Laptop using WAY to much ram.

[xxsilk109xx]

I have a laptop here that is vista basic, 512MB ram, and its a presario c500.

I stuck a 2GB ram stick in it and it is using 778MB of memory with nothing but MS SecEssentials turned on. Nothing else is starting according to autoruns.

I have removed norton using removal tool.


I ran virus scanners, tdss killer, combofix, and sas and hijack this and found nothing more than some adware.

I did some general tune up, ccleaner, defrag, reset all services to default and it is still running at 778 or so MB of Ram, I cant figure out what is taking all the memory up.

Cpu seems normal, it bounces around but never stays higher than 50 percent for more than a second or two..

Any ideas?

 

[TLE]

Wouldn't that be due to less being written to the virtual memory as there is now sufficient room.

 

[xxsilk109xx]

Yes I would see your point there, but she does not want to pay for a ram upgrade, that is just my extra stick for testing.

I should have explained that when it had the 512 mb in there, without MS security essent. running it was running at 450 MB or so, so I stuck another stick in there to see what would happen..

 

[Martyn]

Yes I would see your point there, but she does not want to pay for a ram upgrade, that is just my extra stick for testing.

I should have explained that when it had the 512 mb in there, without MS security essent. running it was running at 450 MB or so, so I stuck another stick in there to see what would happen..

That's what happens when you are running out of memory, as TLE says put a new stick in and it's grabbed with both hands. Don't forget in Task Manager you can see the memory usage and sort it by clicking on the top of the column. Have a good look there.

 

[xxsilk109xx]

Yea I looked there and it just doesnt seem that MSSE would be taking up all that memory, but I see your point on it grabbing it and running with it.

I have had vista systems run a lot better with the same amount of ram in them..i guess its just a figment of my immagination or something lol..

I guess thats what the problem is just lack of ram, but you think they would give it enough when you get the computer, because she didnt seem to have any problem before with it locking and freezing up, but i managed some startup items and it doesnt seem to be freezing up unless I stick that 512 stick in there, then it seems that it is real slow to respond and locks up every now and then.

 

[Knightsman]

I really dont see the problem here, your diagnosing something that is so easy...and you know how to fix it.

It could be anything, if it runs fine with 2 gigs, the problem then is the customers decision not to buy ram. I understand trying to make the customer happy, but its not worth it. She just needs to realize that the computer will continue running slower with just 512mb Ram. XP doesnt even like 512mb ram anymore.

 

[AdamsAPlus]

I really dont see the problem here, your diagnosing something that is so easy...and you know how to fix it.

It could be anything, if it runs fine with 2 gigs, the problem then is the customers decision not to buy ram. I understand trying to make the customer happy, but its not worth it. She just needs to realize that the computer will continue running slower with just 512mb Ram. XP doesnt even like 512mb ram anymore.

I agree. I would never run WinXP with less than 512mb of ram, Much less Vista. If you look at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/products/system-requirements you will see that the minimum requirements for vista is 1gb of ram. (512mb for Home Basic) That would mean she must have Home Basic. Never run with the Minimum because it will run slow. Print that page out and explain that it is the minimum and it really needs more to run well.

 

[xxsilk109xx]

gotcha, thanks guys for the tips! She does have vista basic..lol

 

[joydivision]

700-800MB is about right for Vista Basic on idle.

 

[wimwauters]

gotcha, thanks guys for the tips! She does have vista basic..lol

It's the same old scam. There's always an entry-level device or license that magically works fine with half the RAM. It's pure BS.

Modern laptops and computers shouldn't be sold with less than 3GB of RAM. No excuses.

If vendors sell enough of these 512MB jokes, they'll have another clas action law suit on their hands

Anyway, best you can do is sell a 2GB stick of RAM to her.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Modern laptops and computers shouldn't be sold with less than 3GB of RAM. No excuses.

I agree. Memory is cheap. The only upside to bare minimum RAM is that you can upgrade to more better RAM for less money.

 

[GreenCycleComputers]

My general rule is nothing less than 2Gb for Vista. I've had a few systems seem ok with light usage with only 1Gb but I can't imagine using less than that. Even XP is pokey on 512Mb especially with built in graphics.

 

[joydivision]

Basic does use less RAM than Premium. 1.5GB is plenty for Vista Basic edition.

 

[Kitten Kong]

My thoughts are, for XP nothing less than 1Gb. Vista / 7 nothing less than 2.

Its on my diag sheet, when I book pc's in, if there is anything less than what I recommend, I contact my client, and do my best on the upsell of more memory.

 

[Snazzy PC Repairs]

The problem is that when MS first published the minimum specs for Vista they quoted it as being able to run on 512MB. So laptop manufacturers started churning out basic spec laptops with only 512MB RAM and threw Vista Basic at it, and sometimes even Home Premium.

And while it's true that Vista will physically run on 512MB it would Much prefer a little more room to flex. And that's before the customer starts installing their applications. Little wonder customers complain about slow computers.

When one of these comes in for a tune-up I always strongly recommend at least a 1GB upgrade, 2GB if it can take it. Because there's just little benefit of performing a tune-up on something that will still be physically contrained by the hardware at the end of the process.

 

[MobileTechie]

That doesn't seem like all that much RAM to be using to be honest and there is still plenty of the 2GB left for apps. So what is the problem?

You can easily see what is using the ram in Resource Monitor, assuming Vista Basic has that.