Task manager mem usage changes when I minimize window

  • Thread starter Thread starter xr280xr
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xr280xr

Hi,
I've noticed when using visual studio, I can open up the windows task
manager and it will show that visual studio is using something like 200,000 K
under the Mem Usage column. If I minimize the visual studio window the memory
usage will drop to around 50,000 K. If I maximize the window again it stays
at 50,000 K. Can someone explain this?
 
xr280xr said:
Hi,
I've noticed when using visual studio, I can open up the windows task
manager and it will show that visual studio is using something like
200,000 K
under the Mem Usage column. If I minimize the visual studio window the
memory
usage will drop to around 50,000 K. If I maximize the window again it
stays
at 50,000 K. Can someone explain this?
Click to expand...

If you start doing something in VS again, does the memory usage go up?

SC Tom
 
Thanks for your help Tom. Let me first make a correction to my description.
When I minimize the window the memory will actually drop down very low, to
around 17, 000 K, when I maximize it it goes up to 50,000 K.

If I start using visual studio again, it will gradually climb it's way back
up, but it doesn't just immediately spike back to the 200,000 K. It seems
like it's either only releasing memory when it's minimized, or that the task
manager is keeping a running total.
 
xr280xr said:
Thanks for your help Tom. Let me first make a correction to my
description.
When I minimize the window the memory will actually drop down very low, to
around 17, 000 K, when I maximize it it goes up to 50,000 K.

If I start using visual studio again, it will gradually climb it's way
back
up, but it doesn't just immediately spike back to the 200,000 K. It seems
like it's either only releasing memory when it's minimized, or that the
task
manager is keeping a running total.


:
Click to expand...

It looks like, as you use visual studio, it's keeping cumulative
used work space open. When you minimise it, it reduces to
just the program code, plus any data. When you maximize it
again, it reopens with the minimum required workspace.


 
While in Task Manager, Processes tab, on menu bar, click View, click Select
Columns, and checkmark Virtual Memory Size, and then compare Mem Usage with
VM Usage. Your observations of Mem usage with Visual Studio sound typical.
How much memory an application uses while minimized depends on whether it is
on standby or continues performing some background operation. The Memory
Manager will usually give priority to the active window.

Right-click My Computer, click Properties, click Advanced (tab).
Under Performance, click Settings. In next window, click Advanced (tab).
Under Processor Scheduling and Memory usage, they are probably set to the
default best performance of Programs. If you right click the first Programs
item, and click What's This, it says: "Specifies that more processor
resources are given to the foreground program than to the background
program." If you right click the second Programs item, and click What's
This, it says: "Click this option if you are using this machine as a
workstation, rather than as a server. Your programs will work faster and
your system cache size will be the default size that came with Windows XP."

Also keep in mind that when programs first start, they typically request
more memory than they actually end up using. While minimized, Memory Manager
will reduce the actual usage to the minimum needed. After becoming active
again, Memory Manager restores the memory that was actually used.

Virtual Memory in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

The Truth about Windows Memory Optimizers
http://www.bitsum.com/winmemboost.htm

The Virtual-Memory Manager in Windows NT
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms810616.aspx

Managing Virtual Memory in Win32
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms810627.aspx

Managing Memory-Mapped Files in Win32
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms810613.aspx

HTH. (Hope This Helps. :)
--Richard

- - -
Thanks for your help Tom. Let me first make a correction to my
description.
When I minimize the window the memory will actually drop down very low, to
around 17, 000 K, when I maximize it it goes up to 50,000 K.

If I start using visual studio again, it will gradually climb it's way
back up, but it doesn't just immediately spike back to the 200,000 K.
It seems like it's either only releasing memory when it's minimized, or
that the task manager is keeping a running total.
Click to expand...
- - -
 
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