Win XP. Why does memory not add up in process manager?

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damonposey

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It annoys me because my laptop has 512 of ram, yet I can't find where all memory is going because adding up my processes doesn't even equal 256. Is there anything I can do about this?
 
Say what now?

You have 512 but the available + used doesn't equal 512 is that what your saying? If so its probabley due to integrated graphics stealing some. Press windows key + pause to get how much is available.
 
its just, if i formatted and reinstalled windows right now. I could have the same amount of programs running and still have much more ram free. I know as windows gets older it gets slower and slower, its, gah, I wish there was something I could do without having to reinstall.
 
I would start by clearly explaining what is going on, because frankly, you aren't making any sense. You don't want the total memory in use to add up to 512 in the Task Manager, if I am making the correct guess as to what you are thinking. Then, you mention something about reinstalling, which is really throwing me for a loop.
 
He's talking about the fact that in XP and older versions of Windows, if you add up the shown RAM usage in the Processes tab it never matches what is showing in the Performance tab, especially the PF Usage. Task Manager never really does give accurate info because some items in memory don't get registered and shown properly. If you need to get more accurate info - and I don't have a clue why you would - then you'd need to do some serious analysis using Performance Monitor.

It's a known issue with Windows that nothing every really tells you precisely what kind of RAM usage you're actually having at any given moment. Just something you learn to deal with over time I guess.
 
Another reason I tell people not to leave Task Manager's Processes tab at the default settings, it's just not enough info. Get rid of the User name column and add the Peak Mem Usage, Page Faults, VM Size, and Handles - then you can get a real idea of what the hell's going on behind the scenes as the case may be:

taskmanageroa4.png


The lonely Mem Usage column very rarely is anywhere near accurate sooo...
 
I dont' think process exploerer would help him that much. Frankly, 512MB for Windows is crap anyway. Throw in a Gig.
 
thanks joe average, that helps a bit. XP just annoys me because it eventually gets to a point where it takes more memory than it did when you freshly formatted, even though theres absolutely nothing running.

formatting or upgrade just seems like defeat.
 
damonposey said:
XP just annoys me because it eventually gets to a point where it takes more memory than it did when you freshly formatted, even though theres absolutely nothing running.
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If properly maintained, this will not be the case. A system with the same software installed should always be using the same amount of memory. Also, if properly maintained, you won't see a slow down either. The only way the system is using more memory is because you are loading more software (running in the background), or you are upgrading to drivers that consume more memory. Quite a few of us have systems that have been running for years, using the same OS install, and they run as well as they did when it was a new, fresh install.
 
If your system is consuming more memory than you would expect, you should identify the programs that are using it, and if they shouldn't be, remove them. Give Autoruns a look and see if it can help you find some programs that are launching at startup that shouldn't be.
 
A modern personal computer is never the same second by second and as such can't be expected to continually function the way it did/does after a clean install. Every OS gets bogged down over time - and I don't give a damn what <insert OS here> proponents say, they're wrong because they all will show signs of degradation over time, period. With the regular maintenance you can minimize the effects almost to the point of not noticing, but I would say that over time as you "get used to it" and how the machine performs, it's just psychological. :)

While you can do a lot to keep the effects minimal, there's no way to stop it completely from happening. Besides, none of the default Windows tools provide truly accurate reporting of what's going on - not even the Systernals/Winternals tools can help there, unfortunately.

Just how things are I guess...
 
Joe Average said:
Another reason I tell people not to leave Task Manager's Processes tab at the default settings, it's just not enough info. Get rid of the User name column and add the Peak Mem Usage, Page Faults, VM Size, and Handles - then you can get a real idea of what the hell's going on behind the scenes as the case may be:

taskmanageroa4.png


The lonely Mem Usage column very rarely is anywhere near accurate sooo...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip!

btw, only 28 processes running? ...... efficient! I managed to go down to 38.


OP, maybe your graphics card is consuming part of the memory?
 
DeaconFrost said:
If properly maintained, this will not be the case. A system with the same software installed should always be using the same amount of memory. Also, if properly maintained, you won't see a slow down either. The only way the system is using more memory is because you are loading more software (running in the background), or you are upgrading to drivers that consume more memory. Quite a few of us have systems that have been running for years, using the same OS install, and they run as well as they did when it was a new, fresh install.
Click to expand...

No. It isn't. If it was that easy then I wouldn't be posting here. It's not as easy as just unchecking every non-ms service and startup program and msconfig. I know how to make my process list look like a million bucks, with only windows processes running. but it still doesn't fix the problem that there is memory being used that is not showing up there, and windows has just lots its snappiness.

if I format, then boom, its back to normal and everything will look the same.
 
damonposey said:
No. It isn't. If it was that easy then I wouldn't be posting here. It's not as easy as just unchecking every non-ms service and startup program and msconfig. I know how to make my process list look like a million bucks, with only windows processes running. but it still doesn't fix the problem that there is memory being used that is not showing up there.
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Where did I say it was as simple as unchecking things from your msconfig? Checking on your processes list is only a small part of maintaining a system. And yes, it really is quite simple to do.
 
DeaconFrost said:
Where did I say it was as simple as unchecking things from your msconfig? Checking on your processes list is only a small part of maintaining a system. And yes, it really is quite simple to do.
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Uh huh. So do you have any more advice then?
 
It's a shame that this has to be said on an advanced computing forum, but here goes:

1) Don't install crap, like toolbars, etc
2) Common sense
3) Keep the disks clean and defragged.
4) Common sense
5) Keep drivers updated, remove old ones and then install new ones.
6) Run a reg cleaner and something like CCleaner.
7) Keep a good AV software package installed and update
8) Common sense

That's all their is to it. There's no secret trick, as it is simple and logical. I have systems at work that are over 2 years old, with user who are not very technical. They use the system each and everyday, and they are running as fast and as well as the day I took them out of the boxes and imaged them. That's just an example, but isn't a complicated process. You just have to follow good usage practices and common sense....that's all.
 
DeaconFrost said:
It's a shame that this has to be said on an advanced computing forum, but here goes:

1) Don't install crap, like toolbars, etc
2) Common sense
3) Keep the disks clean and defragged.
4) Common sense
5) Keep drivers updated, remove old ones and then install new ones.
6) Run a reg cleaner and something like CCleaner.
7) Keep a good AV software package installed and update
8) Common sense

That's all their is to it. There's no secret trick, as it is simple and logical. I have systems at work that are over 2 years old, with user who are not very technical. They use the system each and everyday, and they are running as fast and as well as the day I took them out of the boxes and imaged them. That's just an example, but isn't a complicated process. You just have to follow good usage practices and common sense....that's all.
Click to expand...

dude, you're being a troll. I've done all of that. You haven't been of ANY help in this thread, and all you've done is insulted me, so please, do me a favor and shut the hell up. reporting your posts to a moderator as well. friend of mine who agrees is going to do the same.

And this isn't an 'advanced' forum, it's a forum, where anyone can post about things that are operating system related. If it WAS an advanced forum, there would be someone replying in YOUR place that actually knew some useful information.

You don't know my level of computer experience, so don't assume that you do. There are issues with win xp that can't merely be fixed by doing the basic things you've described. The one thing we have in common is we don't have the answer to this problem, just don't assume that you do, because nothing you've said has helped the problem. It has nothing to do with common sense.

Now if you want to grow up and offer other things to try without resorting to childish insults, I'll let you know if I've tried them or not, and I'll be glad to try something new. If not, just keep quiet.

Also, This has nothing to do with upkeep. Any system that I take care from format is fine. So you assuming that it's an upkeep problem is again, presumptious and foolish on your part. its actually not my laptop, it's another's, and who knows what its been through. the point is I'm trying to see if I can make it fast again without having to format.
 
damonposey said:
dude, you're being a troll. I've done all of that. You haven't been of ANY help in this thread, and all you've done is insulted me, so please, do me a favor and shut the hell up. reporting your posts to a moderator as well. friend of mine who agrees is going to do the same.
Click to expand...
Feel free to report my posts, because nothing I said was insulting. You sound like one of the many people coming for help who starting complaining and throwing a fit when they don't get the exact answers they wanted.

You asked me for the steps I use, and I gave it to you, plain and simple. If you didn't want to know my steps, why did you ask?

If you knew as much as you say, then you would have realized that XP won't start degrading on its own. Once you'd see that and agree, we'd move on to some possible causes and go from there. You know, like any normal troubleshooting session.

If you really want to label someone as being unhelpful, show me where you've given system details, screenshots, things you've tried already, etc, so we have something to work with?
 
You guys can disagree on the facts all you want, but when it gets personal, you can count on threads getting locked and someone with "Administrator" as their title coming through and giving out posting vacations. Bans, sometimes. Completely up to you.
 
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