This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Info: This bug was fixed on August 12th 2014 with the release of the month's Patch Tuesday. Make sure to install every update available for your system, if you're having the problem described on this thread.
Hello, I've been facing a "tough" problem with my computer running Windows 8.1 x64. I did not upgrade from Windows 8, I did a clean install and for the past month, everytime I play some of the new 2013 games (Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Battlefield 4, CoD:Ghosts etc.), I'm constantly getting a "low memory" warning from time to time.
So, giving that my laptop is capable of running these games (Asus N56VZ - Intel Core i7, Intel HD 4000 + Nvidia GT650 M, 6GB DDR3, 750GB 7200rpm, Full-HD 15,6" screen), I began searching for an answer. Here's what I've concluded:
When the game (eg: Battlefield 4) opens, the memory consumption begins to rise, and rise, and rise, non stop, until the system doesn't have more memory available and triggers the low memory warning. However, in the exact moment that I "alt+tab" out of game OR the memory warning does it for me, all of the occupied memory is emptied instantly, like magic!
I was able to "understand" this using Process Explorer by MS (sysinternals), heres a screenshot that shows the "climbing" and the sudden drops:
I cant really discover where all this memory is being allocated/used, and I have no idea on whats causing this. I also don't know if this is Windows-related, device-related or driver-related.
Is anyone facing this as well?
[UPDATE DECEMBER 9th] This issue is triggered when the resolution in which the games are being played differs from the resolution configured on Windows.
If you are playing a game, say, in 1366x768, you need to change the system resolution to the same 1366x768 BEFORE opening the game. That will stop the excessive memory consumption and you'll be able to play the game fine.
My system is in Portuguese, but I think it's easy to get it:
This also concludes that the issue is Windows-related and not driver related, so we'll have to wait for Microsoft to patch it. Meanwhile, remember to change your resolution when you're going to play.
[UPDATE APRIL 26th 2014]
According to some Intel folks at communities.intel.com (http://is.gd/71Vha2), Microsoft has confirmed the issue with Windows 8.1 in an internal email. It resides - as it was explained - on the DWM (Desktop Window Manager) which triggers a memory leak when running fullscreen games with a resolution different than the desktop resolution.
The memory leak fills the system memory and page file with junk until there's no more memory available.
We assume Microsoft is already working on a fix for this, altough we never heard anything "official" from them regarding the issue.
[UPDATE AUGUST 14th 2014]
The problem has been finally fixed by Microsoft with the release of the August updates on Aug. 12th.
Make sure to install every single update available - including the optional ones - and you'll no longer receive low-memory warnings when running fullscreen games/apps with different resolution/refresh rate.
Also make sure you're using the latest drivers available for your Intel and/or Nvidia GPU (it might be important).
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I might be a bit cynical but I looked through all the support KB's from the updates today and couldn't find anything that related to fixing this issue (unless I'm missing something)...
Yesterday i have made the update and i found via the link also no description, but...
Yah!, after nearly 10 months, microsoft have now solved this bug.
With the latest patches (Patch Day 12.08.2014, also install the optional Updates),
all different resolutions and framerates works well.
Hi Guys!
I`m back from my trip and I promised I will write if anything happens during this period....and you know what happened??? NOTHING! Everything is the same! Good old microsoft :-)
But just to reply some of the comments. "Roll back to win8"....Guys, if I roll back to something, it would be Win7, not win8, I`m not stupid.
One of you wrote something like that: "Only integrated intel graphics users are affected and no one else, buy a dedicated graphic card..." Man, Ive got a notebook with DEDICATED graphic card, but Im (and other similar users) affected because even I have a DEDICATED nVidia card, when I link the notebook to the TV, the HDMI sign comes from Intel`s VGA because nVidia VGA and Intel VGA are "linked" in a way because of Optimus technology. So a lot of notebook users with DEDICATED graphic cards are even affected because of this fault.
Thirdly, lots of you are always arguing on "oooh, its microsofts fault because of increasing memory page file, ooooh its Intels fault because of the drivers ooooh".....I **** ON IT!!!!! I **** into the guiltys mouth!!! I dont care about this....Look, Im an end-user, who bought a notebook with an original Win8.1 and with all of the drivers installed on it....I expect that to functionate perfectly with applications which are designed for that machine....Besides, its not worth to argue on whos fault is that. Microsoft and Intel have been in very good partnership for years! They develop softwares and hardwares for each other! Even they go to fields to cull flowers together hand-in-hand. :-) Why dont they solve this problem in cooperation??? Wouldn`t it be faster, huh?
Oh, but I forget something...When I came home after my trip (few weeks ago) and I switched my notebook on, win8.1 asked me to restart my machine to install new updates. I did it, and it installed new updates and asked me to restart my notebook again. So I did it with great expectations and I was wondering PROBABLY Microsoft added a correction to solve this low memory problem during playing games. But as far as I mentioned in the beginning, due to this problem nothing changed....But by this update, Windows Marketplace has come to Windows Live on Win8.1! Wow, yeeaaaahhhhh you know guys I didn`t know what was missing in my life before! :-) This Marketplace, yesssssss, every fault, every problem, everything is solved by this Marketplace, this thing changed my Win8.1, my system, my life!!! :-) How happy I am that instead of solving e.g. low memory problem Microsoft put emphasize on this marketplace to Win8.1. Tell me the truth, who cares about low memory problem if you have tatttarattttaratttttaraaaaaa MAAAAAARKETPLAAAAAAAACEEEE! :-)
This bug is really annoying my page file has reached the size of 48 GB in some occasions forcing me to restart the computer. Please Microsoft fix this jungle of half-implemented features Windows 8 has come to be!!
@dana-
Your system has HD4000 graphics. My suggestion of using one of the windows 8.0 drivers will work for you. I suspect that you are not getting a good install of the driver or that you have your system set to auto update drivers which will simply load the newest driver over the top of the one that works.
You have to completely remove all of the HD4000 drivers until you get down to the Basic Graphics Driver. Then you install one of the drivers I mention ( 2875, 2884 or 3107).
I hope this helps.
Many thanks to those in this thread trying to sort this... Very glad I stumbled across this as I think it has sorted my issue with steam streaming - I stream from a 1080p machine to a 768p machine and was getting this with any game after about half an hour.
So now, I just set the 1080p machine to drop it's resolution before I start to game and it's looking good so far.
