[log in to unmask] wrote:

> I can't determine where 24mg of RAM is being used.

Eddie Apostol wrote:

> I have 64 MB of RAM and my system says that 61 MB are used!!! Just
> what the heck is going on, eh?

  Let's divide the system RAM into four categories:

1.  RAM in use by core OS components.

2.  RAM in use by applications.

3.  RAM being used as disk cache (VCACHE, replacing the old
SMARTDRV).  By default, this will be practically all RAM that isn't
in categories 1 or 2.

4.  RAM, if any is left,  that is in none of the above categories.
If you set a maximum size for VCACHE, you may be able to have a fair
bit of memory in this category.

  I believe the "RAM in use" measurement you're seeing is the total
of the first THREE categories.  A more useful metric would be the sum
of the first TWO; it would also more closely resemble the RAM use
metrics that were available under 3.x.  [Under 3.x, SMARTDRV was
outside of Windows, and I think MS just overlooked that in replacing
it with VCACHE.]


  When the OS or application needs more RAM, it will get it first
from category 4 and second from category 3.  If it needs to steal
from category 2, it will try first to discard code memory since that
can be reloaded from the application .EXE/.DLL file, and finally data
memory which it will save to the swap file.

  You can use the VCACHE settings in WIN.INI to set the maximum and
minimum sizes for category 3.


  Comparing Win 3.x and Win 95 memory use metrics is comparing apples
and oranges.  Although many Win32 applications are a bit heftier than
their 16-bit versions (and some are a lot!), Win95 itself is not the
bloated porker [I have run it in 4MB, but it's more usable in 8MB]
that misunderstandings like this might lead you to believe.

David G


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