The stability and productivity of a personal computer depends on its configuration. RAM plays an important role in this. She, no less, determines the performance of a computer, acting as a kind of intermediary between the central processor and a hard drive or other storage medium. Let's figure out how to properly clean the RAM or physical memory on a Windows PC.
Types of computer memory
Computer memory is a system that includes various special storage devices that interact both with each other and with the central processor.
Physical Random Access Memory (RAM) is a volatile part of the system used to temporarily store program code read from the media and any other input or output data that is then processed by the processor. Its functions are implemented using a random access memory (RAM) in the form of a technical strip with microcircuits inserted into special paired sockets on motherboard. Information stored in RAM modules is lost when the computer is turned off. Therefore, this type of memory is called operational. Its volume today is calculated in gigabytes. Usually these are slats from 2 GB and above. It is impossible to operate a computer running Windows 7 without installed RAM modules included in a common logical chain.
Installing RAM sticks in the slots intended for it
When there is a shortage of RAM, virtual memory is used, which allows you to automatically redistribute the load by moving parts of running applications to the area on the hard disk allocated for this purpose. Physical read-only memory (ROM) is used for long-term storage of information that is retained even when the computer's power is turned off. The entire array of information is located on a hard disk with Windows 7 installed. Also, data can be stored on any other media (flash drives, DVDs).
There is also video memory built directly into the video card. With its help, an image is formed on the monitor screen.
Physical Memory (RAM) Usage Check
Increased load on RAM can slow down your computer and in some cases even freeze your computer. When instability occurs, you need to figure out which running processes are using resources. Use the standard Ctrl+Shift+Esc combination to open the Task Manager. In the window opened through the "Processes" menu item, you can see how and to what extent the RAM is consumed. And its total consumption as a percentage is reflected on the right at the very bottom of the open window.
RAM consumption by worker processes in Windows 7
The "Performance" tab shows the allocated RAM (in appropriate units) for running threads and processes, the amount of available, cached, free memory, a chronological graph of its use, and kernel data.
The "Performance" tab displays detailed information about the distribution of RAM
RAM cleaning technique
Reducing the amount of RAM consumed in all cases of increased load that slows down Windows 7 is an effective way to troubleshoot problems that arise. To do this, you should perform a series of actions to clean up RAM and optimize its performance.
Closing unused programs
All open applications can be identified by the icons located at the very bottom of the "Desktop". They are also shown in the "Task Manager" on the "Applications" tab. To close currently unused software process you need to remove the task by first marking the application with the mouse. This method is especially relevant when some programs freeze, for example, such as Word or Excel. But closing applications like this is an emergency and should only be used in extreme cases.
Disable hung or unused apps to free up RAM
Stop background processes
Closing many programs does not always lead to their complete stop. Many background processes are still running. This is especially true for torrents and similar similar software. Often, such applications deliberately leave running processes in the RAM even after the program is closed. You can stop them on the "Processes" tab in the "Task Manager". And on the "Services" tab, there is an opportunity to stop the default services that are not used by the system, but consume resources. This will deactivate the background processes associated with them.
Please note that after restarting the system, all changes will be lost. To prevent this from happening, you should disable unused services on the corresponding tab in the "Administration" section, opened through the control panel. Select the startup type "Disabled" via the context menu.
Service start mode selection
Table: services allowed to be disabled
It is also possible to stop and then disable the service through the command line. To open it, enter the keyboard shortcut Win + R and run the cmd command. Next, on the command line, write and execute net stop<имя запускаемой службы>or sc stop<имя запускаемой службы>and then sc config<Имя выбранной службы>start=disabled.
Stop Windows 7 Services via Command Prompt
Optimization of the startup mode of applications
The configuration of Windows 7 has a useful feature that allows you to load programs in automatic mode along with system startup. Many applications are initially configured to use autoload. But this is not always necessary, because every program launched in this way takes up some of the RAM resources. Enter the Win + R combination from the keyboard and run the msconfig command. In the window that opens, on the "Startup" tab, uncheck those applications that do not need to be launched automatically and save the settings.
Disabling automatic loading of unused programs
When should Windows Explorer be restarted?
Some of the unnecessary processes that accumulate in RAM while the system is running can be removed by restarting Windows Explorer. Go to the "Task Manager" on the "Processes" tab, mark the running explorer.exe with the mouse and end the process by clicking the appropriate button.
Terminating the explorer.exe process stopping Windows Explorer
Now on the Applications tab, restart Windows Explorer by adding a new explorer.exe task.
Create a new task to launch Windows Explorer
You can, of course, restart Windows 7. In this case, Windows Explorer will also automatically restart.
Making changes through the registry editor
You can disable autorun of unused applications and thereby clear RAM using the registry editor. Delete unnecessary software shortcuts in the Run and RunOnce subsections of the HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE branches, respectively. To open the registry editor, type Win + R on the keyboard, then run the regedit command.
Removing shortcuts for unused programs from the startup list
Checking the system for viruses
Malicious code can load the RAM very heavily. Checking Windows 7 for viruses and their timely removal stabilizes the computer. To find and remove malicious code, you can use free utilities:
To start an anti-virus scan, click the "Start scan" button
The utility will quickly find and remove viruses from your personal computer
Start an antivirus scan by clicking the start scan button
How to clean up a hard drive
To free up RAM, you can use the standard set of utilities available in Windows 7 that allow you to delete unused software and files, offline pages, and completely empty the Recycle Bin.
Select the hard disk partition through the Disk Cleanup menu item by opening Start \ Accessories \ System Tools in sequence, check the boxes for everything that needs to be deleted and click the OK button.
Selecting files to be deleted when cleaning the hard drive
In the same way, you can clean up any partition of the hard disk through its properties (the desired window opens through the context menu) by selecting the appropriate item.
Launching hard disk cleanup through the built-in menu item
Video: the main reasons for the workload of the RAM
How to clean RAM using special programs
For high-quality cleaning of RAM, various third-party software is used.
Here are some of these utilities:
Check the checkboxes for the required items and run the application for execution
To start, just click the "Optimize" button and the program will do everything by itself
Select the items you need and start cleaning the RAM
Just run the utility and it will automatically clear the RAM at set intervals
The process of clearing RAM is carried out automatically
When the maximum load threshold is reached, you should reset the current processes and clear the system cache
Run the application and check the boxes for the settings you want. If necessary, perform manual RAM optimization
How to unload: methods of prevention
Follow simple rules:
Clearing virtual memory on a computer or laptop
The functioning of virtual memory is provided by the pagefile.sys file, called the paging file. It is usually located on the Windows 7 system logical drive. To free up virtual memory, pagefile.sys must first be deleted and then re-created.
RAM is the most important component of any computer or laptop. To a greater extent, it determines the speed of the device and, accordingly, the more RAM is installed on the computer, the better and easier it will work. You can improve computer performance by increasing the physical amount of memory, but in Windows 7 the same result can be achieved in several other ways, for example, by cleaning it.
What is RAM, physical and video memory
All operations with information are carried out by the central processor of the computer, and it does this only with the information contained in the random access memory. loads of loads here various information, including intermediate results of various calculations and current data. Literally all the operations that a computer performs involve accessing RAM and its subsequent use. Thus, we can draw a simple conclusion - everything that you do on a computer, one way or another, can consume RAM resources. Thanks to this, it becomes clear why computers with a small amount of RAM perform much worse than other devices with more resources.
In addition to random access memory, there are several more types of memory, these are physical and video memory.
If you look at the system indicators, which display the amount of RAM, you will probably be surprised, because it will indicate a slightly smaller amount than you set. A certain amount of RAM is automatically reserved by the system for the functioning of the central processor. As a rule, this volume is not very large, but it is mandatory for the operation of the “brain” of a personal computer. This part is called the physical memory of the device.
Each video adapter has its own memory. In fact, this is the same RAM, only installed on a separate computer component, which performs the function of transferring an image to a monitor. Unlike traditional RAM sticks, each of which the PC owner can independently replace (add, remove some or replace them), video memory is non-removable. As a result, you can increase the amount of such memory only by replacing the old video adapter with a new one or by purchasing an additional video card.
How to see what the RAM is doing
The Windows 7 operating system can show the user information about what the computer's RAM is currently using. All this can be viewed independently, without additional tools, using the system, built-in capabilities. The Task Manager will help users with this. It can be opened in two ways: Press the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Del on the keyboard and select the “Task Manager” application in the menu that appears. Right-click on the "Taskbar" and select "Task Manager" from there.
By default, the program automatically opens the "Performance" tab for the user. Here you can look at the CPU load at the current moment in time, how much it is being used by running programs, and also look at the history of physical memory usage. In some cases this may be necessary. However, this is only a graph of the loading of individual elements of the system, and a more accurate and detailed information users can find in the "Processes" tab.
The "Processes" indicates all the information about running applications on the computer, including even those processes that appeared as a result of failures. In the leftmost column, you can see the name of the process, in the penultimate column, the amount of RAM occupied by one or another process, and in the rightmost - detailed description. In this way, you can look at the table and sort all the processes, for example, by the amount of resources consumed and terminate them if necessary.
How to free up computer memory
RAM is often a scarce resource for many applications. Some of them the user launches quite consciously, while others begin to work at the “will” of the system or because of autoload. Do not forget that there are such applications that deliberately harm the device, can consume a significant part of system resources - malicious software. Be that as it may, they all consume RAM, so the user needs to regularly clean up the RAM.
Close unnecessary programs and applications
The easiest way to clear RAM is to disable various programs and applications.
In this way, some of the physical memory can be freed. All active programs and applications are displayed by the Windows 7 operating system as special icons located at the bottom of the screen, on the Taskbar. Thanks to the new Aero interface, which appeared in Windows Vista, the user can easily view the working view of windows. Thus, you can understand in which windows there is important, unsaved information. All those applications that you do not need now can be disabled and increased performance, free up computer memory, and for this, just click on the cross located at the top of the active window.
Separately, mention should be made of the work of web browsers. The fact is that each new tab that you open in the browser represents a separate process for the system. Thus, if the number of such tabs is large, and the amount of RAM, on the contrary, is small, then the performance of your computer will deteriorate significantly. If you do not need a browser at all now, then close it completely. If you only need some separate tabs, then leave them, and remove the rest. For example, it often happens that users enter a query into a search engine and leave this tab open. It will also use system resources, so make sure that all those tabs that you do not need are disabled.
If necessary, users can use the "Task Manager" to disable active applications. This will require:
All active tasks will be displayed here, including those that cannot be closed by simply clicking on the "cross" in the upper right corner of the window (hung applications). Try to use this method only when some programs on your computer freeze and do not respond to actions.
Remember that it is better not to abuse this method of disabling applications. In this case, this is an emergency shutdown of the program and, of course, some data may not be saved. In addition, this method of disabling may cause problems when you launch the application later.
Closing background processes and services
Some types of programs and applications run in the so-called background and consume RAM. As a rule, they do not have an active window. Their entire interface is either minimized to tray, or not noticeable at all. However, this does not mean that they do not consume system resources. Often, it is they who cause a decrease in the speed of a personal computer, a deterioration in its performance. Therefore, it is recommended to check all processes at least occasionally. For this you should:
All active processes will be displayed here. Be careful - do not disable system processes, as this can lead to problems in the computer. If you have no idea what exactly can be disabled and what is not, then take a look at the name of the process itself. As a rule, it is identical to the name of the application or very similar to it. You will see familiar, unnecessary processes, then feel free to disable them.
PC users rarely pay attention to running services. They, along with other applications and processes, consume resources, namely, they occupy the physical memory of the computer. Some of the services are system services, disabling which can lead to problems, but there are also those that can be disabled without problems. You can view a list of all services running on a computer as follows:
As soon as you click on "Services", a special window will open, which will display complete information about a particular service on your computer. Without a doubt, you can disable the following types of services: "IP Helper Service", as it is simply useless on a home computer and has no practical value. "Secondary login" - it is desirable to disable for security reasons. The "Changed Link Tracking Client" is a service that the average user will not need at all. "SSDP discovery" - must be enabled only if you have devices connected to the computer via the SSDP protocol. "Windows Search (Windows Search)" - the service is necessary only if you are too actively using the search on the computer. "Fax" - the service can be left active only if you use the computer as a fax.
Cleaning startup options
Autoload is performed immediately after starting the graphical shell. In this case, all programs, applications included in the startup list will be loaded into the computer's RAM according to the list. Usually, various anti-virus applications are prescribed here that ensure the safety of the user while working on the network, mail applications (messengers), browsers, as well as malware, provided that they are on the computer and have not been recognized by any anti-virus software. If the user does not regularly check the "Startup" settings, then over time a lot of unnecessary applications may accumulate there, which will partially consume RAM resources.
Most effective method autostart cleaning is to change the system configuration. To run it you should:
All programs and applications that start automatically with your operating system will be displayed here. You can disable all unfamiliar names without any problems.
Please note that "Startup" may contain system utilities, the disabling of which can lead to failures while the computer is running. Therefore, be careful.
Restart Windows Explorer
You can free up a small amount of RAM if you restart the Windows Explorer process. It is nothing more than a user interface (start menu, windows, etc.). First you have to disable it, and then re-register it in a special line and run it. Thus, you will free up some of the RAM. To do this, you will need to do the following:
After that, the entire interface should disappear operating system but don't worry - everything is going as it should. The next step is to restart the process:
All icons, the interface will immediately return to their place, and at the same time some of the RAM on your computer will be freed.
regedit Command
You can free up a small amount of memory using the regedit command - cleaning the system registry. This will require:
A special registry editor window will appear, where you have to navigate through it to find:
All of these directories contain shortcuts to software that starts automatically, without user intervention. They are located in the section on the right.
Be careful, as changing data in the registry requires a certain skill and caution. Removing important system components can cause your computer to malfunction.
Malware removal
A little higher it was already said that some varieties malware can only consume system resources. Other, less dangerous ones simply use RAM for their work. In any case, it is necessary to deal with these misfortunes in order to return the computer to its previous state. You can detect and remove malicious software using antiviruses. Fortunately, today developers provide free versions with limited functionality, but even so they are fully capable of protecting your computer from outside threats. To scan and remove viruses, it is enough:
Computer hard drive cleaning
The hard drive of a computer often has a hard time. It can store a huge amount of data, including those that are not used by any program or application. All this over time can lead to a deterioration in the performance of the computer. In addition, it is on the hard disk that a certain amount is blocked in advance for storing the paging file, which is otherwise called virtual memory. The system resorts to using it if the RAM resources are already insufficient. Then the information is written to virtual memory and subsequently everything you need is taken from there, but for efficient operation it is necessary that the hard disk has enough free space. That is why experts recommend regularly deleting unused programs, emptying the recycle bin and getting rid of obsolete files. In addition, it is recommended to defragment the hard drive. It will arrange all the necessary files and folders into specific sections on the hard disk, which will allow the system to find them much faster and easier in the future, without loading RAM or virtual memory. You can do this in the following way:
Video: how to offload RAM
Special programs for cleaning RAM
If for some reason you are worried that you can harm your computer, for example, delete some necessary files or close system processes, then you can use the software. It has all the necessary functionality for clearing and unloading RAM.
Advanced System Care
This application is a whole set of settings for working with the operating system. With its help, users can clear the computer's RAM from unnecessary data. Developers supply this program in two variations - paid and free. In the first case, the functionality will be somewhat richer, but in the second, you will get the same ability to offload RAM, and for free. It should be noted that in free version there are not the most pleasant "surprises" in the form of additionally installed programs. Therefore, during installation, you should specify "Custom installation" and remove all unnecessary so as not to clog your computer even more. If you are an inexperienced user, you can change the interface to "Simplified". In the "Expert" mode, you can specify all the data that will be subjected to a thorough check. Change the settings as you wish and click on the "Check" button. After this procedure is completed, click "Fix" and you will get the result you wanted.
It should be noted that in whatever mode you run the check, the extra information from the RAM will still be deleted by the program and you will free up a significant part of the RAM.
Wise Memory Optimizer
Wise Memory Optimizer is no longer such a professional program, but still allows you to perform all the necessary manipulations on RAM. It is free and has Russian localization, so anyone can easily download and install it on their personal computer. You do not need any special knowledge and skills to work with this utility. You can download a portable version of the program that does not require installation, but performs all the same functions. To clean and unload RAM, just run the application and click on the "Optimize" button. After completing the procedure, it is advisable to restart the personal computer, and you will immediately notice how much faster and better it began to work.
nCleaner
This free app, along with others, allows the PC owner to optimize their own device, and not only by freeing up RAM. It can delete temporary and unnecessary files that are not used by any applications, delete data from the registry and clean up information in RAM. To clear the RAM, just select the “Find Junk” item, click on the “Analyze” button and wait for the procedure to end.
CleanMem
This is one of the simplest utilities that allows you to clean up RAM. It does not have any third-party functions, so it takes up minimal space on your hard drive. In the application settings, the user can change the display of processes, the program icon in the tray, and change other minor parameters. Perhaps the most important feature program can be called something that it will work automatically. You do not have to regularly run a RAM check with your own hands. It will infiltrate RAM every thirty minutes, search for hidden and reserved data and unload them, and all this will happen automatically after installation.
VC RamCleaner
VC RamCleaner is an analogue of the previous utility. This is also a small and simple application used purely for clearing and unloading RAM. After running the utility, you will receive information about the maximum amount of RAM on the computer and currently used. Click on the Clean System Memory button, and you will immediately, after the end of the cleaning procedure, get the desired result. You can perform the procedure yourself or specify an acceptable time interval in the settings, after which the program will automatically re-analyze the system.
memory cleaner
The program, like the others, has a simple interface, does not take up too much space on the hard drive and allows you to offload RAM. After starting, you just need to click on the Start button, the verification and cleaning procedure will start. The results and history of checks can be viewed in the corresponding tab. The utility shows up-to-date information on the amount of RAM, the amount used and cleared.
RAM Memory Cleaner and Optimizer
The same easy-to-use, small program that will suit every user. After installation and launch, a window will appear that displays up-to-date information on consumed system resources at the current time. Despite the apparent simplicity of the utility, it allows you to free up not only RAM, but also the CPU. To do this, just click on the Start Optimizer button. You can minimize the application to tray and not end the process, then the utility will systematically be introduced into the device's RAM and regularly free it from unnecessary information.
How not to clog your computer's RAM
In order not to litter the computer's RAM, it is enough to regularly monitor what programs you have open. If you do not need some running application now, feel free to close it. Do not forget that each web browser tab also consumes RAM, so while browsing the web, try to remove those sites that you no longer need. Often, users forget to restart their computer, and such a simple procedure greatly contributes to offloading RAM. The last thing to mention in this case is to use an antivirus to prevent malware from getting into your computer. Many viruses and worms consume a lot of RAM, which will adversely affect the performance of the PC.
Video memory, due to its specificity, does not need any specialized cleaning. The user will only need to restart the computer or reinstall the drivers for the graphics adapter.
How to clean virtual memory
Virtual memory is just as important as RAM. The device usually resorts to using it if the RAM resources are already insufficient. Therefore, users are advised to clean it regularly. There are two ways to do this: using the "Control Panel" or the "Group Policy Editor".
In the first case, you will need:
This will display up-to-date information about the computer's virtual data. Change the paging file parameters using the "Set" button and specify the optimal value.
Remember that it should be no more than 50% of the amount of RAM.
In the second case:
- Press the key combination Win + R on the keyboard;
- In the displayed line, enter the name of the application gpedit.msc;
- Go to the "Computer Configuration" tab;
- Open "Windows Configuration" and select "Security Options" on the right;
- In the "Local Policies" folder, go to the "Security Settings" directory;
- In the list, you need to find the option "Shutdown: clear the virtual memory paging file" and run the parameters;
- The last step is to change the switch to the "On" position and confirm the changes.
Video: how to work with virtual memory
Manually or with the help of additional utilities, each user can free up a significant part of the RAM and increase the speed of their own computer, optimize it and continue to work without failures and freezes. Regular cleaning and unloading of RAM will bring excellent results.
Over time, users notice that their computer starts to function more slowly. And when freezes appear, you can forget about comfortable work. If after starting the Task Manager you see a completely loaded RAM, this article will help you fix the problem. Therefore, we will consider how to clear the RAM of a Windows 10 computer.
How to clear RAM
There are many ways to unload a computer's RAM. Consider all possible methods from easy and less effective to complex and more effective.
Manual cleaning
The most popular way. Do the following:
If some processes are not terminated, suspicion falls on viruses that have flooded HDD computer. To scan the device, it is recommended to perform a system scan using AdwCleaner and Dr.Web CureIt! .
But non-closing processes are not just viruses. They are also standard services and other related software. To completely disable them, you need to exclude the corresponding fields from autoload. This requires:
Program for cleaning RAM
If there is no desire or it is scary to clean it yourself, you can use special utilities.
KCleaner
KCleaner is one of the most powerful RAM cleaners. The program effectively cleans up RAM, while not disabling important services and processes for the system.
To run the optimization you need:
Additional features are also available in the program. For example, clean and restart. 
Mz RAM Booster
A more eminent representative who also does his job well. Moreover, the application allows you to optimize the functioning of the PC and speed up the processor (through overclocking). The program has an intuitive interface and launching the "accelerator" is not difficult: you just need to download the software, run it and click on the appropriate button (as of November 20, 2017, the developer's website stopped working). 
Using a script
The most creative way, which is practically not inferior in efficiency to all of the above. You need to write a script yourself that will perform this difficult task. Interesting, right? For this you need:
Now you know how to clear the RAM of a Windows 10 computer. If the article helped, share it with your friends and acquaintances. Let them appreciate the benefits of using a PC with offloaded hardware.
This time we bring to your attention the topic of how to clear the RAM of a computer with Windows 10. In this case, we will consider several ways to safely free up RAM and increase system performance.
Ways to free up RAM on Windows 10
When a computer is low on RAM, it starts to slow down and running applications slow response to user actions. In this case, working on a PC becomes extremely uncomfortable. Of course, you can purchase another stick of RAM (if there is a free slot on the motherboard) and speed up the system a little. However, what to do if this is not possible? How to free up RAM on a Windows 10 computer?
Method number 1. Using a custom script
To free up RAM on a Windows 10 computer, use the following script:
- Right-click on the desktop and select New.
- Next, select "Text Document" and give it any name. Open the document with Notepad and paste the following lines: FreeMem = Space(3200000), where 3200000 is 32 MB (you can safely delete 32 MB without harming the system).
- Next, save the document and choose Rename. Change the extension from .txt to .vbs.
- I run the file on my PC and expect the result. Checking the speed of the system. This file can be reused once the system starts to slow down.
Method number 2. Closing unnecessary programs
Memory on the computer is consumed by various applications. Some of them are added to the system startup during installation and work without the user's knowledge. If you do not use any programs, then you should disable them in advance. To do this, do the following:
- Right-click on the Start icon and select Task Manager.
- A new window will open. Go to the "Processes" tab and end everything related to unused programs (use the right mouse button).
We check whether this “cleaning” has given results.
IMPORTANT! If you have unused programs displayed in the "Background Processes" section, then remove them there.
Method number 3. Startup cleaning
Another way to clean up RAM is to remove programs that you rarely use from startup. To do this, you can go to the startup folder C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\StartMenu\Programs\Startup and delete shortcuts for unused applications. Or press "Win + R" and enter "msconfig".
After excluding programs from startup, Windows 10 will start faster.
Method number 4. Restart Windows Explorer
To make the system work faster, you can try restarting Windows Explorer. To do this, do the following:
- Launch the "Task Manager" and go to the "Details" tab. Here we find "explorer".
- After the task is completed, you need to go back to the "Task Manager" and click "File", "Run a new task".
- The Run command window will appear. Enter "exe".
- After restarting the Explorer, the amount of RAM will increase. However, do not expect "cosmic" growth.
There is another way to restart Explorer. Create a text document on the desktop, open it with Notepad and type "taskkill /f /im explorer.exe, start explorer.exe". After saving the file with the .bat extension, you can restart explorer.
Method number 5. Customizing the Aero Graphic Theme
This theme has several display modes. You can turn off the best performance or turn off any effects altogether. To do this, we recommend that you read the topic How to improve desktop performance for Windows Aero. Only by disabling effects that consume RAM can you speed up your PC.
Method number 6. Programmatic way
A RAM cleaner program can also help fix the problem. Among the many software we recommend using Wise Memory Optimizer.
In the program, you need to mark the objects for cleaning, set the size of the RAM and click "Optimize".
It is important to note that you need to both clear the program cache and start cleaning the system of garbage. Sufficient hard disk space and an optimal amount of RAM will ensure maximum system performance.
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