Under utilized RAM

kiimas karu · 02-07-2007, 01:50 PM

I have a Dell Inspiron 8200 with a 1.7 Pentium 4 CPU. I recently upgraded from 384 to a Kingston 1024 RAM. I expected to see greater performance, but I do not see much difference!

Almost all of the time I see around 600-700 RAM unused! Is there something I need to do to make the RAM usage more efficient? Even if I run several RAM intensive applications at the same time there is still plenty of RAM, but the performance is not great.

What steps am I forgetting?

Kornowski · 02-07-2007, 02:04 PM

There isn't anything to make your computer use more RAM... It just depends on the programs using it... Try opening a couple of tabs in IE7 or Firefox, media player and a couple of apps and you should see it go up.

I've got IE7 (3 tabs) media player and Fireworks open and I have 600MB left... I don't think it's a problem

**The_Other_One** · 02-07-2007, 02:05 PM

You don't want your computer to use more RAM. The less RAM it's using the better

More RAM(unless you're running some very intensive program) typically means more processes running, which in turn means less performance.

Adding RAM will not speed up your computer. It does not make the processor run any faster or anything like that. About all RAM allows is for a smaller swap file. In this case, the hard drive doesn't have to be used as much which helps with load times. However, raw performance is unaffected.

StrangleHold · 02-07-2007, 02:07 PM

Increasing the amout of ram you had will make it alittle faster loading and running programs because your not using as much Virtual memory, but increasing the amount does not mean it runs faster, say going from DDR 400 512mbs to DDr 400 1gb it still runs at the same speed you just have more of it.

[-0MEGA-] · 02-07-2007, 02:11 PM

You can disable the page file, which will remove the virtual hard drive RAM to the physical RAM.

Right click on My Computer > Properties > Performance > then disable/lower the page file.

kiimas karu · 02-07-2007, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the answers! I was thinking I would need to reinstall something.

02-07-2007, 01:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
kiimas karu New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	Under utilized RAM I have a Dell Inspiron 8200 with a 1.7 Pentium 4 CPU. I recently upgraded from 384 to a Kingston 1024 RAM. I expected to see greater performance, but I do not see much difference! Almost all of the time I see around 600-700 RAM unused! Is there something I need to do to make the RAM usage more efficient? Even if I run several RAM intensive applications at the same time there is still plenty of RAM, but the performance is not great. What steps am I forgetting?

02-07-2007, 02:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kornowski VIP - Graphics Guru Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool, UK Age: 18 Posts: 12,682	There isn't anything to make your computer use more RAM... It just depends on the programs using it... Try opening a couple of tabs in IE7 or Firefox, media player and a couple of apps and you should see it go up. I've got IE7 (3 tabs) media player and Fireworks open and I have 600MB left... I don't think it's a problem __________________ Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 EVGA 750i SLI FTW 4GB Crucial Ballistix @ 800MHz PNY 8800GTS G92 @ 800/2000/1000 Corsair HX520W Windows Vista Home Premium Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.11 SATA II Tuniq Tower LED OCZ XTC RAM Cooler Antec 900 (Modded)

02-07-2007, 02:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 23 Posts: 12,368	You don't want your computer to use more RAM. The less RAM it's using the better More RAM(unless you're running some very intensive program) typically means more processes running, which in turn means less performance. Adding RAM will not speed up your computer. It does not make the processor run any faster or anything like that. About all RAM allows is for a smaller swap file. In this case, the hard drive doesn't have to be used as much which helps with load times. However, raw performance is unaffected. __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

02-07-2007, 02:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
StrangleHold Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In a realm of unknown Wonders Posts: 7,468	Increasing the amout of ram you had will make it alittle faster loading and running programs because your not using as much Virtual memory, but increasing the amount does not mean it runs faster, say going from DDR 400 512mbs to DDr 400 1gb it still runs at the same speed you just have more of it. __________________ NZXT Apollo Athlon 64 X2 5600-3.3ghz. Gigabyte GA MA770 DS3 G Skill DDR2 1066-944mhz. 4gbs. PNY 8800GT/VD964 Cooler W/D Sata 3.0 500gb RE2 Humans are curious creatures and by nature insane. Lock us all in a room together and within hours we're dividing into groups, creating Gods and plotting on how to kill one another.

02-07-2007, 02:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
[-0MEGA-] Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Concord, NH Age: 20 Posts: 27,082	You can disable the page file, which will remove the virtual hard drive RAM to the physical RAM. Right click on My Computer > Properties > Performance > then disable/lower the page file. __________________ Desktop // Laptop Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 4.0GHz // Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz Asus Rampage Formula X48 // Intel PM45 ATI 4870X2 2GB GDDR5 // 512MB GDDR3 9800M GTS 4GB (2x 2GB) DDR2 940 // 4GB DDR3 800 750GB SATAII w/32MB // 200GB SATAII 7200RPM Creative SB X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty SilverStone 750W +12V@60A 3DMark06: 21391 // 9179

02-07-2007, 03:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
kiimas karu New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	Thanks for the answers! I was thinking I would need to reinstall something.

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