Solved RAM utilization?

Hi,

Hope all are fine and, healthy! (covid/long covid free).

I have a question regarding my Dell laptop's memory utilization:

1. It never exceeds max.7.5 GB, despite multiple browser tabs, MS Words docs opened, Youtubes, movies, external devices etc. With none reboot and always on.

2. After a 5-7 days when I sense the lap slightly sluggish, less responsive I perform a reboot, even than the RAM usage in TM has never exceeded 7.5.

3. A year back when I got the laptop, customized to 16 GB of RAM, though the MB can hold 32 GB.

4. In advanced system settings have let Windows manage page file.

5. Recommended 2911, allocated 2432.



To sum up my questions are:

a. Did I waste installing 16 vs. 8 was good enough?

b. To enable usage of more should I turn off page file/virtual memory or system managed/custom set?

c. Is it to do with the Dell's BIOS, that is set to use max 8 GB?

d. Can RAM usage be changed in BIOS settings?


Hoping to hear from the experts.
Best regards!

Alexey2912 said:

Did I waste installing 16 vs. 8 was good enough?

Click to expand...

The tasks you're doing aren't using all 16GB.
Find a 100MB picture and convert it from jpg to png.... that will use some RAM. ^^
Run a few instances of the same online game. That will use some RAM.


Try this...

1. Go HERE and after the picture loads, click on it and wait for it to change to full size AND come in focus.
2. Then right click it and choose: Copy Image.
3. Then on your computer, open any image editor and choose: Edit > Paste
4. Then choose: File > Save As... and choose .PNG or .BMP
5. While it's spending 3-4 minutes saving... open Task Manager and check your RAM usage.

Ghot said:

The tasks you're doing aren't using all 16GB.
Find a 100MB picture and convert it from jpg to png.... that will use some RAM. ^^
Run a few instances of the same online game. That will use some RAM.

Click to expand...

Thanks, shall try it.

Any ideas than why doe it become less responsive after a dew days...of my usage?

Ghot said:

The tasks you're doing aren't using all 16GB.
Find a 100MB picture and convert it from jpg to png.... that will use some RAM. ^^
Run a few instances of the same online game. That will use some RAM.


Try this...

1. Go HERE and after the picture loads, click on it and wait for it to change to full size AND come in focus.
2. Then right click it and choose: Copy Image.
3. Then on your computer, open any image editor and choose: Edit > Paste
4. Then choose: File > Save As... and choose .PNG or .BMP
5. While it's spending 3-4 minutes saving... open Task Manager and check your RAM usage.

Click to expand...

Correct for the 1st time it hit +10/11.

Thanks for clearing up all my confusions, queries.
Lastly, is it normal with my usage mentioned, for the laptop to get sluggish after a few days, needing a reboot?

Regards!

Alexey2912 said:

Any ideas than why doe it become less responsive after a dew days...of my usage?

Click to expand...

No.
I have my page file set at a fixed size. Both min. and max. size are 3072MB.
Programs should pull all their leftovers out of RAM when you close the program, but very few do.

Mine does the same thing... slowly fills up until I reboot. It doesn't get less responsive though.
That is probably because I have the page file set the way I do.



The Page File is an area on your SSD or hard drive, that the computer uses when the RAM fills up.
It's a bazillion times slower than the RAM. So keeping the Page File small, and "fixed" means the RAM will get used... more, which is way faster.

Over time, the % of RAM used will still increase, and a reboot will lower it back down, but the responsiveness shouldn't deteriorate.

Ghot said:

No.
I have my page file set at a fixed size. Both min. and max. size are 3072MB.
Programs should pull all their leftovers out of RAM when you close the program, but very few do.

Mine does the same thing... slowly fills up until I reboot. It doesn't get less responsive though.
That is probably because I have the page file set the way I do.

View attachment 54890

The Page File is an area on your SSD or hard drive, that the computer uses when the RAM fills up.
It's a bazillion times slower than the RAM. So keeping the Page File small, and "fixed" means the RAM will get used... more, which is way faster.

Over time, the % of RAM used will increase, and a reboot will lower it back down, but the responsiveness shouldn't deteriorate.

Click to expand...

What should I set mine to, both min and max?

Thanks.

Alexey2912 said:

What should I set mine to, both min and max?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Try 3072 for both min. and max.


I just rebooted... my RAM seems to sit at 18% utilization, after reboot.
With Firefox open to four tabs, I'm sitting at 22%.

My RAM will slowly climb up to about 32% before I reboot for some other reason.





Remember though... I don't run any Windows Apps. Pretty much the only things I have running are...

Bitdefender, Firefox and AIDA64 Extreme.

Ghot said:

Try 3072 for both min. and max.


I just rebooted... my RAM seems to sit at 18% utilization, after reboot.

View attachment 54891

Click to expand...

Thanks will set @3072 both min and max.
@Ghot , you got a nice screen posting app....may I know which one.

Thanks again and best regards!


BTW: Treating/Curing covid or any disease is far simpler than learning tech. Windows
Finished curing 2 today, 1 Aussie online and the other in my office in 48 hrs...RT-PCR neg.

Alexey2912 said:

Thanks will set @3072 both min and max.
@Ghot , you got a nice screen posting app....may I know which one.

Thanks again and best regards!


BTW: Treating/Curing covid or any disease is far simpler than learning tech. Windows

Click to expand...

I don't use an "app". I use Paintshop Pro 7.04 as an image editor.
I also use XnView Classic (minimal) to "handle" all the images on my drives.




I've been using it for years. I'm as fast as an app now.

Ghot said:

I don't use an "app". I use Paintshop Pro 7.04 as an image editor.
I also use XnView Classic (minimal) to "handle" all the images on my drives.

Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and 7.04 and 8.1 and 9.01

Due to popularity, powerful features and ease of use, here are: Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and 7.04 and 8.1 and 9.01 These are all free, legal and fully functional. These work flawlessly on all versions of Windows from 7 to 11. Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and if memory serves, 7.04 also work on Windows XP...

www.elevenforum.com

The Best Windows Photo Viewer, Image Resizer and Batch Converter · XnView

XnView is a free software for Windows that allows you to view, resize and edit your photos. It supports more than 500 image formats!

www.xnview.com

I've been using it for years. I'm as fast as an app now.

Click to expand...

Do I need to download Paintshop Pro 7.04 and XnView Classic (minimal)?

Thanks.

Alexey2912 said:

Do I need to download Paintshop Pro 7.04 and XnView Classic (minimal)?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

If you want to use them you do. For Paintshop Pro... download the ISO and save it to your desktop.
I included a text file in that topic with the install instructions.
You'll need to install them as well.

Ghot said:

If you want to use them you do.

Click to expand...

Thanks again, shall keep you posted after setting the RAM etc.
Have a great weekend!

This is what Paintshop Pro 7.04 looks like...



It looks far more complicated than it is.







With Paintshop Pro 7.04, you can make awesome pictures like these...

Alexey2912 said:

Thanks will set @3072 both min and max.
[

Click to expand...

You really cannot just set it like this as it is different to each user.

It really is best to let Windows manage it . If you want a specific size, you have to monitor pagefiling usage over time.

The problem with setting upper and lower limit the same is you will get problems if you need a bigger page file.

The size you need is a function of apps you run.

As for slowing down over time, that is more likely related to accumulation of temporary files.

Regular disk cleanup can help manage this - alternatively set Storage Sense to clean up junk to a schedule.

TBH if you are using only 8 GB RAM and have 16 GB, you are hardly ever pagefiling probably anyway.