Computer using alot of RAM

[drewjustforyou]

hi again all, (I hope this is the right field) I just upgraded from 2 sticks of 1 gig to 4 sticks of 1 gig ram, and im running windows vista 32 bit, opened control panel (as my computer was lagging a bit) and found I was using 1.54 gigs of memory! does this sound like an unusually high number, or is there something I am missing about RAM efficiency in higher amounts?

-edit-

also, Newegg/EVGA buyer/owners out there, I just accidently registered my 260 gtx card as owned since march 22nd 2009, turns out it was delivered on the 20th, if I unregister my product, will it let me reregister the same S/N, and will there be a lockout period? (registration is only good till tonight, nothing like waiting till the last minute)

thanks alot,

-Drew

and now, a second -edit-

just dl/d new Nvidia driver (1.825), and I think I may already have that driver, but I ran the updater anyway, and when it came time to restart I got *You do not have the right version of the driver patch installed, you are not using Vista 32 bit/windows7 32 bit.* ummm, I know I do have Vista 32bit, what is the deal?

 

[stb1swat]

Vista uses alot of ram. At this very moment I'm using a little over 900MB. So you're a bit high.

Do a clean boot. How to perform a clean boot procedure to determine whether background programs are interfering with a game or a program that you currently use
That should clear up a lot.

EDIT: I'm using my like 977 actually.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

like, WOW. you shouldn't be using that much ram. When I was running vista (ultimate 32bit) I usually used around 600-700Mb, so you using DOUBLE that is pretty bad.
Go to the task manager, check what processes are running. Sort them by memory usage (just click on 'memory') You've definitely got a memory hog running in there.

edit: oh, and as to your registration, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

 

[drewjustforyou]

Processes: 71
CPU Usage: 1%
Physical Memory: 34%

largest memory user is explorer @ 36 MB, then firefox @ 34 MB, only 3 more in 5 digits (30 MB, 25MB, 13MB), most of the rest (90%) are less then 3 MB

Im thinking about switching off some of my services? (Though it is down to 1.1 gigs being used, but that is of 3.3 gigs (2400 MB cached 100 MB free)

 

[S0ULphIRE]

71 processes is a lot to be running. While it's not absolutely VITAL, you will notice a difference if you cut that list down a bit. Look for processes running that don't need to be. (e.g. Instant Messenger, if you're not using it kill it.) Any programs you've got to automatically start up that you don't always use, don't have them start up until you need to use them. It will save memory, and improve your boot time.

 

[H4x3r]

not sure if he knows how to disable startup items, just click start, and in the search box type "msconfig" and then switch to the "startup" tab and uncheck as you wish...also on the services tab you can check "hide microsoft services" and then uncheck those that you don't wish to start as a service

 

[patonb]

Umm, as long as youre not out of ram, isn't it fine. RAM reads faster than hd so you'll be faster accessing programs.

Also why have 4gigs if you're not using it?

My Acer lappy with x64 has 90iish process usually. All that small crap needed to run things like print scanner etc. and still runs like a champ.

 

[TKIII]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Vista programmed to take about half the ram for the system, regardless or not if it needs it?

 

[wafflehammer]

people need to stop worrying about this. vista is made to use RAM. which means...guess what?!?!?! IT'LL USE RAM !! :O gasp :!

Unless you're out of RAM, don't worry about it using "too much". The more it uses, the better off you are and the faster things load. if you buy ram, don't you want to use it?

 

[drewjustforyou]

The reason I worry about ram is because I do not see my problem being anything else, (maybe a bad driver, I am still having ALOT of trouble updating, my driver updater doesnt recognize my version of windows), I have a 260 GTX (898 MB onboard RAM), and a Q6600 processor (2.4 gig), and I was getting very VERY low fps running Demigod on 5v5.

I know that isnt a particularly demanding engine, so I checked my processes, and saw that alot of RAM was being devoted to Vista.