Useable RAM in WindowsXP

[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.

[Harry Ohrn]

Why don't you want Windows to use as much RAM as possible? If you have apps
that need resources RAM will be freed up for them when required. Unused RAM
is wasted RAM.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Carygee" > wrote in message
...
> 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.
>
>

[Pat Garard]

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

"Carygee" > wrote in message
...
> 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.
>
>

[Carygee]

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)

"Pat Garard" > wrote in message
...
> 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
>
> "Carygee" > wrote in message
> ...
> > 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.
> >
> >
>
>

[Bernie]

Services are what you probably need to turn off.
http://www.blkviper.com/index.html
This site seems to be down tonight but it's the best site on the web
regarding what to turn off or not and why. Every other site on the web
usually links to his site or downright steals the content and passes it off
as their own.
Bernie


"Carygee" > wrote in message
...
> 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)
>
> "Pat Garard" > wrote in message
> ...
> > 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
> >
> > "Carygee" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > 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.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Pat Garard]

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

"Carygee" > wrote in message
...
> 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)
>
> "Pat Garard" > wrote in message
> ...
> > 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
> >
> > "Carygee" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > 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.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Ron Martell]

"Carygee" > wrote:

>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.
>

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."

[Carygee]

Didn't know this. Thanks!

"Ron Martell" > wrote in message
...
> "Carygee" > wrote:
>
> >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.
> >
>
> 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."