I used to use basic configuration 2GB ram for my laptop with windows 7. I ran into trouble when I needed to use multiple windows open (started swapping to hdd whenever switch occured), and cleanmem helped me a lot by giving me few more precious memory available (although admittedly new operation required same swapping, switch between open windows became much smoother). now I finished long wished upgrade to 4gb ram. do you advise to remove cleanmem at this amount of memory?

user287147

Posted 2014-01-18T10:23:23.237

Reputation: 17

1RAM "optimizers"/cleaners/whatever are junk and should be avoided no matter what. – and31415 – 2014-01-18T10:26:10.283

@and31415 okay....so you are going for the case that 4gb should be plenty to let only windows manage memory? it definitely was a bad idea for 2gb ram as web browsers/office/etc started using memory as if it's 8gb system and signaling EmptyWorkingSet using this utility definitely helped keeping this matter in check – user287147 – 2014-01-18T10:30:52.707

When you're running out of memory you either add more or you run less programs at once/switch to less memory-hungry alternatives. If you were having performance issues before, 2 extra GB will certainly help. Keep in mind one thing is the physical memory installed and another is the total memory available to the system. If you got an integrated graphic card, for example, part of the memory could be reserved for it. To sum it up: yes, you should remove such program(s). – and31415 – 2014-01-18T10:44:00.687

@and31415 you should post it as answer. thx for comment. i guess i can now just remove cleanmem without discussing how much benefit/harm it does. – user287147 – 2014-01-19T10:57:33.350

Done. And yeah, those programs are "useless at best and harmful at worst." – and31415 – 2014-01-19T12:06:21.050

Answers

TL;DR

RAM "optimizers" (or cleaners/boosters/whatever) are junk and should be avoided, no matter what. So yes, remove such useless program(s).

The proper way

When you're running out of memory you either:

Add more RAM.
Run less programs at once / switch to less memory-hungry alternatives.

If you were having performance issues before, 2 extra GB will certainly help. When adding extra memory is not an option, get rid of running applications you don't need: some programs feel they are so important they should be always automatically start at system boot. More often then not, you actually want them to run on-demand.

Installed vs. usable memory

Keep in mind one thing is the physical memory installed and another is the total memory available to the system. If you got an integrated graphic card, for example, part of the memory could be reserved for it. Also, Windows 32-bit client versions are artificially limited to 4 GB (except Windows Vista/7 Starter editions, where the limit is 1 GB and 2 GB respectively) and won't recognize anything past that unless you hack your way round this licensing restriction.

Well first off if you are using the 32 bit version of Win 7. It is pointless to add 4gig of mem. As win 7 will only use up to 3 1/2 gig. Also something you might try is turning some extra services off that you do not need. Here try this, type services.msc in the Run box FAQ! Before disabling any service, check out the service information about each by selecting the service name links provided. Service settings are global, meaning changes apply to all users. There is a site called Blackviper.com Will be able to find a wealth of service knowledge on that site. I repeat again, BUT DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ABOUT THE SERVICES BEFORE YOU DISABLE THE SERVICE.

My Opinion about 3rd party memory cleaners or managing software is first off it needs resources to run itself. So to start you have less resources than you did to start with. But that is just my opinion take it or leave it

Just a normal guy

Posted 2014-01-18T10:23:23.237

Reputation: 11

1I see no evidence the user is using a 32-bit version of Windows. – Ramhound – 2014-01-18T21:51:58.700

1Well it is either 32 bit or 64 bit. The verison said user has was not stated! – Just a normal guy – 2014-01-18T21:55:57.720

yeah I think ramhound didnt notice or understand that ur first sentence has the word "IF" in it.What does this sentence mean though,u wrote"So to start you have less resources than you did to start with."<-- !! I guess you mean to turn off non essential services so that from when windows next starts u will have less resources using memory and more memory available. Though i've never heard it generally said to turn off resources to save on RAM. Normally the bigger eaters of RAM are things like a browser, look in task manager.Tho' granted it doesn't sum for svchost so not easy to tell from there – barlop – 2014-01-19T01:51:42.310

1also it's not pointless to have 4GB RAM just because it uses a bit less. If he added more than 4GB it'd be pointless. But I suppose a good way of putting in the max RAM for 32-bit windows is putting in 4GB would you not agree? Nobody is doing something like putting in a 2GB a 1GB and a 512MB. And you'd lose out on dual channel too if doing that I suppose. – barlop – 2014-01-19T01:53:08.923

I'm using 64bit win7. It was actually only choice of OS for laptops when I was purchasing. – user287147 – 2014-01-19T10:55:27.280

@user287147 - Yes update your question to reflect that fact. – Ramhound – 2014-01-20T04:45:02.227

It is only limited to 3.5 GB if your bios reserves 0.5 GB for IO devices. Some systems reserve more, some less. My Dell at work can only use 3.2 GB since the bios reserves 0.8 for IO. – psusi – 2014-01-20T04:56:46.960

Sorry Gents, for the type O's And or misinformation. I am guessing ram hound has a large ego. As he requested that I update my question to reflect that facts I may have left out or misstated. But yet nothing about his comment "I see no evidence the user is using a 32-bit version of Windows" Have a great day gents – Just a normal guy – 2014-01-20T15:28:43.553

for 4gb ram, will I need ram optimizer(e.g. cleanmem)?

Answers

TL;DR

The proper way

Installed vs. usable memory

Further reading