Ask a new question

Windows 7 - What's using all the ram?

I'm running Windows 7 32-bit, with 3.5GB RAM available. Task Manager is showing a commit size of around 5.5GB, 154MB cached, 230MB available, 70MB free (numbers vary by the second, but are around this). The processes show what I estimate is a commit size of around 2GB total (that's with "show processes from all users" checked).

What's using the rest of the RAM?

Far as I recall this strange behaviour started after I installed IE10, but I'm not 100% sure that's the case.

Hi,

1.      Which security software is installed?

2.      Did you make any changes to the computer prior to this issue?

 

Event logs are special files that record significant events on your computer, such as when a user logs on to the computer or when a program encounters an error. Whenever these types of events occur, Windows records the event in an event log that you can read by using Event Viewer. Advanced users might find the details in event logs helpful when troubleshooting problems with Windows and other programs.

What information appears in event logs (Event Viewer)?: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/what-information-appears-in-event-logs-event-viewer

 

Preventing low memory problems: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/preventing-low-memory-problems

Thanks.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

You will get a better view of what is using the RAM using Process Explorer from Sysinternals, a Microsoft supported resource from here

 

A load of information can be seen, a basic View -> System Info is quite useful.

 

Also remember Windows modules will take resources when available but release some when required by applications.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Oops, forgot to click 'submit'. :)

I have MSE installed. The only change I recall making was (as mentioned) installing IE10. I tried Process Hacker and it doesn't show any more than Task Manager. Didn't try Process Explorer since I rebooted to solve the problem before I saw the comment. The problem hasn't happened since (though I assume it will return, as happened before).

The basic question is: how can Windows show a commit size that's about 3GB more than the sum of process memory plus cached memory? How can this even happen?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

In Windows 7 use Ctrl+Shift+Esc rather than Ctrl+Alt+Del. It gets you to Task Manager quicker. Select Task Manager, the Performance tab, Resource Monitor, and Memory tab. What are the figures for Hardware Reserved, In Use, Modified, Standby and Free?

 

Is your Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit? How much RAM is installed?

 

How large is your pagefile?

 

 

Gerry
Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England
Enquire Plan Execute

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks for the reply, Gerry. I'll post more numbers when I get the problem again. As for Windows and RAM, it's in the first post (32-bit, 3.5GB available out of 4GB installed). Page file is standard, so same as RAM size.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

 
 

Question Info

Last updated June 12, 2021 Views 326 Applies to: