| . Resources
and Memory Leaks Graphic Analyzer
.
Windows
Resources - Basics (for Windows 9x/Me only)
Windows Resources and
Physical Memory are two different notions.
From the user's point of view, Windows Resources are what can cause PC to stop functioning
when they are too low. Physical memory (also called RAM) is what in most cases can
"just" slow down your PC when PC's RAM gets low.
Actually you can have "tons" of free RAM, but resources consuming applications
can still cause your PC to hang.
Let's try to understand what Windows resources are.
Windows resources are really small amounts of
logically organized memory, describing all the objects created and used by Windows
Operating System itself and by all running user applications. Windows designates only
64 Kbytes RAM totally for most of the resources. This explains
why in this case the amount of available RAM does not enact.
Windows resources are measured in percent.
Usually PC has from 40% to 98% of free resources in normal load. Windows resources
falling below 10-20% can cause your PC to "freeze" or show the well-known
"Blue Screen of Death".
Physically Windows resources are classified into 3 different types: system, user
and graphic.
Every time when Windows or any user application create an object (i.e. a window, an image
etc.), it occupies some memory from the total amount of Windows resources (their System
part). This memory is required for general description of created objects (their size,
placement, details, types etc.)
When you use graphic or multimedia applications
you can expect decrease in graphic resources. When you use applications,
which create lots of windows, forms, menus or request printing/scanning functions, you can
expect decrease in user resources.
You may also notice that every time when you see changes in user or graphic resources, the
system resources also change respectively.
.
Windows
Page (Swap) - Basics.
A virtual memory Page File (Swap
File) is used by Windows whenever it is necessary to move (swap) some of the information
from the Physical Memory (RAM) and store it temporarily on the hard disk. When the stored
information is necessary, it is transferred back to the RAM again, and other information
takes its place in the swap file. There is a permanent information exchange between RAM
and swap file, which enables the PC user to work with more programs at a time than it is
allowed by RAM only.
How
Resources and Memory Leaks Graphic Analyzer Works

Using MemoKit History you can find the reason of
Resources and/or Memory leaks.
First of all, it is recommended that you
occasionally check all MemoKit 3d-Graphs: for System, User, Graphic Resources, Page File
and RAM. Use the slide bar to change time scale period or the "Autoscale" button
to see all the collected data at once

If you notice that at the certain
moment free resources or memory went down, just move to mouse to the Graph area.
The red vertical line will appear
in the Graph's area. Move the line to the place on the Graph where you see significant
decrease in Resources/Memory and look at the Program List. The list will display Programs
that were running at that moment.
The Program List uses 3
different colors to display program status at the chosen moment:
- Blue - for
just started applications
-
- White - for
applications, running more than 2-3 minutes
-
- Gray -
for closed applications.
Move the slider slightly and try to
find the program(s) that just started at that moment or program(s) that had changes in
their memory usage. Sometimes small changes in Memory or Page (Swap) File usage can
reflect significant changes in Windows Resources usage.
You may use the following buttons
to sort the Program List or filter closed programs

When you find the leaks culprit(s) just
click on the Graph's area to freeze the red line and go to the Program List to
find more info about suspected programs.
You can also try to close these programs just to
see if they release all the resources or memory, they occupied previously. If they do not,
the frequent usage of such applications may cause your PC to hang, because Windows
Resources will be gradually decreasing.
This technique can let you know what programs
are resources/memory consuming. This will prevent you from starting such programs when
your PC does not have enough resources.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible
to free Windows Resources, that have been occupied and NOT released by poorly developed
applications. Such resources remain locked by the Operating system and cannot be released.
In this case the only way to restore Lost resources is to reboot your PC before it gets to
Alarm Level.
Unlike Windows Resources, it IS possible
to recover physical Memory (RAM). MemoKit constantly tracks your RAM status and
automatically recovers it when it is needed.
.
Windows Resources
Tracker (for Windows 9x/Me only).
Windows Resources
Tracker constantly monitors Windows Resources.
When their level falls below the
warning level, MemoKit tray icon starts blinking:

In this case you
should just remember not to start resources consuming applications, because this
would cause the system stop functioning. Resources and Memory leaks Graphic Analyzer can
help you to find the leaks reason.
When Windows Resources level
falls below the alarm level, MemoKit tray icon starts blinking:

and Alarm Box Message is
displayed. In this case it is recommended to exit resources consuming
applications, otherwise the system may stop functioning.
Resources and Memory leaks Graphic Analyzer can help you to find such
applications.
Disk Cache Optimizer.
Disk Cache Optimizer changes and
tracks so-called VCache parameters of Virtual hard disk cache.
Virtual hard disk cache
is important for improving hard disk performance. It uses fast physical memory (RAM) for
storing the data, which is not currently in use yet it is required. It can also read
ahead by copying more data than the application may need, in the assumption such data will
be required.
The disadvantage of disk cache
is that it refuses to free up the RAM while running memory-consuming applications. When an
application starts, the disk cache occupies for it a certain amount of fast memory (RAM).
Unfortunately, just small amount of this memory will be recovered again. When the
application requires more memory, the disk cache forces it to use hard disk
swapfile, which is much slower. Moving of large amounts of data also causes dramatic
growing of Disk cache size. As a result, the system performance is significantly
degraded.
Disk Cache Optimizer is designed
to solve the problem of Disk cache size growing. Each time the Computer starts Disk Cache
Optimizer checks VCache parameters of Virtual hard disk cache and
adjusts them according to total system physical memory (RAM), which maintains optimal
settings and protects them from possible undesirable changes.
Memory
Functions
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