Where is my RAM?

[geoffl]

Hi,
I just bought an acer notebook (for travelling) which has 1GB of RAM. Task manager tells me that total physical memory is 746, cashed is 210, available is 208 and free is 1. Does this mean I actually have 1MB of memory to use? What happened to the other 278MB?
Regards
Geoffl

[patio]

Task manager has never been good at reporting RAM...
You're RAM is where it is...

[geoffl]

Norton diagnostic report says my RAM is low
GeoffL

[quaxo]

Hi,
I just bought an acer notebook (for travelling) which has 1GB of RAM. Task manager tells me that total physical memory is 746, cashed is 210, available is 208 and free is 1. Does this mean I actually have 1MB of memory to use? What happened to the other 278MB?
Regards
Geoffl

Allocated for graphics. Unlike a normal graphics card with it's own memory like you'd find in a desktop, laptops share a portion of the system memory for graphics use.

[geoffl]

I only want to use this computer for emails and a bit of internet use while I am travelling. Do I need a lot of graphics? Is there any way I can get control of more RAM?

[jason2074]

Disregard the information reading from Task manager. If in any event you are experiencing any sluggishness from computer activities or multi-tasking, you should understand and compliment your current hardware specs. limitation.  By just Emails and browsing is enough for your current PC.

[DaveLembke]

Under advanced tab in graphics properties you should be able to adjust the ram allocated to the GPU, 64MB is probably fine unless you plan on watching movies through it. Its best to starve the GPU of ram and test the results and if the results are bad performance then add more to the shared memory count such 96MB or 128MB etc. By default the OEM probably set it to take 25% of your Ram as shared to keep the help desk complaints down for people using it to game and play movies.

[geoffl]

Sorry, I don't understand a lot about windows 7. Where do I find graphics properties?

[jason2074]

The memory allocation of GPU for onboard is bound by design, which is controlled by software and hardware. It does not require adjustment or being able to control by users as opposed to a dedicated or add-on graphics card on desktops. Any application needing more RAM and higher graphics will depend on the capability and limitation of your laptop. So any application that your computer can run base on hardware will not be compromised.

[Computer_Commando]

Why are you so concerned about RAM?
Is the computer not working properly?
I assume you probably have a netbook with Win7 Home Starter?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/system-requirements

[BC_Programmer]

Task manager tells me that total physical memory is 746

The built in graphics card is being allocated 128MB of Memory for it's use. This is a reasonable amount.

cashed is 210

This is the amount of otherwise free memory that windows is using for superfetch.

available is 208 and free is 1. Does this mean I actually have 1MB of memory to use?

Disregard the "free" value. it's generally meaningless, and only tells you how much memory you have entirely unused. Cached+free memory is the amount of available memory .Available memory is how much you have available.

[geoffl]

Hi,.
Sorry for not replying but I have been away. Thanks for your replies. Computer is running W7 starter and seems to take ages to do anything. I guess it's that  it only has 1 gig ram. I thoughrt that was a plenty. Nortons  keeps coming up with "high performance alert" and diagnostic report says"your system RAM is low". Should I unload some start programs to make it happier?
Regards
GeoffL

[Computer_Commando]

...Computer is running W7 starter and seems to take ages to do anything. I guess it's that  it only has 1 gig ram. I thoughrt that was a plenty. Nortons  keeps coming up with "high performance alert" and diagnostic report says"your system RAM is low". Should I unload some start programs to make it happier?...

Yes, Norton.

[geoffl]

Tried Kapersky, Trend and Mcaffee. All seem to work about the same on this machine. Is there something better?

[jason2074]

Computer is running W7 starter and seems to take ages to do anything.

What programs or software are you running when its getting slow? Specify some activities.