One PC has 99% RAM usage, an identical one only 44%

TechnoMax · Apr 12, 2026

I have three basically identical PCs (AMD Ryzen 3 4300U with 16GB RAM). The software on all three is identical (Audials for downloading music). Two show a RAM usage of 99%, only 1 44%. Why?

Scott · Apr 12, 2026

TechnoMax said:
RAM usage of 99%,

Open Task Manager, sort by memory to see what processes are using the most.

TechnoMax · Apr 12, 2026

The five biggest processes use not even 1 GB.

TechnoMax · Apr 12, 2026

Here the Taskmanager-Infos

Spunk · Apr 12, 2026

Try running a Clean Boot.
If this works, you can add one or more Services or Startup Items at a time until the RAM Usage becomes high again, then you will know what the culprit is.

PerpetualCycle · Apr 12, 2026

Depending on the pattern of usage, your free memory will vary between the Computers. Windows keeps de-allocated process memory cached in case the process starts up, and it will be freed 9immediately it if there is demand. Look at this graph. This is designated "standby" memory.

Look at the Physical memory bar in the resource monitor below. The standby memory below is 55GB, To compare apples to apples between computers, ignore the standby cache.

DarkShadowMD · Apr 13, 2026

You don't seem to have the same conditions in all systems. I see different processes using memory in all 3. You can't expect teh same systems to use the same amount if they have different conditions.

As others said, you will need to use clean boot to track down what processes are being started and which aren't. You gotta check your setup is identical in each system.

Also, if this systems are perfectly equal / identical with each other, you should setup one system, and then clone it into the other PC's using cloning software, that way you ensure you have the same software, drivers, startup items and setup.

TechnoMax · Apr 13, 2026

DarkShadowMD said:
if this systems are perfectly equal / identical with each other, you should setup one system, and then clone it into the other PC's

That is no good idea, as I have learned the hard way: Then all PCs have the same Security Identifier (ID) and MachineGUID. I had to install Wwindows and the needed apps on all three machines anew.

TechnoMax · Apr 13, 2026

Yes, the three machines differ somewhat. Anyway I deinstalled all unneccessary apps from all, ran a virus scan, checked Autostart (not much in it anyway) and now I have only 4GB RAM usage and CPU usage is down to under 5% after start up without additional apps opened. This seems usable.

maur0 · Apr 13, 2026

TechnoMax said:
Yes, the three machines differ somewhat. Anyway I deinstalled all unneccessary apps from all, ran a virus scan, checked Autostart (not much in it anyway) and now I have only 4GB RAM usage and CPU usage is down to under 5% after start up without additional apps opened. This seems usable.

Here I'm using Windows 11 21h2 Lite without Defender Edge and without Blobware, and the consumption is very low. Humiliates modern Windows 11 25h2 26h1 uses half or less of the resources. It's worth using this version because, in addition to low power consumption, the CPU is also used very little. You can open several things that the CPU uses very little in modern Windows versions; this aspect is much greater as well. In other words, Windows 11 has gotten worse in the last 5 years, it just makes things slower. If you want, test this version to see for yourself, the link is in my signature. Let me know what you think if you try it.

DarkShadowMD · Apr 13, 2026

TechnoMax said:
That is no good idea, as I have learned the hard way: Then all PCs have the same Security Identifier (ID) and MachineGUID. I had to install Wwindows and the needed apps on all three machines anew.

In those cases (I assume you talk about TPM and Secure Boot), you can just disable security features and clone, BIOS and Windows will take care of generating new numbers when you enable security options again. It shouldn't be an issue if you reset numbers that way (and make sure Bitlocker is disabled as well)

Other than that, the only remedy I can think of is what you did, check everything and see that all is exactly the same in the 3 machines, is the only way to ensure you get same numbers in all.

One PC has 99% RAM usage, an identical one only 44%

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