Windows 10: Memory low problem --- are all RAM cleaners really 'snake oil'?

There were/are also memory defragmenters, but all they work so they force writing caches and any presently not used memory to virtual memory on disk. Unfortunately that free RAM gets used fast enough all over again. As windows got better at managing RAM, use of those programs have diminished to 0. W10 even compresses part of RAM so it doesn't get all fragmented. Better algorithms for writing to and reading from virtual memory and better algorithms for caches make programs like that obsolete.

 

All I know is I've never heard of RAM cleaners. That's my point.

 

They also go by name "RAM Optimizer".
4 Effective FREE RAM Optimizer to Boost Your Windows System Performance | Next of Windows

 

In old days,they were quite useful, I remember when I had 256MB-2GB and I could not run games because of low RAM message, I installed Cacheman and all games ran nicely. But with 16GB, I do not need any now. *Smile

 

not even remotely true. i have used them and HAVE seen the performance difference.

spot on, thanks

 

I stand by everything I have said about these programs. And there is much more that could be said.

This is not just my opinion. It is shared by such individuals as Jamie Hanrahan, Mark Russinovich, and David Solomon. They, and others, are co-authors of the Microsoft publication "Windows Internals", 7th edition. All have an understanding of Windows internals and memory management that far exceeds my own. All have written about these programs, none of it favorable.

I have stated my position. I will say no more.

 

good don't say anymore cause you are wrong. i trust what i see with my own eyes, and i CAN see the performance difference after running one.

 

Agreed 100%. *Ditto*Thumbs

 

A bit rude and unnecessary, don't you think?

 

The Memory-Optimization Hoax - RAM optimizers make false promises

Mark Russinovich - Wikipedia

 

no it's wasn't considering i'm being told i don't know what i'm talking about when i damn well do.

 

So you're saying the Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Azure doesn't know what he's talking about? Interesting...

 

Ah, yes it was and it's not acceptable behaviour.
I'm unsubscribing from this one. I have better things to do than read rude posts from know-it-alls.

 

I have to say that is a very old article, from December 29th 2003, 2 years after XP was released, and 4 before Vista appeared in 2007, 10 years ago.

That being said, Windows Memory Management has moved on even since Vista, via Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and the earlier RTM versions of Windows 10. So can the article be relevant now?

The history of Microsoft (indeed the hiring of Mark Russinovich and his organization happened like this) is that if someone creates something that truly improves Windows, Microsoft buys out that product and often the staff that produced it suddenly get rather rich after signing non-disclosure agreements.

Applications too - Microsoft DOS, Word, FoxPro and Visio all were subsumed into the MS empire from other software developers.

If there were any useful, working RAM cleaners, they would be removed from the market, and incorporated into Windows in a future build.

 

I hadn't intended to post again in this thread but there are things that need to be addressed.

The article by Mark Russinovich linked to above is still very much relevant in 2017. While there have been many changes in memory management since the first release of NT in 1993 they have been evolutionary, not revolutionary in nature. The basic concepts have changed but little. The basic concepts described in "Inside Windows 2000", Third edition are the same as those described in "Windows Internals" Sixth edition. I have read both. The differences are in the details and enhancements found in later operating systems. The original version of NT in 1993 had a minimum RAM requirement of 12 MB (which many thought excessive). There simply wasn't room for the advanced features found in later systems. Windows 10 has a minimum requirement of 1 GB for the 32 bit version and that has made all these features possible.

I really have no issue with memory cleaning, only when it is done by third party products. Windows actually has a memory cleaner and has since the first release of NT. But there is nothing to download or install and no user interface to show it's activity or for configuration. It is built right into the OS where it belongs and works silently and efficiently for the benefit of both system and application processes. This is as it should be. Memory is a shared resource and needs to be centrally managed. Resource management being one of the primary functions of the OS.

There is no configuration because the real experts readily recognize that they could not possibly do better than the system does on it's own. That being the case, what hope do the rest of us have?

The problem is that the memory manager works according to advanced principles which are poorly understood by most computer users. In fact many computer professionals lack even a basic understanding. It is the same for any modern OS, not just Windows. And to make matters worse the user level documentation by Microsoft often serves more to confuse than enlighten. No wonder the numbers in Task Manager are often confusing and problems are perceived when none actually exist. I have seen this so many times.

The system memory manager and memory cleaner has access to a great deal of information to facilitate efficient operation. It exercises either fine or gross control as the situation requires. This information and the means of exercising control is not available outside the OS or to third party cleaners. Third party memory cleaners must resort to a crude sledgehammer approach. It gets the job done but causes a great deal of damage in the process. The results are not pretty. They are particularly damaging in low memory systems where it is important that the system memory manager is allowed to work as designed

Memory cleaners are not sophisticated software. In most cases the most complex part is the GUI and that is usually quite basic.

These third party memory cleaners are a pet hate of mine, even more so than registry cleaners.

Disagree with me if you wish. But I am in good company.