEMP folder....those are system folders.
I understand what you did, but before I discovered that "system folders" CAN be relocated.....back on Windows XP without shortcuts I had to go to "My Computer-D drive-Pictures"...now is shorter....OR just click on Start Menu button and click "Pictures"....or from any folder on the left side "tree"....and choose folder....

 

You can check the attachment...I've got bunch of folders in This PC...most of them are put there for daily use...with ThisPC Tweaker app. Very cool app.