"your computer is low on memory, please close X program"

Ooh, someone got up grumpy. 

The facts of this issue have not changed between Windows Vista->7->8, specifically the x64 editions. 

Windows does not "want" to use more than 80% of available memory. There's one person who wants to argue this point for the sake of arguing. He doesn't even argue whether or not it's a major issue but if this happens at all. It's inane as anyone can see from their resource monitor how windows allocates memory and can observe the magic 80% number in action. 

If you have NO page file, then

Windows will issue low memory warning immediately upon reaching the 80% threshold. 

If you HAVE page file then

Windows will happily allocate SOME of that remaining 20% of RAM but will start to move it to page file immediately until you're back at max 80% allocated. 

It's stupid but there's nothing you can do about it as Microsoft does not want to cap the buffer/reserver amount in absolute megabytes for some reason. At 8GB machines that's 1.6GB memory doing nothing much, perhaps it'll finally be patched when 16GB becomes commonplace as 3.2GB is fairly obvious overhead. 

Workarounds: Get more RAM. More the better. Yes, you only get 4/5 of it actually used but RAM is cheap and do you think the amount used is being allocated efficiently? Use the page file. Yes it's annoying but it adds some flexibility to the system at least. For HDD pagefile should not exceed more than 3-4GB, your machine will be already rather sluggish at such amount. Allocating 1.5x RAM is old obsolete and completely wrong in 2014. If you have SDD you can have larger pagefile if you want but you'd better buy more RAM instead. 

Chrome leaks memory like crazy, deal with it. You can see the actual amount used by opening url about://memory (which goes to chrome://memory-redirect/). Using adblock makes the memory leak much worse but not using adblock makes life worse. If you want even more nitpicking detail you can check chrome://memory-internals/

There's also chrome task manager available from shift-esc

You can try "the great suspender" extension for chrome. At least for firefox similar extensions which (try to) unload tabs do not work as firefox does not actually release the memory when tab is suspended. But it's worth a shot..

Ah well ! All my theories have been proven incorrect.

I admit to only skimming a most of the post/rants, and it looks like I went into auto-pilot thinking

this was one of the more common Page File threads, as the OP title says "Please close Program X" , so I somehow missed the salient point about only being  able to use 80% (75%) of RAM.

OP also said -

"I am only using 3 out of the 4 GB I have. I refuse to use a page file...

I just crashed my VMware server"

I wonder why he said that.  I just looked at his spec and it says 16GB - oh well, there I go again

not reading carefully enough.

• I have been told that  VMware servers used a lot of memory and required a fair bit of

processing power, but don't have experience with VMware.

So then. All  'out of memory errors'  are a result of Windows not using more than 80% of RAM.

But with a Page File you are spared the error message when going over 80% RAM usage.

Nothing to do with software that us the Page File at all, yes ?

Which explains why with 8GB of RAM, and never having used more than about 52% of that,

I will never see this error if I were to disable the Page File, yes ?     

.

1. Its not Windows that thinks its out of memory. It's the software that uses the Page File. Since everyone still has software that still utilizes the page file then you are implying that EVERYONE should be getting 'Out of Memory' warnings and this should be normal. Do you realize that what you are saying thus far makes absolutely NO coherent or logical sense?

2. If you don't have a software that uses the Page File you won't get an out of memory error.

3. - Some programs that handle very large files such as video and photo editors have to allow for those who don't have massive amounts of RAM so these programs make use of the Page File. In this instance a program may show an out of memory error when it does not detect a Page File

Reply in numerical order:

1. Since everyone still has software that uses the Page File, then you are implying that EVERYONE should be getting 'Out of memory' warnings and that this should be normal. This makes NO coherent or logical sense.
2. Wrong you are. You obviously didn't read much of this thread or any of my recent post today where I pointed out that Windows programs themselves mistakenly believe that THEY are also running out of memory. Its not the software that utilizes the Page File. Its the Memory Controller module of Windows OS itself.
3. Now your trying to say that a person should only get an 'Out of memory' warning if they have their Page File disabled and are using a program that is looking for the Page File and con not find it?

This is also factually **UNTRUE.**This sounds like question that would come from a forum troll.

In this instance a program may show an out of memory error when it does not detect a Page File.

Regardless of how much RAM a machine may have older software and some new software is still

designed to use the Page File.  It's not Windows that thinks it is out of memory. It's the

software that uses the Page File. If you don't have a software that uses the Page File you won't get

an out of memory error.

• Some programs that handle very large files such as video and photo editors have to allow for those

who don't have massive amounts of RAM so these programs make use of the Page File.

In this instance a program may show an out of memory error when it does not detect a Page File.

• The 'Read Me' in some recent games suggests having a Page File for better performance. While

not having a Page File may not cause all such games to crash, it is difficult to know which will as it would

depend on that games coding.

• Windows uses the Page File to create Memory Dumps when there is a  BSOD .

It is also used by System Restore.

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