244 replies to this topic

[Andavari]

I just started using CleanMem yesterday and I must sum it up in one word: Impressive!

I was thinking about buying more RAM soon for the old XP desktop I'm using that only has 1GB of RAM, but I think I'll pass on that completely thanks to CleanMem - since this is a very old computer that I don't really want to put money into. To me CleanMem equals some money saved!

Finally there's something to properly deal with svchost.exe getting a much needed reduction in memory usage after Automatic Updates has ran. Also very good for keeping Explorer.exe from getting out of hand too.

I'll be putting this on my mothers old 'n' slow low spec laptop computer too when I get in the mood to update software on it.

[Willy2]

I installed CM on a Hewlett Packard laptop with Win 7 and 4 GB of RAM. Without CM memory usage can go up to about 40 to 45% (in rare occasions 50%) of installed RAM but with CM memory usage goes down to 20 - 30%.

@Andavari: can you give some stats on how memory usage has been curtailed ? (using the CM mini monitor). That would be interesting for ""Shane"". You can check what the memory usage is without CM active.
1. Open the CM settings wizard.
2. Disable "Clean  system file cache".
3. Choose "Only list" under "Operating mode" and don't add any process to that list.
Then you'll get a true reading on how much memory is used under normal circumstances. Then you can compare that with the situation that  CM cleans everything.

[smc1979]

Quote

That would be interesting for ""Shane"". You can check what the memory usage is without CM active.

I like how my name is in double quotes lol

Shane

[Nergal]

smc1979, on 20 June 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

I like how my name is in double quotes lol

Shane

Make's you fancier IMHO

[Winapp2.ini]

As long as its not triple quotes, or Python will be unhappy

[Andavari]

Willy2, on 20 June 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:

@Andavari: can you give some stats on how memory usage has been curtailed ?

Info gathered via CleanMem Mini Monitor's built-in 'Memory Stats & Info' feature.

Before CleanMem = 335.68 MB
After CleanMem = 149.31 MB
Total Saved Memory = 186.37 MB

About 100 MB of memory usage was decreased initially, however what was much more interesting was watching it continue to decrease little by little. I had to wait about 5 minutes to see more precisely where it would finally stop giving me more available memory.

[Willy2]

Some parts of Windows (software) indeed seem to be very unwilling to release/free up memory. They only reluctantly give back memory. Outlook Express (OE) in XP, after one has compacted the folders, is such an example. Had to press the CM cleaning hot key more than once to persuade OE to release more memory. Very annoying when it occupied 90% of the memory (512 Mb) of my old computer. It seems that Win 7 programs, in this regard, behave much better.

[Andavari]

I forgot to list my install amount of RAM, so here's much more detailed info including percentages.

Installed Memory:
1 GB (1024 MB)

Before CleanMem:
335.68 MB (32.78% Usage)

After CleanMem:
149.31 MB (14.58% Usage)

Total Saved Memory:
186.37 MB (18.20% Difference)

Willy2, on 23 June 2012 - 02:36 AM, said:

It seems that Win 7 programs, in this regard, behave much better.

I've looked at a bunch of LanGuy99's anti-malware reviews on YouTube and have seen the memory differences of some programs compared to his Win7 setup, in short WinXP isn't very optimized with how it allows programs to consume memory.

[Andavari]

Willy2, on 20 June 2012 - 08:50 AM, said:

2. Disable "Clean  system file cache".

I had to disable Clean System File Cache permanently because it was causing some lag opening folders such as waiting for them to be drawn on screen, etc. So I wonder if it's alright to just have CleanMem only clean the memory alone?

[Nergal]

been using for a year without file system cache cleaning, recently turned it on and have since turned it back off, you should be fine

[smc1979]

Should I have the file cache cleaning disabled by default?

Shane

[Andavari]

smc1979, on 24 June 2012 - 10:49 PM, said:

Should I have the file cache cleaning disabled by default?

I don't know Shane, however turning it off in my case stops the lag issues completely such as opening folders and programs - but this lag I experienced doesn't happen immediately though, it's only after my system has been on and used for a good amount of time.

Example:
After looking at a bunch of YouTube videos, playing music, running antivirus scan, etc., I notice the lag the most after my system has been running 2 to 3 hours.

Some more info for you:
Interestingly enough even when the system is in that lag state without having to reboot Windows but instead going straight into CleanMem Settings and disabling the System File Cache Cleaning the system almost immediately stops lagging.

[Willy2]

@Andavari: Seems CM needs some optimizing of the filecache cleaning procedure/program code as well. That could be an explanation why I, in about 70% of the cases, need to press the hotkey twice to force CM to do its job (Win 7 & XP).

On my XP machine I enabled the filecache option because my XP laptop has only 512 Mb. But on my win 7 laptop (with 4 Gb) I decided today to let CM only clean the file cache when it comes above 150 Mb, using the Advanced Monitor. That requires:
- Disable file cache cleaning.
- Use the Advanced Monitor to clean the file cache.

Since I use Ccleaner and Defraggler every day more than once, I have added both processes to the ""Ignore List"" of CM. I noticed that if those processes are curtailed in their memory usage, both programs need more time to perform their tasks.

[Nergal]

I apologize for the misinformation. It seems that I do still have file cache clean checked off but have unchecked the Advanced Monitor "Auto-Clean File Cache"

[smc1979]

Odd, I have the clean file cache option set on mine and never get the slow down.

Also clean mem only cleans the file cache when cleanmem runs, so disabling ti and immmeditaly seeing a differance shouldnt of happened. In the mini monitor it has a timer and cleans the file cache as well when it is enabled. This is seperate from cleanmem.

The main reason why I added the clear file cache was from my own system. When ever I did a backup my system slowed to a crawl. I checked the file cache and it was huge. When I cleared it everything increased in speed again. So I added that option to cleanmem. It is just flushing the file data from memory to the hard drive. (This is a good thing in case a power outage as well)

At the same time if you have a lot of file data that has to be reloaded I can see that causing a slow down as it has to read the data off the disk again.

Perhaps having it off by default is the best idea, and let the user decide to turn it back on.

This slow down I had was when I was on XP. Since Windows 7 things have really improved, perhaps there is no need to have it on by default.

Some side notes, my system is setup a little different.

I am on Win 7 64bit, 8gb of ram. Page file disabled and memory tweaks in the registry to tell windows to load more core files into memory instead of the page file.

My system runs very snappy compared to the when the page file is on and the meory tweaks are disabled. (The page file is dependent on the speed of the drive)

I think I will go ahead and updated the cleanmem setup with the clear file cache disabled.

Shane

[Willy2]

@Nergal: The Advanced Monitor settings work independently from settings that are changed using the CM settings wizard. Since cleaning the file cache seems (!!!!) to slow down Windows I decided to try if an other combo of settings would speed up CM and Windows. And I can do it because I now have 4 Gb of memory. Just a matter of trial and error.

[Nergal]

ja ja that's why I made my apologies lol

[Andavari]

smc1979, on 25 June 2012 - 03:37 PM, said:

In the mini monitor it has a timer and cleans the file cache as well when it is enabled. This is seperate from cleanmem.

To better clarify:
I've only used the Mini Monitor twice just to run those tests Willy requested. However the rest of the time I only have CleanMem do its work via Task Scheduler which is where/from that slow down came from. Hope that helps you a bit.

Edit (forgot something):
I have the pagefile enabled on my system using the default Windows settings of letting it manage it.

I don't have any registry "tweaks" for file cache/memory, etc.

[smc1979]

Andavari, on 25 June 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:

To better clarify:
I've only used the Mini Monitor twice just to run those tests Willy requested. However the rest of the time I only have CleanMem do its work via Task Scheduler which is where/from that slow down came from. Hope that helps you a bit.

That is what is odd. Cleanmem runs from the task scheduler than closes, it isnt running in the background. So disabling the file cache shouldnt have made any different for a little while since it is only ran when cleanmem runs.

None the less I am still going to disable it by default :-)

Listening to users is how you make a program better.

Shane

[DennisD]

Something more important Shane.

Is that you and your better half in your avatar? You look disgustingly happy.