For the first time I can remember, I actually got the "system is running low on memory" error. Last night, I was editing some photos, about 20-odd vacation photos, for use as desktop wallpapers. When I opened the 23rd photo, I got the error.
I just sat there for a few seconds, looking at the pop-up error incredulously, thinking to myself "my computer has 4 gigs of RAM, and it's tossing up a low memory error?!"
Of course, I had a few other programs running (antivirus, a couple browser windows, and some desktop gadgets). But I've never seen the computer gobble up that much system RAM. I guess that's Windows 7 for ya.
Time to upgrade!
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11:54 AM
PFF
System Bot
Rallaster Member
Posts: 9105 From: Indy southside, IN Registered: Jul 2009
I have 3 gig of RAM on my laptop and I've tried, tried to max the RAM, but I always seem to max the CPU and then the system locks up and winds up shutting down...
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12:00 PM
Doug85GT Member
Posts: 9466 From: Sacramento CA USA Registered: May 2003
Do you have a hard limit on your virtual memory or do you have it set to system managed? You are usually better off letting the system manage it.
That message usually only comes up when you run out of virtual memory. As long as you have disk space, then it doesn't matter how much you have opened, the OS will just move things to virtual memory. Once you run low on virtual memory, then you get that error. It really does not have much to do with your physical memory although the error message seems to point to that.
BTW, it does not matter how much ram you have. If you open up enough stuff, your system will use virtual memory.
Originally posted by Doug85GT: Do you have a hard limit on your virtual memory or do you have it set to system managed? You are usually better off letting the system manage it.
I turned off the page file, because:
1) I don't like using the hard drive as backup memory. It puts a lot of wear & tear on the hard drive, and slows down the computer. 2) I didn't think the computer would use up that much system RAM.
I could turn on the page file, if I wanted. But then I'd have to listen to the hard drive thrash. I'd rather buy more system RAM.
1) I don't like using the hard drive as backup memory. It puts a lot of wear & tear on the hard drive, and slows down the computer. 2) I didn't think the computer would use up that much system RAM.
I could turn on the page file, if I wanted. But then I'd have to listen to the hard drive thrash. I'd rather buy more system RAM.
That is fine. You know the cause of your error now and what to do when you run low on memory.
Just FYI, thrashing is caused when you have active processes using more memory than your system has available. When that happens your system slows to a crawl as the OS is constantly swapping out the page file to supply the active processes with their memory requests.
It won't happen if you have inactive applications in the background such as open pictures, browsers etc. What will happen is that your system will be a little slower switching back to the inactive applications because it has to pull the page files back off of the hard drive and move something else to disk.
Generally, using virtual memory is not a bad thing. It is only bad when the system is significantly low on RAM for the applications that it is running.
FieroRumor said: Had a customer get this error last week. they were using less then 2GB out of 4. Think it was the poorly coded app they were using...
Hmm... interesting. I use Paint.net for image editing. After I got the memory error, I minimized the program (and one browser window) so I could see the memory usage gadget. At that point, it read 78% memory usage, if I remember correctly.
I'll have to check and see if Paint.net has any memory usage issues.
After a clean boot, sitting at the Windows desktop, the machine uses about 30% of the system RAM. No kidding. Maybe that's because I have all the Windows Aero eye candy turned on. The video card uses some of the system RAM as "shared memory", too. It's odd, considering that the video card has 512MB of onboard memory. The video card is a Geforce GTS 250, by the way.
Anyway, my motherboard maxes out at 8GB of RAM, and has 4 memory slots. It currently has four 1GB modules installed. It looks like I can get 2GB modules for about $28 each at Newegg. And I get paid tomorrow.
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01:28 PM
Ramsespride Member
Posts: 1979 From: Where i am is where i am. Registered: Feb 2010
I've had issues while running Autocad, SolidWorks, and XBMC at the same time, on 2 gigs. I have 6 gigs now and haven't had any issues. Imagine if 15 years ago someone had told you they have 4 gigs of RAM and it isn't enough...
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01:33 PM
PFF
System Bot
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
I've had issues while running Autocad, SolidWorks, and XBMC at the same time, on 2 gigs. I have 6 gigs now and haven't had any issues. Imagine if 15 years ago someone had told you they have 4 gigs of RAM and it isn't enough...
I have 16GB in my ESXi server, and it isn't enough!
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01:40 PM
Mar 5th, 2011
faaaaq Member
Posts: 3856 From: Madison WI, USA Registered: Sep 2009
i have 3 gigs but i need more. can get 8 gigs for less than $80 now, so ill have more soon. Streaming HD videos takes a lot of ram, and so does having Chrome or Firefox open with 10+ tabs as well as a couple media servers and all my background apps
1) I don't like using the hard drive as backup memory. It puts a lot of wear & tear on the hard drive, and slows down the computer. 2) I didn't think the computer would use up that much system RAM.
Better reason... The swap file is a security risk. And swap file become memory dump if you get BSOD. Using Hibernation? it's a security risk to. Think Laptop w/o full disk encryption.... Laptop get swiped.... Password in the Swap or Hibernation files is plain text. (Assuming FFox etc doesn't save password...) Cops, ICE, and Lawyer love Swap and Hibernation files.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Originally posted by theogre: Better reason... The swap file is a security risk. And swap file become memory dump if you get BSOD. Using Hibernation? it's a security risk to.
Good point, Dave. I have hibernation permanently disabled on both my computers, for that very reason.
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11:59 PM
Mar 6th, 2011
Wichita Member
Posts: 20656 From: Wichita, Kansas Registered: Jun 2002
I'm still using an old Pentium 4 HT 3.0 Gig (single core) processor and 2 gigs of DDR2 ram.
I use to have memory issues and hard drive spikes, but after hard drive format, clean boot of Windows 7 Premium (going from Windows XP), My computer and programs are running wicked fast without any issues what-so-ever.
Better reason... The swap file is a security risk. And swap file become memory dump if you get BSOD. Using Hibernation? it's a security risk to. Think Laptop w/o full disk encryption.... Laptop get swiped.... Password in the Swap or Hibernation files is plain text. (Assuming FFox etc doesn't save password...) Cops, ICE, and Lawyer love Swap and Hibernation files.
Relatively true, but Windows is a security risk and Windows 7 is a dream come true for computer forensic investigators due to shadow copy and other things. If you're really concerned about security, run a hardened linux kernal with full drive encryption on a SSD that asks for a password at bootup and nukes the FS after 3 failed attempts. Very secure and VERY hard to get data off, but also WAY beyond 99% of most computer users.
------------------ -Chris '85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD) '88 GT Auto (fun car) '03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Daily driver)
1) I don't like using the hard drive as backup memory. It puts a lot of wear & tear on the hard drive, and slows down the computer. 2) I didn't think the computer would use up that much system RAM.
I could turn on the page file, if I wanted. But then I'd have to listen to the hard drive thrash. I'd rather buy more system RAM.
Programmatically speaking, a swap file isn't entirely bad. With regards to #1, I wouldn't worry about wear and tear on a HD. All hard drives can fail, but the MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) is usually 5+ years at a minimum. You are right, it can affect performance at times, but that can be better than running out of memory and not being able to work.
Really, it just sounds like your system needs to be optimized. There's probably a lot of stuff that's loading at startup that you simply don't need along with other services and bloat ware. 4GB of RAM should be enough for what you are doing, but if you ever hit that limit, take a look at task manager and see exactly how much memory is being used by each application. You might be surprised at what you find. Solid State Drives are also becoming lower in price with increasing reliability, so that might be another option to look at.
------------------ -Chris '85 V6 SE 4sp (SOLD) '88 GT Auto (fun car) '03 Sentra SE-R Spec V (Daily driver)
And try cacheman or something like it... Even w/o swap file. I use cachemanXP (Cacheman update for vista/win7) with swap disable and I still get better RAM use.
You can do it in policy manager, regedit, etc, but cacheman and some others as a one stop store... tho watch "large system cache..." if that is check, some board, video and TV tuner board, can go haywire.
Yes, I could use Linux... Truecrypt is free and works w/ windows.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Originally posted by Blacktree: Anyway, my motherboard maxes out at 8GB of RAM, and has 4 memory slots. It currently has four 1GB modules installed. It looks like I can get 2GB modules for about $28 each at Newegg. And I get paid tomorrow.
My girlfriend works at Newegg. Theyre the **** . AND...I get discounts! Weeeeee! Sounds like your program is the problem though, or some process running in the background....
I have 3 gig of RAM on my laptop and I've tried, tried to max the RAM, but I always seem to max the CPU and then the system locks up and winds up shutting down...
Relatively true, but Windows is a security risk and Windows 7 is a dream come true for computer forensic investigators due to shadow copy and other things. If you're really concerned about security, run a hardened linux kernal with full drive encryption on a SSD that asks for a password at bootup and nukes the FS after 3 failed attempts. Very secure and VERY hard to get data off, but also WAY beyond 99% of most computer users.
Don't get me wrong and I'm not a Microsoft fan but *users* are the biggest security risk. 95% of the things users catch/corrupt/etc they did to themselves. Give them the ablity to do something and you will have problems. Don't give them any ability, then the device is about as useful as a toaster that can toast one piece of bread after you talk to IT for permission. Its all about trade offs of risk.
As far as "data security" goes, the biggest leak has ALWAYS been via social engineering or direct targeted internal fraud.
"Linux", or any other OS wont address either of those main issues.
Oh, and there is full drive encryption for windows laptops too ya know. We use it at the office. There is no way to get into a drive once its comprised. ( hell, its hard enough getting in when its yours... stupid thing )
[This message has been edited by Nurb432 (edited 03-06-2011).]
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09:38 AM
Blacktree Member
Posts: 20770 From: Central Florida Registered: Dec 2001
Originally posted by Chris_narf: Really, it just sounds like your system needs to be optimized. There's probably a lot of stuff that's loading at startup that you simply don't need along with other services and bloat ware. 4GB of RAM should be enough for what you are doing, but if you ever hit that limit, take a look at task manager and see exactly how much memory is being used by each application. You might be surprised at what you find. Solid State Drives are also becoming lower in price with increasing reliability, so that might be another option to look at.
Yeah, there was some bloatware that I missed previously. OpenOffice had "quickstart" running in the background. Plus the HP software for the printer had something running in the background. By turning both of those off, I reclaimed about 8-10% of my system RAM. Aside from that, the computer is pretty "lean and mean". Any services that I don't use or need are turned off. Any software that I don't use or need gets nuked. The hard drive is routinely defragmented.
But I'm still looking at around 25% RAM usage (i.e. about 1GB) on a clean boot. Some of that is the desktop gadgets (I have 6 of them running). And the Windows Aero eye candy is cranked to the max. I bought Windows 7 specifically for that (plus DirectX 11 for gaming). So if I need more RAM to run the eye candy, then more RAM I will get.