Windows 10 Using 98% to 100% of the Memory

[Ed French]

I upgraded to Windows 10 about a month ago, aside from the learning a new system issues I haven't had many problems. I first noticed issues with accessing my secondary drive (https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/windows-10-lagging-on-secondary-drive.4327/), then the programs started hanging up. Within the last week or so my computer's memory usage has been been at 98% and up. So much so that just switching from one program to another takes several seconds and opening a new program almost shuts down my computer.

Processor: Intel Core i5-3330 CPU @ 3.00 GHz 3.00 GHz
RAM: 8.00 GB (7.89 GB usable).
System type: 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor

 

[Gideon]

On my SSD I use Rapid mode but that will only work on the first SSD. You may want to get more memory.

 

[Ed French]

Thanks Gideon, but my laptop (which I upgraded to W10 before I did my desktop) has 4 Gig of RAM and runs at 25% to 50%.
Also, when I reboot everything is fine, and, strangely, as long as I'm actively using the computer the memory usage stays within 20% to 60% usage, usually around 48%. However, if I leave the computer alone for a while, usually between 30 minutes to an hour, the memory spikes to 98% usage or higher.

 

[Trouble]

Clean boot your computer according to the Windows 8 instructions here
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929135
See if that provides any relief from the problem.
IF so then you need to determine the offending culprit by slowly and deliberately reinstating the non-Microsoft services in small groups or what at a time restarting after each change then graduating to the Startup items again small groups or one at a time while testing to determine which one or ones is causing the issue.

 

[Ed French]

Thanks Trouble. But that just made things worse. Now i cannot access the internet, my audio is disabled, I cannot use the recovery to restore my system... I can't even access the "System Configuration" to try to reverse this. I have to hit the window button about 4 times before the "Start Menu" will stop flashing into random spots on my screen and settle down enough to use it.

After some trial and error I was able to finally access the "Services" to try to reverse some of this, but it is slow going and not helpful.

 

[clifford_cooley]

1. Call up Task Manager and look through the Processes tab.
2. Then sort the listing by memory largest to smallest.
3. This should give you an idea as to where your memory is being used up.
4. You can try killing the process that is using the most memory, worst thing to happen is your machine will reboot.
   
5. It may help us a bit if you could screen cap that for us to see.

 

[Trouble]

Thanks Trouble. But that just made things worse.

That is simply bullshit. Nothing involved in using Clean Boot properly as described in the article will make your computer worse or prevent you from going right back and undoing Clean Boot.
I do this stuff for a living. I have for nearly two and a half decades. Even in retirement I still do a dozen or so a month, thanks to a couple friends that own stores, bringing me their hard ones.
I use clean boot in every instance when I'm fixing a misbehaving computer (something other than a hardware issue) and it has never once in all those applications resulted in anything close to what you are describing.

If you failed to check the box that says "hide all Microsoft services", then you are likely going to have some problems if you disable all running services on your computer including those essential for Windows to run properly, but... who would do that?

Frankly I'm more than tired of people I am trying to help implying that I have made there situation worse. I would never do that. I may not be able to make it better but nothing I suggest will ever make it worse.

There is something else wrong with your computer. Maybe something physical

 

[Ed French]

I'm sorry Trouble. I didn't mean to offend or imply that you don't know what you are doing. I'm more than a little frustrated with my system at this point and chose to vent when I shouldn't have.

I'll give you better details when I'm home and can look at my computer.

 

[Ed French]

As to the Clean Boot, knowing how touchy computers can be I did follow the instructions. I read through them several times, I even looked up a Clean Boot in Windows 10 just to make sure I got this right.

I created a restore point.
I marked "hide all Microsoft Services"
I disabled all, and startup
Reboot.

Unfortunately it didn't solve the memory problem, and I currently can't post any screen shots as that computer currently doesn't have access to the internet.
At this point I cannot restore, each time I try I get: "Error: Volume shadow Copy Service used by system restore is not working (event log 0x81000202)" I looked that up: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...m/bdfcd750-46ae-491d-b216-be4cf9e8929b?auth=1 it kind of helped, I no longer get that error, but I still cant restore.
My search isn't even working to type in "msconfig", but I was able to find the "Services" by opening the Task Manager and going to "Open Services". I've tried to reactivate some of my services there, but it's slow going...

I'm not a new comer to computers either, I've been using them sense Windows was an environment. I can usually fix what's wrong without too much trouble, but I think I'm in over my head here.

 

[Trouble]

that computer currently doesn't have access to the internet.

If, when disabling non-Microsoft services, you disabled a service that your Wireless Network adapter relied on to work, that might explain why it won't access the internet.
That might be worth investigating, some do depend on third party driver / software packages that require a specific service be running. IF you have the option to connect through a wired Ethernet connection that might prove more reliable, as it is possible that the wireless adapter may be contributing to your problem(s).

My search isn't even working to type in "msconfig",

You might try simply holding down the Windows logo key and striking the "R" key and in the run dialog box typing msconfig and hitting enter or clicking OK.
Failing that, if you can launch Task Manager, either by using Ctrl + Alt + Delete or by right clicking a blank area of the Taskbar and choosing it from the context menu, you can use the file menu to "Run New Task" and typing msconfig there and hitting enter or clicking OK.

 

[Ed French]

You might try simply holding down the Windows logo key and striking the "R" key and in the run dialog box typing msconfig and hitting enter or clicking OK.
Failing that, if you can launch Task Manager, either by using Ctrl + Alt + Delete or by right clicking a blank area of the Taskbar and choosing it from the context menu, you can use the file menu to "Run New Task" and typing msconfig there and hitting enter or clicking OK.

Now that's the type of stuff I should know... I'm filing that away for future use, thanks!

If, when disabling non-Microsoft services, you disabled a service that your Wireless Network adapter relied on to work, that might explain why it won't access the internet.

That was the issue, with several other things, including the restore function. I don't know where I went wrong with the Clean Boot, but I went through service by service activating them until I was able to restore my computer to the pre-Clean Boot state.
I'm going to back-up everything, give it some time to see if the memory issues are still there. If they are I may consider a complete restore.

 

[Ed French]

The memory problem is now a moot point as the hard drive is no longer working and my computer has crashed entirely...

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Trouble]

the hard drive is no longer working and my computer has crashed entirely

Damn..... when it rains it pours.
Although that might certainly explain some of the bad behavior if the disk was failing it would certainly cause an issue with the pagefile / swapfile and if you couldn't swap anything out to disk it might explain the extraordinary consumption of your physical memory.

 

[Ed French]

Damn..... when it rains it pours.

Yeah, I saw it coming an backed up most of what I wanted before it shut down...

Although that might certainly explain some of the bad behavior if the disk was failing it would certainly cause an issue with the pagefile

I pulled the hard drives and slaved them onto a (shudder) Vista computer, both were accessible and had all their data, I backed it all up anyway.

There's something wrong with my computer, I just don't know what yet.

So.....
I guess this is a "solved" issue...
Sort of.