RAM applications

[Stormlifter]

Anyone out there use a RAM management software? Something to free memory and such? I've used them from time to time, don't have one now and was wondering if there was anyone out there that swore to a particular application or others who have experienced an actual positive effect with it.

I'll compose a list

RAM Medic - Free, wasn't able to get it to free anything

 

[mikeblas]

No. They're scams.

 

[matrix563]

memturbo

worked great. not a scam?

 

[mikeblas]

Nope: scam. They're for people who don't know how computers work.

You should've spent the $20 you spent on Memturbo on a copy of Inside Windows.

 

[Stormlifter]

Nope: scam. They're for people who don't know how computers work.

You should've spent the $20 you spent on Memturbo on a copy of Inside Windows.

Yeah I get this feeling that the Memory programs are completely bogus, I mean the concept seems good, but... don't know if it actually could work.

 

[mikeblas]

The concept is fundamentally flawed. Free memory is wasted memory.

 

[Stormlifter]

The concept is fundamentally flawed. Free memory is wasted memory.

Well the idea that windows holds onto memory that it doesn't need and so do poorly written applications, if it were possible through an application to retrieve memory that isn't being used that other applications won't let go of, that would be nice.

 

[mikeblas]

The fundamental premise that Windows, or applications running under Windows,
"hold onto memory that it doesn't need" isn't correct.

If you really believe it to be true, you can trivially practice something yourself that will reduce the perceived memory usage of applications: just minimize them. Windows responds to minimizing an application's window by calling SetProcessWorkingSetSize(). You don't specifically explain why you think Windows or your applications are "holds on" to memory they don't need, but I'd expect this mechanism releases the memory you're thinking is being wasted.

The primary market for these "memory tuner" applications is the set of people who don't understand how memory management works and how applications are written. Certainly, that's most of the population -- not everybody dropped from the womb with an understanding of virtual memory.

And that's fine. If you have questions about how it works, just ask and I'd be happy to help. Meanwhile, I'll reiterate my recommendation that these programs are absolutely not worth their purchase price.