Useable RAM in WindowsXP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carygee
  • Start date Start date
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Carygee

I have 1024 MBytes of installed memory. However, when I check available RAM
I note that I have only 540Mbytes?!!! I only have one program - IE6.0 --
open. I cannot imagine that my TSR's which are pretty basic, can be chewing
up half my memory?

Any suggestions to free up more RAM is appreciated.
 
What do you use to check available RAM?

TSR (Terminate - Stay Resident) is a term applicable only to a DOS
environment, i.e. a very old program running either in a Command Window, or
at least under Cmd.exe and in its own memory space.

Try CTRL-ALT-DEL and bring up the Task Manager - click on the "Performance"
Tab at the top. At the right hand side, immediately under the graphs, you
will see the Windows Memory details.

Hope this helps.

Pat Garard
Australia
 
Followed your instructions re performance etc. and came up with the same
result.

I purchase additional RAM last week because I was having memory problems
with Adobe Illustrator 10 with 768mb of installed RAM. Hence post-purchase
remorse at buying more but not getting more...

Re the TSRs, you're absolutely right: it's a term that popped into my head
that I used to describe all those mini-apps that load along with WindowsXP.
Yes, on reflection, it is a throwback to the days when I had an IBM PC with
a 5mb hard drive and two 5.25 inch floppies. (I was sort of proud of myself
for remembering the buzzword frankly! ;^D)
 
Yo Gary,

I'm Lost! The only thing I can suggest is to check the Memory showing in the
BIOS. If it does not show there, then it is not installed properly and that
should be fixed first. If it does show there, then I can't think of a
half-way good reason why Xp cannot see it!

Good Luck

Pat
 
Didn't know this. Thanks!

Ron Martell said:
RAM exists to be used. The memory manager in Windows XP will always
attempt to find some use, any use whatsover that might potentially be
beneficial, rather than just leaving the RAM sitting there idly going
to rot.

And just as soon as some better use comes along for any of that RAM
then the memory manager will instantaneously drop the more trivial
usages so as to free up whatever is now required.

Free RAM should more accurately be referred to as *useless* RAM
because that is what it actually represents - RAM for which the memory
manager has so far been totally unable to find any beneficial use for.

Hope this clarifies the situation.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."
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