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Author Topic: Question on Physical Memory  (Read 1018 times)

Offline Serenity

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Question on Physical Memory
« on: September 13, 2009, 12:38:44 AM »
I know it seems like I'm spamming this board, but I guess now that I payed for my own computer I want to get the most out of it. Here is my new question: I just pulled up my system information, and it says I have 4GB physical memory, but only 1.86GB are free. What happened to the other 2.14GB?
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Offline batch

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2009, 12:58:19 AM »
the 600 processes in the background are devouring it
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Offline Serenity

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2009, 01:04:42 AM »
Quote from: batch on September 13, 2009, 12:58:19 AM
the 600 processes in the background are devouring it

lol. Um, seriously? 4GB of RAM are being consumed that easily? Or is there something else going on?
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Offline batch

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2009, 01:22:01 AM »
ok seriously.......... there needs to be more info involved............

what OS are  you running, how many processes are running in the background, when you say you pulled up your system information... by what means, what programs are running in the foregroun, how big is your video card, etc etc........ all of these things can change the reported free memory

for instance simply booting your machine in Windows XP (depending on installation, video card, setup, processes, programs opened, etc) can report a 4Gb machine with having as little as 3Gb or less available
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Offline guncrasher

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2009, 02:06:47 AM »
If u have a video card and are using windows xp 32 bit then the 4gig gets reduced by the amount of memory in your video card, subtract the sound card and any other cards that u have that have its own memory less whatever resources your using.  If your using vista then different rules apply

I run windows xp 32 bit, i have 4 gigs less 512 on my video card, that leaves me with 3.5, less the sound card, less whatever else is running. and i got 2.8 left

semp
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Offline MrRiplEy[H]

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2009, 02:36:53 AM »
Quote from: guncrasher on September 13, 2009, 02:06:47 AM
If u have a video card and are using windows xp 32 bit then the 4gig gets reduced by the amount of memory in your video card, subtract the sound card and any other cards that u have that have its own memory less whatever resources your using.  If your using vista then different rules apply

I run windows xp 32 bit, i have 4 gigs less 512 on my video card, that leaves me with 3.5, less the sound card, less whatever else is running. and i got 2.8 left

semp

Correction: If he's using 32-bit Vista or Windows7 the same rules apply. x64 is different story.
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Offline wardog38

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2009, 03:23:46 AM »
See Rule #4
« Last Edit: September 13, 2009, 03:04:51 PM by Skuzzy »
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Offline guncrasher

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2009, 04:55:29 AM »
Quote from: wardog38 on September 13, 2009, 03:23:46 AM
See Rule #4

right I downloaded iobit's advanced system care and there's a utility that will let you shut down every unneeded processes before you can play ah.  it will also clean up your registry and do some other maintenance on your pc.  there's one utility that will also free up your ram but not sure how good it is.

semp
« Last Edit: September 13, 2009, 03:05:02 PM by Skuzzy »
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Offline Serenity

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2009, 01:52:06 PM »
Quote from: batch on September 13, 2009, 01:22:01 AM
ok seriously.......... there needs to be more info involved............

what OS are  you running, how many processes are running in the background, when you say you pulled up your system information... by what means, what programs are running in the foregroun, how big is your video card, etc etc........ all of these things can change the reported free memory

for instance simply booting your machine in Windows XP (depending on installation, video card, setup, processes, programs opened, etc) can report a 4Gb machine with having as little as 3Gb or less available

OS is Vista x64
Number of processes in background: 75.
System  information retrieved by: Start menu--> Accessories --> System Tools--> System Information
Video card: ATI Radeon 4650 1GB
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Offline cattb

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2009, 03:07:48 PM »
if you have intergrated video that can eat your memory also.From the sounds of it I think you have a video card.If you have programs you don't want on startup, (on XP anyway)  click start,help support,Tools diagnose problems,System configuration utility.
I use a program called anvir task manager also, it will show running processes, .dll files,risk factor, system usage ( and more)...has alot of information and tweaking ability. There is a free version and a pay for last I saw. Everyone has their own application software they like and its matter of  personal preference.

Tim O/Cattb
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Offline Vulcan

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2009, 06:33:34 PM »
Vista is smart and tries to precache software it thinks you'll use.

Ditch it and move to Windows 7 as soon as you can.
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Offline Serenity

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2009, 06:50:05 PM »
Quote from: Vulcan on September 13, 2009, 06:33:34 PM
Vista is smart and tries to precache software it thinks you'll use.

Ditch it and move to Windows 7 as soon as you can.

Has Windows 7 been released yet?
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Offline guncrasher

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2009, 06:56:51 PM »
windows 7 will be released oct 22.  the RC version is not longer available for d/l.  I can barely wait to for it  :x :x

semp
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Offline Motherland

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2009, 07:03:04 PM »
Quote from: Serenity on September 13, 2009, 01:52:06 PM
OS is Vista x64
Number of processes in background: 75.
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Offline Serenity

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Re: Question on Physical Memory
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2009, 07:08:26 PM »
Quote from: Motherland on September 13, 2009, 07:03:04 PM
(Image removed from quote.)

I cannot get the number any lower than 75. In fact, most of the time 75 is hard enough to get to. As I close processes down, they start themselves back up again.
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