Sharing Information: Tutorial : How To Manage Your Computer Memory

Tutorial : How To Manage Your Computer Memory

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Often time over the years, I have found myself posing the question of my PC is running very slow and how can I make it faster, In a lot of cases, the computer memory is just not optimized in a way that will allow your computer to get the most out of it.

I am sure you have heard all the acronyms and big words thrown around such as RAM, Random Access Memory, Virtual Memory and Page File. Well, let’s go into a little details as to how your computers memory can have an affect on why your PC is running so slow.

Make Sure Your Computer Has Enough Memory

RAM: This stands for Random Access Memory. Most people know that when they go to buy a new computer that they should look to see how much RAM is in it. In most cases, people do not have a clue as to how much RAM a computer should have or what it actually does, they still know to look for it. I am not trying to knock anyone, its just a simple fact.

RAM is known as volatile memory. This means that when you power down your computer, the data that was held in RAM is gone forever and can never be brought back.

Q. What is RAM used for in a computer?

A. RAM is where the programs your run such as Internet Explorer or Microsoft Word are loaded and held there. So in essence, the random access memory holds all applications that you run while using your computer. The more programs you have open, the more RAM that is being consumed and the slower your computer will be. It makes sense right!

Best Recommendations: If you have a computer running Windows XP or Vista 32bit, then I would most certainly recommend that you have no less that 4GB of RAM. If your on the market for a new computer, it will come with Windows 7 and I would recommend no less than 6GB of RAM.

My PC Is Running Very Slow – Verify You Have Enough Computer Memory

Windows 7 has some cool utilities like the Resource Monitor that will show you what is hogging up all of your computers memory. I typically check this when my PC is running really slow.

Here is how you can access the Resource Monitor:

1. Right-click on your Taskbar and select Task Manager

2. Select Performance Tab and Click Resource Monitor

3. Select the Memory Tab

The resource monitor has a nice indicator bar that shows you how much physical memory is in use as indicated by green and how much memory is available as indicated by blue. It also has some cool graphs on the right side that you can check out to see how performance is as well.

If you see that your computer is using 80 or 90 percent of your total RAM, then you may want to reboot and check it again. However, if your computer is still using upwards of 90 percent of all your computers RAM, then you may need to consider upgrading the amount of memory you have installed.

Recommendation: Make sure that you are rebooting your computer at least once a week. Programs have a tendency to consume more RAM over time, so from the moment you start your computer the programs you run and the programs in the background will consume more and more resources. A reboot will give your computer a fresh start and it is something I always try to do when my PC is running very slow.

In conclusion, if you have any questions regarding this post, feel free to leave a comment below. Nobody likes dealing with a slow running PC and my overall goal is to help people to get their computers to perform as well as they can.