"Iqbal" wrote:

Hi, i have 128MB on my PC, which says alot of when it was
purchased!! Only recently i have installed a meter, which
measures CPU usuage and displays memory information.

I noticed just by switching on my pc, and running the
meter that about 70% of my memory is already gone. Within
about 10-15 mins, i only have about 5-10% of my RAM left.

This may explain why my pc freezes now and then. is this
true?

I do understand the best way to solve this is to install
more RAM (hoping to buy a new PC in 6 months). Is there
anything that i can do to maintain more RAM - instead of
alot of it being used during the start up process.


Adding more memory can noticeably improve performance only if the
added memory results in reduced usage of the virtual memory swap file.
Therefore if the swap file is not currently being used to any
significant extent then adding more memory will not provide a
significant improvement.

Before installing more RAM use the System Monitor utility that comes
with Windows and use Edit - Add to set it to track "Memory manager:
Swap file in use" for several days of normal to heavy usage. If "Swap
file in use" regularly shows as 20 mb or more then the swap file is
being used extensively and more memory would result in improved
performance.

This applies regardless of how much or how little RAM is currently
installed in the computer.


Also please note that Windows will always endeavor to find some use,
anything that might potentially be of some benefit rather than just
leaving the RAM sitting there doing nothing. And just as soon as some
better use comes along for any of that RAM then Windows will
instantaneously drop the more trivial usages so as to free up whatever
is now required.


So just the fact that most or all of the RAM is actually doing
something is not in itself an indication that there is any problem.
It is only when Windows is forced to move active memory content from
RAM to the swap file so at to allow that RAM to be used for other,
currently more important, purposes that there is a problem. And the
"swap file in use" value reported by Windows System Monitor will show
you this. Other reporting utilities use a different definition for
"swap file in use" and their results may not be valid for assessing
the potential impact of a RAM upgrade.

Hope this explains 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."