Use memory freeing programs to make computer run faster?

[JayOfTruth]

In the past I have used memory freeing programs to help speed up my computer. I was wondering if any of you used these programs (eg: memory booster Pro, RAM Booster, etc.)

Do you think these things do more harm or good for the computer?

I have used them in the past and they seem to work for me. But still I want other opinions. (especially from people who know more about computers than me.)

[furballi]

Let W2K and WXP manage the physical memory. Buy more RAM if PC must slow down to access the pagefile. KISS.

[incursari]

I ever try memory freeing program on my server before. When the memory freeing activated to free the memory my server just give a long pause and shutdown. I guess not all program will play along with memory freeing program. The best is like what Furballi suggested let WinXp manage it, like me i sometimes adjust my pagefiles 1.5 times bigger than my physical memory.

[bigc73542]

Most memboost or ram free up programs actually do more harm that good in an NTFS file system.

[WSFuser]

i use clevercache and tho i dont know if it helps, it hasnt done anything bad either.

like furballi said, if the PC is sluggish buy more ram. it can be cheap depending on what memory u need.

[sweater]

I have only 256MB Ram and I think my O&O CleverCache helps my machine to "have more breathe of life".

I think this memory managers or booster can really help if you have only a 512MB RAM or below. It really help by freeing some ram and used it for the system. Above that number, then I think there's no need to.

[TOMxEU]

I used CachemanXP for a few years, since Win98 (Cacheman Free), but not anymore.

WinXP handles memory really good and does not need help. By optimizing WinXP, like disabling some services or setting up effects, I do not even see, like shadow under mouse, I gained some RAM for free. I used to have 690 MB free RAM after startup, now I have 820 MB from 1024 MB.

[NGRhodes]

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showp...73&postcount=2

[JayOfTruth]

Well, thanks for the advice. I guess I will just steer clear of any memory boost software. Maybe I'll invest in more ram. Hell I need a better graphics card and more gigs of memory as well.

Does anyone know a good site for buying computer parts or computers (preferably in the US)? but i'm not limiting to that.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by JayOfTruth

Well, thanks for the advice. I guess I will just steer clear of any memory boost software. Maybe I'll invest in more ram. Hell I need a better graphics card and more gigs of memory as well.

Does anyone know a good site for buying computer parts or computers (preferably in the US)? but i'm not limiting to that.

Try either Newegg www.newegg.com or JR Music www.jr.com

I deal with both of them, and they both are great.

Pete

[WSFuser]

ill second www.newegg.com and www.zipzoomfly.com isnt bad either.

[crofttk]

If I'm specifically after RAM, I usually start at crucial.com as a baseline and then look for prices to beat them. I mostly have ended up buying from them.

[HJam72]

I used to use one called WinterCooler, but I don't recall being able to tell any difference that it made in that PC's actual performance. I probably didn't really need it, so I can't say if it would help somebody else. It does seem to me, though, that money spent on such software would be better saved toward a possible RAM upgrade instead.

[JayOfTruth]

I have heard alot of good things about newegg. But the one time I did order from them my product never came. (A flashdrive) I got the reciept and everything. Although my credit card wasnt charged for it either.

But everyone makes mistakes. I might give them a go again.

Here is my contribution:

http://epinions.com
http://cyberpowersystems.com

[angus49]

I have used FreeRam XP Pro (current version 1.52) for several years. It is stable, easy to use if you take a little time to learn config's. I generally set to auto recover (under settings on main GUI) when memory use goes below 1/3 of my system ram. Otherwise I leave defaults. It puts a graphical icon in the sys tray showing unused memory amount. When mem. starts to drop due to mem. leaks, etc. you can right click the icon to open the menu, either click auto free or as I do, click "try to free" and a list opens and you can pick how much ram to free. It slows program launches for a minute or two but then everything stabilizes. Oh, and the best part it's FREE. Here is a link:
http://www.yourwaresolutions.com/

Hope you try it and like it.

[Meriadoc]

Hi
xp will manage the job just fine, anything needed will be made avaliable. Using 'free-up-ram' programs will have a reverse on performance!

Just incase - xp will manage the job just fine.

[Arin]

All memory boosters are bogus. It simply doesn't make any sense if you free
up more RAM by paging. It defeats the whole idea of RAM. If you have more
than 512MB of RAM then use the simple trick given below to improve the
performance.

1. Open REGEDIT and find or create the following key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

2. Create a DWORD value DisablePagingExecutive and set the value as 1.

3. Close REGEDIT and reboot.

[pvsurfer]

Originally Posted by JayOfTruth

In the past I have used memory freeing programs to help speed up my computer. I was wondering if any of you used these programs (eg: memory booster Pro, RAM Booster, etc.)

Do you think these things do more harm or good for the computer?

I have used them in the past and they seem to work for me. But still I want other opinions. (especially from people who know more about computers than me.)

I use and really like 'TuneUp Utilities 2006'. Among its utilities is a 'TuneUp MemOptimizer' which I find does work pretty well. That said, here is a very good (and free) reference for tweaking a Win 2000/XP system...

http://arstechnica.com/guides/tweaks/memory-1.ars

[angus49]

Originally Posted by AMRX

All memory boosters are bogus. It simply doesn't make any sense if you free
up more RAM by paging. It defeats the whole idea of RAM. If you have more
than 512MB of RAM then use the simple trick given below to improve the
performance.

1. Open REGEDIT and find or create the following key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

2. Create a DWORD value DisablePagingExecutive and set the value as 1.

3. Close REGEDIT and reboot.

Had done this edit long ago...doesn't help the memory leaks though. I still stand by a good ram recovery utility when the need arises.

[ThunderZ]

Have always been curious how adding another program loading at start-up and residing in memory helped free up memory. Have to agree with several others. Add memory till you can not add any more.

[FastGame]

Memory programs are nothing more than snake oil, software can't replace hardware. Memory is cheap, go buy some and be happy you did.

[Arin]

The registry tweak I suggested is not for memory leaks. It'll disable paging of
core system components. This results in system performance improvement.

Here is a nice page which will open a lot of eyes.

[Meriadoc]

Hi,
Windows 9x can crash or require that the system is restarted if resources reach too low a level.
Windows XP and Windows 2000 don't have those problems with resources.

Add memory till you can not add any more.

To a point. I'm not directing this to anyone, I just used the quote.
The more RAM a system has, the bigger the programs it can run, and the more programs it can have loaded to run at the same time.
Increasing the amount of RAM in a system can deliver very noticeable performance gains, but increasing it over that point usually delivers ever decreasing performance gains.

[ThunderZ]

Originally Posted by Meriadoc

I'm not directing this to anyone, I just used the quote.
The more RAM a system has, the bigger the programs it can run, and the more programs it can have loaded to run at the same time.
Increasing the amount of RAM in a system can deliver very noticeable performance gains, but increasing it over that point usually delivers ever decreasing performance gains.

Point well taken. I over stated a bit. Though I am not totally convinced that you can have to much memor. But that is for another thread. I believe Win 95/98 and possibly ME will only recognize up to 512 though. In such a case the only option in an overloaded system is to reboot. Back OT. I have never been convinced that memory managment programs do a thing. Loading something else on to something that already is overloaded or has a tendency to overload just never made any sense to me.

[JayOfTruth]

Increasing the amount of RAM in a system can deliver very noticeable performance gains, but increasing it over that point usually delivers ever decreasing performance gains.

I believe Win 95/98 and possibly ME will only recognize up to 512 though.

Is it only the operating system that matters when it comes to adding memory?

I have windows XP home ed. 2.4 GHz pentium 4 processor, 512MB DDR SDRAM mem, and 64MB DDR SDRAM graphics card (all stock).

Would this setup recognize a 1Gig instead of 512MB?
Also:

I decided to continue a hardware discussion on another thread.
please see this link: http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=141528