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Help me explain my memory usage

On the "Performance" tab, how big is the "System Cache", and what's the "Kernel Memory" usage?

edit: What's searchindexer.exe? Googling for it seems to imply it's a Vista thing, but the screenshot looks like XP classic with the default wallpaper.
 
Originally posted by: CTho9305
On the "Performance" tab, how big is the "System Cache", and what's the "Kernel Memory" usage?

edit: What's searchindexer.exe? Googling for it seems to imply it's a Vista thing, but the screenshot looks like XP classic with the default wallpaper.
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Check OP.

I believe that search thing is the Windows Desktop Search Engine, required for instant search in Outlook 2007.
 
But as you can see I only have 28 running processes, and the only ones under my name are small, useful programs. I certainly can't change how much memory those processes use, so why's it taking up so much memory? Wouldn't you expect me to have at least 750 MB free with that amount of running things?
 
Well you can slightly lower memory usage by disabling some unneeded services (might reduce the number of svchost processes running) but of course you gotta be careful with this and most people say the difference is negligble.

AIM is absurd!!! Please run Miranda or something like it, which usually only takes a couple MB of memory even when loaded down with plugins. THough I only use it for ICQ so I'm not sure how the AIM support/features are.

I have maybe 16-18 processes running at start-up/gaming time. I dunno you just gotta turn off things or prevent them from loading.

BUt overall I don't really see a problem. A little too much memory usage for me just sitting there, but it probably isn't doing much to your performance unless you play BF2 or other ram-hungry games (and in which case shut down everything possible before launching the game).
 
I don't know how Windows VM works, but with Linux, it reports the amount of allocated memory. Perhaps per-process, XP is reporting only the amount of memory used, but total, the amount actually allocated.
 
Originally posted by: duragezic
Well you can slightly lower memory usage by disabling some unneeded services (might reduce the number of svchost processes running) but of course you gotta be careful with this and most people say the difference is negligble.

AIM is absurd!!! Please run Miranda or something like it, which usually only takes a couple MB of memory even when loaded down with plugins. THough I only use it for ICQ so I'm not sure how the AIM support/features are.

I have maybe 16-18 processes running at start-up/gaming time. I dunno you just gotta turn off things or prevent them from loading.

BUt overall I don't really see a problem. A little too much memory usage for me just sitting there, but it probably isn't doing much to your performance unless you play BF2 or other ram-hungry games (and in which case shut down everything possible before launching the game).
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It looks like I have about seven svchosts running, is that too many? How can I reduce those?

AIM is a bit hefty, I have to admit. What's a good light alternative that won't mess with things like file transfers and direct connects?
 
Your screen shots - You cropped them. Alt + print screen takes a shot of only the active window (thus saving time) 🙂

OnT: If you're looking to lower your mem usage, try disabling some uneeded services.
 
Originally posted by: Ned Flanders
Your screen shots - You cropped them. Alt + print screen takes a shot of only the active window (thus saving time) 🙂

OnT: If you're looking to lower your mem usage, try disabling some uneeded services.
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Wow, didn't know that, thanks!

What services can be disabled? I'm pretty much already running only what I need.

Or, does this amount of free memory look normal? Honestly I would expect at least 700-750 MB free on startup.
 
Don't bother disabling services, it's generally a waste of time. Free memory is wasted memory. Are you experiencing memory related slow downs?
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Don't bother disabling services, it's generally a waste of time. Free memory is wasted memory. Are you experiencing memory related slow downs?
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Not particularly, it just bothers me that after I open one or two windows after bootup I'm already down to half of my memory free. That just doesn't seem right with a gig of RAM.

Boot up also takes longer than it should, about 16 or so passes of the Windows loading bar, but what you see in the screens above is all that I have loaded at startup. I have no viruses or spyware and all the latest XP updates. I don't get it.
 
Yeah I dunno what else you can cut out. Seven svchost prolly isn't bad or anything.. I'm not too sure but its probably related to the services. For example I believe I have my wireless service disabled or manual since I have no intention of using wireless. But its extremely minor as far as memory usage. I just dont like wireless anyway and have no card so fvck it why would I have the service running?

My XP loads in 3-4 bar passes! Its set to auto-login and when the desktop hits its only 1 or 2 seconds to be fully loaded. That's with a regular ol' 7200rpm 8mb cache drive.

I have 19 processes running right now, but that includes Firefox, Miranda-ICQ, and of course the task manager. So I boot up with just 16, ~about 120mb used.

Of course, I don't run a software firewall, AV, etc etc.

In your case you may need almost everything being loaded. Unless you game where you really need that RAM, you'd need to have a crapton of programs/windows open to use up your whole 1GB.

edit: I don't know of any less-bloated AIM clients other than Miranda. As I said I have no idea how the AIM support is but it works with ICQ really well. Its probably worth a shot at trying (or try searching this forum or the Miranda forum to see what users have to say about AIM support) it. Maybe GAIM is a little less than regular AIM? Trillian is probably about the same.
 
with 1 gig ram you could try disable memory executive/ virtual memory to speed up performance.. but if you do, make sure you conserve memory usage.. for instance, disable AIM when not in use.
 
I'm quick as can be with 1.13GB under "PF Usage."

Not particularly, it just bothers me that after I open one or two windows after bootup I'm already down to half of my memory free. That just doesn't seem right with a gig of RAM.
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Get more ram. 😉

Boot up also takes longer than it should, about 16 or so passes of the Windows loading bar, but what you see in the screens above is all that I have loaded at startup.
Click to expand...

How long is that? I'm not familiar with that unit of time measurement.

I have no viruses or spyware
Click to expand...

Are you sure?

and all the latest XP updates. I don't get it.
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File system cache, crappy drivers, AIM, shared libraries. Who knows. You could always reinstall and see if that helps, or if the machine isn't functioning poorly get on with your life. 😉
 
Haha, well of course more RAM is an option, but my friend also has a gig and his system has 700+ free most of the time, with probably more things open than I do. I know I could have more free than this.

I'm not quite sure how long the bootup is in seconds, I'll let you know when I get home later.

I'm definitely positive about no viruses or spyware, I don't really get any to begin with and NOD32, Ad-Aware, and Spybot all say I'm clean.

Can you elaborate on "file system cache"? Is this something that can be optimized?
 
Defrag

Looks pretty awful, doesn't it? And it always stops at around 12-15% and gives me a huge list of files it can't defrag. So I can't really improve upon what you see in that pic.

Bootup time is about 64 seconds from hitting the button to getting to the logon screen. What you see in the OP's pics though is all I have running at startup.

WHAT GIVES.
 
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