Virtual Memory eaten alive!

Post by **fredwilliams** » October 7, 2017, 11:10 pm

OBSERVATION

Opera stopped working properly 2 months ago. FB would not load and GMail took ages.

I installed Firefox not long before the virt mem probs started but still used Chrome as first choice.

That fuffin' FB Lite thing happened at approx the same time and roasted my mobile battery to smithereens and I deleted it after 2 or 3 days.

I started using Firefox about 10 days ago because FB and GMail had become slow on Chrome.

Conspiracy or cliche?

Post by **BobHelm** » October 8, 2017, 8:37 am

Fred I think that you need to..
Click on the Start Button
Enter Resource Monitor into the search box.
Open Resource Manager & take screen shots of the CPU & Memory tabs..
Post the screen shots in this thread.

You also need to Open File Manager & then Right Mouse Click on each of the Drives shown in the left hand window & click Properties - the final entry in the menu.
Take a screen shot of what each drive shows & post here..

Post by **fredwilliams** » October 8, 2017, 7:04 pm

Here ya go, Bob.

Cheers.

Post by **BobHelm** » October 8, 2017, 7:35 pm

Looking at that Fred, I would have to say that you do not appear to have a disk capacity issue.

You do have a Memory issue though - that you appear to be making far worse by running 2 Browsers at the same time. That is all well & good when you have 8GB of memory, but you do not have that!!

2GB of RAM is the minimum that Microsoft recommend to run Windows 7 64 bit.
So, in effect, you are left with 0.5GB to run all your other programs.
If you are running Firefox & Chrome at the same time I am not surprised that the page load time on either is so slow.

Changing virtual memory will probably help, but virtual memory is not as effective as physical RAM...

Change the size of virtual memory

If you receive warnings that your virtual memory is low, you'll need to increase the minimum size of your paging file. Windows sets the initial minimum size of the paging file equal to the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, and the maximum size equal to three times the amount of RAM installed on your computer. If you see warnings at these recommended levels, then increase the minimum and maximum sizes.

Open System by clicking the Start button The Start button
, right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
In the left pane, click Advanced system settings Administrator permission required
. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.
Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.
Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.
Under Drive[Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.
Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK.

Note

Increases in size usually don't require a restart for the changes to take effect, but if you decrease the size, you'll need to restart your computer. We recommend that you don't disable or delete the paging file.

Post by **sometimewoodworker** » October 8, 2017, 8:03 pm

As well as the problem of running more than 1 browser at at time something to look out for is the number of tabs you have open. Each tab will use some RAM and if you have too many open then your computer will have to use virtual memory which is slow.

Post by **Nigglyb** » October 8, 2017, 11:10 pm

I’ve noticed in my Task Manager that Chrome seems to open multiple sessions even if I’ve only got one tab open. If I close them all except one through Task Manager, my laptop speeds up

Post by **sometimewoodworker** » October 9, 2017, 7:00 am

Nigglyb wrote: ↑
October 8, 2017, 11:10 pm
I’ve noticed in my Task Manager that Chrome seems to open multiple sessions even if I’ve only got one tab open. If I close them all except one through Task Manager, my laptop speeds up

It could be that chrome has been corrupted in some way or that it is just being chrome "What makes Chrome’s use of RAM unique is that it stores every tab, plugin, and extension in a different RAM process."

So remove or disable every plugin and extension that you don't need.

A useful link http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/chrome-usi ... right-now/

From what you say chrome is not good for you unless you can increase your RAM.

Post by **BobHelm** » October 9, 2017, 7:05 am

Chrome deliberately opens multiple processes, even if you have only 1 tab open. It opens a process for the tab, 1 for any web application & 1 for each plug in plus 1 for each plug in that is active.
The idea is a combination of speed of individual page loading plus security.
Unfortunately each process also takes individual memory.
In Fred's case the use of the extra memory is something he can ill afford & he would be well advised to ditch Chrome altogether & just use Firefox, until he resolves his memory issue by adding more!!

Post by **fredwilliams** » October 9, 2017, 7:21 am

^ I was starting to consider that actually, Bob.

But I added The Big Suspender to Chrome. It freezes unused tabs and works 90% a treat.

If I have too many open and I'm pasting from the 'net to Office my machine starts to get tired!

Post by **fredwilliams** » October 9, 2017, 7:24 am

BobHelm wrote: ↑
October 8, 2017, 7:35 pm
Looking at that Fred, I would have to say that you do not appear to have a disk capacity issue.

You do have a Memory issue though - that you appear to be making far worse by running 2 Browsers at the same time. That is all well & good when you have 8GB of memory, but you do not have that!!

2GB of RAM is the minimum that Microsoft recommend to run Windows 7 64 bit.
So, in effect, you are left with 0.5GB to run all your other programs.
If you are running Firefox & Chrome at the same time I am not surprised that the page load time on either is so slow.

Changing virtual memory will probably help, but virtual memory is not as effective as physical RAM...
Change the size of virtual memory

If you receive warnings that your virtual memory is low, you'll need to increase the minimum size of your paging file. Windows sets the initial minimum size of the paging file equal to the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, and the maximum size equal to three times the amount of RAM installed on your computer. If you see warnings at these recommended levels, then increase the minimum and maximum sizes.

Open System by clicking the Start button The Start button
, right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
In the left pane, click Advanced system settings Administrator permission required
. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.
Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.
Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.
Under Drive[Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.
Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and then click OK.

Note

Increases in size usually don't require a restart for the changes to take effect, but if you decrease the size, you'll need to restart your computer. We recommend that you don't disable or delete the paging file.

Cheers, Bob.

Nope, it can't stand me having two browsers open!

Do you think I should delete my now unused Opera?

Post by **BobHelm** » October 9, 2017, 7:32 am

fredwilliams wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 7:24 am
Do you think I should delete my now unused Opera?

If you are not running it then it makes no difference to the memory used, only a bit of disk space.

In the screen shot you posted earlier it was Firefox & Chrome that were open.
The way Chrome works (& with your current memory constraints) it would be wise to ditch Chrome & just run Firefox.
If you have some absolute imperative to run Chrome then, at the very least, you should ditch Firefox..

Post by **tamada** » October 9, 2017, 9:14 am

BobHelm wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 7:32 am

fredwilliams wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 7:24 am
Do you think I should delete my now unused Opera?
If you are not running it then it makes no difference to the memory used, only a bit of disk space.

In the screen shot you posted earlier it was Firefox & Chrome that were open.
The way Chrome works (& with your current memory constraints) it would be wise to ditch Chrome & just run Firefox.
If you have some absolute imperative to run Chrome then, at the very least, you should ditch Firefox..

Why ditch anything? If there's a memory impairment, just use one browser at any one time. I know that some applications or even some websites behave differently between browsers but until the fundamental RAM shortage is addressed, the OP should use one browser at a time and/or if using chrome, try not to have too many tabs open.

Post by **BobHelm** » October 9, 2017, 9:20 am

Ditch as in not use, not uninstall - as I already said with regard to Fred's Opera question there is little to be gained by uninstalling programs. Although it is always wise to know what has crept itself into the Windows Startup Menu unknown..

Post by **gprit** » October 9, 2017, 10:06 am

Can I ask what Browser you use??? I also have a Sony Vaio (2012) which has 4gb, but was still slow at times.
I used to use Firefox, but that was taking up to around 750mb memory even with not many tabs open.

I changed my browser to OPERA - far superior and takes aroun 100mb memory.

Post by **gprit** » October 9, 2017, 1:05 pm

Firefox and using two browsers are your problem. Not sure what happened to my previous post but Firefox was taking arounf 750mb memory even with few tabs open. So I stopped using (but kept installed), and now use the superior OPERA v48. My Sony Vaio (2012) runs much faster and Opera take sonly around 100mb memory.

Post by **Nigglyb** » October 9, 2017, 9:54 pm

BobHelm wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 9:20 am
Although it is always wise to know what has crept itself into the Windows Startup Menu unknown..

I find http://www.blackviper.com a good resource to set the start up programs to what you want rather than what Microsofts wants

Post by **sometimewoodworker** » October 10, 2017, 6:58 am

Nigglyb wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 9:54 pm

BobHelm wrote: ↑
October 9, 2017, 9:20 am
Although it is always wise to know what has crept itself into the Windows Startup Menu unknown..
I find http://www.blackviper.com a good resource to set the start up programs to what you want rather than what Microsofts wants

It's an excellent resource if you have a reasonable knowledge of computers, a bit dangerous if you don't or don't read it carefully.

Post by **Nigglyb** » October 10, 2017, 2:56 pm

sometimewoodworker wrote: ↑
October 10, 2017, 6:58 am
It's an excellent resource if you have a reasonable knowledge of computers, a bit dangerous if you don't or don't read it carefully.

Absolutely, it goes without saying the instructions should be followed carefully. Or phone a friend

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