Memory Optimization Problem in Windows XP

Hi:

I am using a free memory optimization software for Windows XP called FReeRam.
I have an advanced option which disables executive paging.
The Virtual Memory set up is system managed.
I have 1GB of RAM memory in my laptop.

I have always the same problem that apparently Windows XP has a lot of
memory leaking problems because the memory optimizer program is automatically
invoked especially when I open several tabs in Windows IE 7 or invoke
openoffice.

My questions are the following:
1) Does Windows XP has normally a lot of memory leaking?
2) Is sufficient 1GB of RAM to have executive paging disabled?
3) Should I increase the RAM to 1.5 or 2GB and Does XP uses optimally memory
above 1GB?
4) Is it recommended to have the VM disabled to increase performance?
5) What is the best Registry set up for memory optimization in Windows XP?
Any recommendations?

Cheers

The Absent Minded Windows XP user With Memory Problems :-)

sh
Mon Mar 17 18:46:22 PDT 2008

Answers Inline - Hope this helps. Regards. Steve


> 1) Does Windows XP has normally a lot of memory leaking?
No!!! Have you installed SP2?? If you have memory leaks it is unlikely to be XP
- more likely you are wrongly interpreting what FReeRam is reporting.

> 2) Is sufficient 1GB of RAM to have executive paging disabled?
Usually - but it depends on what you are using XP for. I have the same RAM as
you and have disabled exec paging - and it runs fine.

> 3) Should I increase the RAM to 1.5 or 2GB and Does XP uses optimally memory
> above 1GB?
If you can afford it why not...but I have never run 'short of ram' at 1GB

> 4) Is it recommended to have the VM disabled to increase performance?
Get rid of FReeRam - none of these tools work. If you mean pagefile (VM) - the
recommended setting is 1.5x RAM. I usually set this to a fixed size (i.e. not
dynamic) and run a utility called PageFile Defrag from SysInternals.

> 5) What is the best Registry set up for memory optimization in Windows XP?
Microsoft spent a fortune tuning XP so that it runs well 'out of the box'. It is
incredible to think that you or I or anyone else knows this stuff better than
them.

That said....if u have 1GB RAM then yes, disabling paging exec can help (but you
have to try this turned ON and OFF to find out for yourself - Google for the
registry settings).

Other than that make sure you run PageFile Defrag and regularly defrag your
hard disk - and keep your Internet Explorer 'Temporary Internet Files' setting
to something sensible (50mb Max) and run Disk Clean-Up before doing a hard disk
defrag. Personally I like Defraggler (www.defraggler.com) which works very well
for 'quick' defrags.

There are hundreds of possible tweaks for XP. Whether they work for you or not
depends solely on what you are using XP for. Others will have favourite tweak
etc but you have to experiment for yourself. What I say here is very general but
works for me :-)

A good guide can be found here:-

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/supertweaks.htm

There others out there - Good Luck!

> Any recommendations?
>
> Cheers
>
> The Absent Minded Windows XP user With Memory Problems :-)

Ken
Mon Mar 17 18:51:27 PDT 2008

On Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:31:01 -0700, The Absent Minded Windows XP User
<The Absent Minded Windows XP User@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Hi:
>
> I am using a free memory optimization software for Windows XP called FReeRam.
> I have an advanced option which disables executive paging.
> The Virtual Memory set up is system managed.
> I have 1GB of RAM memory in my laptop.
>
> I have always the same problem that apparently Windows XP has a lot of
> memory leaking problems because the memory optimizer program is automatically
> invoked especially when I open several tabs in Windows IE 7 or invoke
> openoffice.
>
> My questions are the following:
> 1) Does Windows XP has normally a lot of memory leaking?


No.

> 2) Is sufficient 1GB of RAM to have executive paging disabled?


How much RAM you need for good performance is *not* a
one-size-fits-all situation. You get good performance if the amount of
RAM you have keeps you from using the page file, and that depends on
what apps you run. Most people running a typical range of business
applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB works well, others
need 512MB. Almost anyone will see poor performance with less than
256MB.

Except for those running particularly memory-hungry apps (such as
video editing and photographic editing), very few people running XP
need as much as 1GB.


> 3) Should I increase the RAM to 1.5 or 2GB


See above. It's highly unlikely that it would do anything for you.


> and Does XP uses optimally memory
> above 1GB?


It uses it just fine.


> 4) Is it recommended to have the VM disabled to increase performance?


No. Just the opposite is true. You should never disable the Page File.
Windows preallocates memory to the Page File in anticipation of
possibly needing to use it. If you disable the Page File, those
allocations get made to real memory instead, and the result is that
you can never use that part of your RAM.

Over and above that significant disadvantage, there is no possible
benefit to disabling it. If it's not needed, it won't be used.



> 5) What is the best Registry set up for memory optimization in Windows XP?


Leave it alone. It doesn't need tweaking, and anything you do is much
more likely to hurt than to help.

Over and above everything I said above, dump the FreeRam program. It
and all similar programs are nothing but snake oil. They hurt you
rather than help you.



--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

sh
Mon Mar 17 18:57:27 PDT 2008

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

> Over and above everything I said above, dump the FreeRam program. It
> and all similar programs are nothing but snake oil. They hurt you
> rather than help you.
>

I have to say Snake Oil is the most apt description of these tools.

TheAbsentMindedWindowsXPUser
Tue Mar 18 06:11:00 PDT 2008

Thanks very much guys.

I will tell you finally what are the result of using your recommendations.

Cheers

"sh" wrote:

> Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
>
> > Over and above everything I said above, dump the FreeRam program. It
> > and all similar programs are nothing but snake oil. They hurt you
> > rather than help you.
> >
>
> I have to say Snake Oil is the most apt description of these tools.
>
>

Ken
Tue Mar 18 08:00:29 PDT 2008

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:11:00 -0700, The Absent Minded Windows XP User
<TheAbsentMindedWindowsXPUser@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Thanks very much guys.
>
> I will tell you finally what are the result of using your recommendations.


You're welcome. Glad to help.



> "sh" wrote:
>
> > Ken Blake, MVP wrote:
> >
> > > Over and above everything I said above, dump the FreeRam program. It
> > > and all similar programs are nothing but snake oil. They hurt you
> > > rather than help you.
> > >
> >
> > I have to say Snake Oil is the most apt description of these tools.
> >
> >

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Steve
Tue Mar 18 12:29:07 PDT 2008

The Absent Minded Windows XP User wrote:
> Thanks very much guys.
>
> I will tell you finally what are the result of using your recommendations.
>
> Cheers
>
> "sh" wrote:
>

If you come across a really 'hot tip' let us know!


Steve