There are a plethora of reasons behind the slow performance of any computer. However, among all reasons, one of the most common is the RAM of the computer.
Often you face various issues regarding the random access memory; however, it is hard to identify the particular reason even after knowing the matter of deterioration of performance.
Basics of the RAM?
Before plunging into the main topic of today’s article, you need to clear some basics of random access memory. The RAM is actually an abbreviation of Random Access Memory, and the name says it all. This memory actually contains all the data for a temporary extent and helps other processing units of the computer.
RAM does not contain any information permanently, it is a volatile memory, and it is just like a container of those processes, which are ready to be processed. Therefore, there is no process of storing your data in RAM; whenever the computer is turned off, the RAM flushes out every data it contains.
Because of RAM, the actual processing does not suffer, which results in a lesser deadlock condition at runtime. Thereby more RAM in your machine means faster processing. However, the intelligence of modern technology uses the Page File of your ROM or permanent storage memory as a substitute for random access memory.
However, the difference in the performance level is strongly visible, and you could feel the change whenever Windows starts this process.
Most Effective Ways to Enhance RAM: 8 Methods
Take a look at the processes of reducing the consumption of RAM whenever you face any slowdown at runtime. You do not have to apply any of these processes on a regular basis; however, all of them are quite useful to enhance the ease of processing by optimizing the RAM utilization by your system.
1. Start with a Simple Restart
Though restarting the CPU might sound like a cliché, it sometimes works like a magic. A complete restart of the system allows the RAM to flush out each of its running processes without any operational intervention. Thereby the random access memory of the computer gets an opportunity to get a refreshed space to further assist the processing of the system.
However, this process does not help to enhance the memory or performance of the RAM in any way. It is suggested to restart your computer after a complete session of work so that the RAM could use its optimum capacity of holding information.
2. Observe the Real-time RAM Usage and Performance
If your computer goes bogged down often with a moderate amount of processing and you are doubtful about the amount of consumption of the RAM of your computer, then this tip might help you in this concern.
The Windows has provided an inbuilt program to monitor the RAM’s performance and consumption in detail. To find it, you just need to open the Task Manager from the Start menu, or you can simply press the short key Ctrl+Shift+Esc from your keyboard to get the task manager.
Here you have to click on the More Details option to expand the header menu; hence, you need to click on the Process tab. Here you can click on the Memory header to observe the amount of memory used by various applications of your computer. Further, you can arrange the list as per the consumption of RAM by different programs.
If you require more statistics about the usage of RAM, then you can move to the Memory segment of the Task Manager by clicking on the Performance tab.
However, if you understand the hardware of your computer well, then you can click on the Open Resource Monitor option located at the bottom of the window to observe further information. This chart will help you to see all the minute information regarding the RAM usage and performance.
3. Disable or Remove some Software
After detailed monitoring through the Task manager of the RAM’s activity, you know which application uses how much of the RAM. If you find any application is unnecessarily occupying the RAM, then you could simply terminate the application using the Task Manager.
However, sometimes you see some of the applications you rarely use, or even you do not use at all are occupying a good amount of RAM, you can simply uninstall them from your computer using the Uninstaller tool of the Windows. To do so, you have to go to the Settings of your windows, and there you can find the Apps section. Now from the list of installed applications, you can simply uninstall any of your desired applications.
Sometimes some useless Apps needlessly appear at the start-up category of processes that could consume a huge amount of RAM throughout. You can simply terminate those applications from your Start-up Programmes list to save a great amount of RAM for conducive usage.
4. Find Lightweight Apps as an Alternative
If you are a professional graphics worker or you have to use all the heavyweight applications for your job purpose, then you cannot escalate every RAM yearning applications from your system.
However, you can try to use some lightweight alternatives to those applications to reduce the amount of pressure. In addition, you can distribute the work pressure among different lightweight applications rather than using a heavyweight application for a specific work.
Although, if you are a pro and you have to use Photoshop, Premier Pro like applications for your profession, then avoid using other applications while using some RAM hungry App. You can also lessen the number of website tabs on your Chrome browser to reduce the unnecessary RAM usage in the background.
You can even bookmark any website for further use, even if you terminate some useful websites. Google Chrome, with multiple website tabs, could devour a huge amount of RAM for no productive reason.
5. A Routine Malware Check is Required
Many software does information filching from your computer continuously without any notice. Thereby you must percolate the system with a good malware checking software regularly to prevent those needless processes.
There are many-trusted software available on the internet like Norton, Malwarebytes, Windows Defender, etc. Possibly, you would not be able to catch spyware software after every scan though it is a best practice to prevent your system from any potential harm.
6. Adjust the amount of the virtual memory
I have already mentioned the Page File memory enhancing, and if you observe any notification from the system regarding the scarcity of the Virtual Memory, then you can upgrade it at any time. You just have to go to the Control Panel from the Start menu.
There you have to change the appearance of the icons to Small Icons from the top right ‘View By’ drop down to process further. Now you can see the ‘Advanced System Settings’ on the left side of the window.
From the Advanced section, you have to click on the settings option to locate the Performance window. Here you have to switch to the advanced likewise before and have to click on the Change button under the Virtual Memory option.
Here you can see the size of the allocated paging memory size for the system. The default settings recommend keeping this on your system intelligence, and you will see the option ‘Automatically manage paging file size for all drives’ checked. However, if you feel that your default allocation is not adequate to handle supporting random processing, then you can set custom values as per your requirement. You just have to insert the initial and maximum allocation of memory size for paging.
7. Ready Boost a Great Enhancement
Though the paging of files might help RAM to enhance the performance, this is not efficient in every circumstance. If your system contains an older storage drive, then paging would not help much in the enhancement of the performance of RAM.
In this case, you can use the feature called Ready Boost of Windows to provide additional random memory to the system. Ready boost requires a flash memory or an SD card to improve the RAM of your system.
However, this cool-sounding cutting edge technology has its own kind of disadvantages like you would not be able to install a flash drive as a ReadyBoost if your computer runs on an SSD. The virtual memory enhanced with this method performs limitedly.
Further, the windows do not recognize this memory as a dedicated Virtual Memory.
ReadyBoost is undoubtedly a relief for those who have an older system because, in modern-day computers, you have an overabundance of RAM to handle any moderate level of work.
8. The Most Effective Means
If your computer is undergoing a visible deficit of RAM and you have a strong desire to multitask like modern-day computers, then there is no way except upgrading the RAM of your computer. However, you can also add some extra RAM sticks if your motherboard possesses some extra RAM slots.
If you add RAM to the computer, then you will observe visible improvement in terms of processing though physical RAM modules are not something cheap. Some websites on the internet advertising some nonsense like downloading additional RAMs for your computer. Do not believe in them since without purchasing physical RAMs, there no other way of upgrading it virtually.
However, adding some additional RAM on your computer requires some additional memory slots, which might not be there if your computer is a laptop or an older one.
Further, you need to purchase RAM as per your motherboard’s compatibility and capacity of RAM. Your motherboard’s official website contains all the essential information, which you will need at the time of up-gradation.
In the worst-case scenario, you may have to change the motherboard to upgrade the RAM that will cost you a lot.
Do RAM cleaners Work Well?
There is a variety of software available on the internet offering various ways of enhancing your RAM through their software solutions. However, I suggest you dump their proposal even if it sounds cool.
Though they clean the RAM with a lesser intervention of users, they could harm your computer as well from various perspectives.
The memory management is a comprehensive section, and the core developers of Windows Corporation possibly have more expertise in this genre than any third party freelancer programmer.
RAM Is Just One Important Upgrade
I have already disclosed all the possible solutions to enhance the memory performance of the computer. Once you go through the entire article, you will get to know almost every detailed aspect of enhancing the RAM performance.
However, there is no other alternative to adding more physical RAMs to the motherboard if you want to upgrade the performance.
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