Question:

How to explain the discrepancy between RAM usage reported by task manager and individual processes?

I have a system with 8GBs of DDR3 RAM. When I check the task manager, it shows that 50% of my RAM is in use. However, when I sum up the RAM usage of each process, it only amounts to 1GB at most. What is causing this difference? How can I monitor the actual RAM usage of my system? Thank you for your assistance.

Answer:

RAM, or random access memory, is a type of computer memory that stores data and programs that are currently in use by the system. RAM is faster than other types of storage, such as hard disks or SSDs, but it is also volatile, meaning that it loses its contents when the power is turned off.

One of the common ways to check the RAM usage of a system is to use the task manager, a built-in tool that shows the performance and processes of the system. However, some users may notice that the task manager reports a higher RAM usage than the sum of the individual processes. For example, a user with 8GBs of DDR3 RAM may see that the task manager shows 50% of the RAM is in use, but when they add up the RAM usage of each process, it only amounts to 1GB at most. What is causing this difference? How can they monitor the actual RAM usage of their system?

There are several possible reasons for this discrepancy, and they are not necessarily indicative of a problem. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Cached memory: Cached memory is a portion of the RAM that is used to store frequently accessed data and programs, so that they can be loaded faster the next time they are needed. Cached memory is not allocated to any specific process, but it is still considered as used by the system. However, cached memory is also available for other processes to use when needed, so it is not wasted. Cached memory can be seen in the task manager under the “Memory” tab, in the “Cached” section.
• Shared memory: Shared memory is a portion of the RAM that is used by multiple processes to access the same data or resources, such as libraries, drivers, or fonts. Shared memory reduces the duplication of data and improves the efficiency of the system. Shared memory is not counted separately for each process, but it is included in the total RAM usage of the system. Shared memory can be seen in the task manager under the “Details” tab, in the “Shared Working Set” column.
• Non-paged pool: Non-paged pool is a portion of the RAM that is reserved for the kernel and drivers of the system, and it cannot be swapped out to the disk. Non-paged pool is used for critical operations that require fast and constant access to the memory, such as network connections, security, or file system. Non-paged pool is not associated with any specific process, but it is part of the total RAM usage of the system. Non-paged pool can be seen in the task manager under the “Memory” tab, in the “Non-paged pool” section.

These

are some of the main factors that can explain the discrepancy between the RAM usage reported by the task manager and the individual processes. However, there may be other factors that are specific to the system or the configuration of the user. To monitor the actual RAM usage of the system, the user can use other tools that provide more detailed and accurate information, such as Resource Monitor, Performance Monitor, or third-party applications. These tools can help the user to identify the sources of the RAM usage, and to optimize the performance and efficiency of their system.