Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications (even
though i'm hardly running anything)

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all the
memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I need to
close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a sensible
explanation for this?

Andy

Andy Fish wrote:

Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications
(even though i'm hardly running anything)

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all
the memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I
need to close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a
sensible explanation for this?

The sensible explanation for this is that you disabled your page file.
Enable it again. If you use a lot of memory-hungry programs (Photoshop,
CAD, etc.) then add another 1GB of RAM.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

with respect, that's not an explanation at all - let alone a sensible one

if i was using a lot of memory hungry programs and I didn't understand
virtual memory concepts, that would be a reasonable solution

as I said in the orignal post, I was not using memory heavy programs - the
committed memory was mostly in use by vista's cache. this is just not
sensible behaviour for an operating system.

"Malke" wrote in message
...
Andy Fish wrote:

Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications
(even though i'm hardly running anything)

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all
the memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I
need to close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a
sensible explanation for this?

The sensible explanation for this is that you disabled your page file.
Enable it again. If you use a lot of memory-hungry programs (Photoshop,
CAD, etc.) then add another 1GB of RAM.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Andy Fish wrote:

with respect, that's not an explanation at all - let alone a sensible one

if i was using a lot of memory hungry programs and I didn't understand
virtual memory concepts, that would be a reasonable solution

as I said in the orignal post, I was not using memory heavy programs - the
committed memory was mostly in use by vista's cache. this is just not
sensible behaviour for an operating system.

Sorry you didn't like my answer. I can't imagine why you'd disable the page
file with only 2GB of RAM (a basic amount for Vista). Since you don't want
to address that, I'm afraid I'm out of ideas for you.

Sorry that I was unable to help you.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

If you don't have a pagefile, windows will use existing RAM as the
"pagefile" for those functions that are designed to use a pagefile and will
not release this memory until something forces it to be released, but this
is usually after you get the warning of low memory.

Additionally, it may not release enough to start the demanded program in
it's first pass resulting in the program failing to start.



"Malke" wrote in message
...
Andy Fish wrote:

Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications
(even though i'm hardly running anything)

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all
the memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I
need to close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a
sensible explanation for this?

The sensible explanation for this is that you disabled your page file.
Enable it again. If you use a lot of memory-hungry programs (Photoshop,
CAD, etc.) then add another 1GB of RAM.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:00:34 +0100, "Andy Fish"
wrote:

Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications (even
though i'm hardly running anything)

That's the usual system response when there is no page file and one is
found needed.

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all the
memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I need to
close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a sensible
explanation for this?

Andy

Start using a pagefile again. Some programs demand that a pagefile be
present to function correctly.

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience


"Andy Fish" wrote in message
...
Hi

I have a laptop with 2gb RAM running vista and I currently have the page
file disabled (that's another story). I have just had a message saying
windows is running low on memory and I need to close some applications
(even though i'm hardly running anything)

when I look at task manager, I can see about 300mb used by running
applications, but 1200mb is used for the cache

so, vista has run out of physical memory because it's decided to use all
the memory for caching, leaving none for applications. and that means I
need to close down my applications???

please, please, someone tell me vista is not that dumb. is there a
sensible explanation for this?

Andy

I have turned on the pagefile and it's working again, but I just don't
understand how vista can behave in this way

the cache uses _spare_ memory (i.e. that which is not required for
applications). how can the cache possibly grow so large that there is not
enough memory for applications? it just doesn't make any sense at all.

"Richard Urban" wrote in message
...
Start using a pagefile again. Some programs demand that a pagefile be
present to function correctly.

"Andy Fish" wrote in message
...
I have turned on the pagefile and it's working again, but I just don't
understand how vista can behave in this way

the cache uses _spare_ memory (i.e. that which is not required for
applications). how can the cache possibly grow so large that there is not
enough memory for applications? it just doesn't make any sense at all.

"Richard Urban" wrote in message
...
Start using a pagefile again. Some programs demand that a pagefile be
present to function correctly.



Did you read the previous reply from Mark H? If a pagefile is
present, and an application requests more memory, data in
the cache will be moved to the pagefile to release memory,
as needed by the application.

If there is no pagefile to write to, the cache will protect it's
data, and not release it to the application. It also works that
way in WinXp. The same thing happens if the system runs
out of pagefile space.

On Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:17:50 +0100, "Andy Fish"
wrote:

I have turned on the pagefile and it's working again, but I just don't
understand how vista can behave in this way

You probably should drop to your knees and beg Malke's forgiveness for
your rude and unthinking reply to her that told you the fix for your
problem.

Hmmm?