Help understanding Windows Task Manager

[daniel_g]

Well, on Windows Task Manager, under the performance tab, there is this label that says Physical Memory, and under it, there's the following stuff:
Total 1021
Cached 457
Free 29

I think the 'total' part I can figure out myself, but what exactly is Cached, and Free?
I mean, is that cached memory part of the 1021 MB of RAM?

Also, I have another question, is there a tool that can monitor the usage of the GPU, and not just the temperature? Reason is I want to see if one of my game's performance is being limited by my RAM, or by the GPU..

[jonnybinthemix]

Hi Daniel,

In answer to your memory query, "Free" relates to a joint of ZeroPAge and Free Lists. This is memory that is absolutley free and not being used by anything.

The Cache list displays the amount of memory that is not only used for the system file cache, but also displays the standby list aswell. The standby list includes memory that is not currently in a valid set, but does contain code or data, and can be easily put back into a working set, or moved into the Free list if needed.

Hope that helps with the memory issue.

With regards to the GPU monitor, what vendor is your GFX Card, usually you can get some diag software from the vendor that will give you the information you require.

Hope that helps

Jon

[daniel_g]

Thanks a lot for the explanation about the memory, that really does help understand it better.

The vendor of my GPU is NVidia. I got nTune, but that tool only monitors the performance from the CPU, the Memoy usage, the Disk Activity, and the GPU Temperature - or at least that's what I have been able to figure out so far..

The reason I'm asking is because I'm seriously considering the possibility of an extra Gig of RAM on the system(It shows no free memory when playing my favorite game on mid settings, and get really poor fps, so that probably means I lose performance because it has to read stuff from the Hard Drive), but I don't want to spend any money if the GPU is really close to being the bottleneck, and will just stick to playing on low settings.

[brad211987]

What are your systems specs? Depending on what games you are playing, 2 GB of ram is usually a good idea by default.

[daniel_g]

2 GHz core 2 duo
256MB 8600M GT GDDR2
1 Gig RAM
Battlefield 2

As it is, BF2 is unplayable in mid settings(keeps jumping from 60 fps to 1 fps every 5 seconds), but runs great on low, even at max resolution(100fps).

With mid settings, Device Manager shows 0 free RAM, so I know for a fact RAM is limiting gameplay, and buying an extra Gig would help, but don't know to what extent.

I think the extra Gig would only be worth it if it will let me play the game at mid-high settings

[oracleguy]

2 GHz core 2 duo
256MB 8600M GT GDDR2
1 Gig RAM
Battlefield 2

As it is, BF2 is unplayable in mid settings(keeps jumping from 60 fps to 1 fps every 5 seconds), but runs great on low, even at max resolution(100fps).

With mid settings, Device Manager shows 0 free RAM, so I know for a fact RAM is limiting gameplay, and buying an extra Gig would help, but don't know to what extent.

I think the extra Gig would only be worth it if it will let me play the game at mid-high settings

If all your physical memory is being used up while playing it, then more memory would help a lot. Virtual memory is many magnitudes slower than physical ram. Plus BF2 is a beast of a game (and not in a good way) so I have no doubt that to run above low settings you need more than 1GB of memory if all your memory is being sucked up when you try.

[ghell]

Exactly which motherboard and ram are you currently using?

(if you don't know, cpu-z (http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php) should be able to tell you and even dump all the information into a html or text file (buttons on the last tab) that you can post here or upload and link to if you don't understand some of the numbers that it displays)

ram is one of the most important upgrades you can get and you should definately get at least 2 gig total but which type of ram you should get depends on your other hardware.

[daniel_g]

If all your physical memory is being used up while playing it, then more memory would help a lot. Virtual memory is many magnitudes slower than physical ram. Plus BF2 is a beast of a game (and not in a good way) so I have no doubt that to run above low settings you need more than 1GB of memory if all your memory is being sucked up when you try.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, but then, the event that I don't want happening if I get more RAM, is improving from 1-60fps, to 10-60fps because something else gets maxed out. I mean, the only reason I need more RAM, is that game, and if I still get poor performance on it, I will feel like I did some bad investment(and right now I'm in the red with money).

Here's the report from CPU-Z(or some of it, the 20,000 character limit made me erase most of it..):

-------------------------
CPU-Z version 1.41
-------------------------

Processors Map
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 2

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0
-- Core 1
-- Thread 0


Processors Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 2
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7300
Codename Merom
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7300 @ 2.00GHz
Package Socket P (478) (platform ID = 7h)
CPUID 6.F.A
Extended CPUID 6.F
Core Stepping E1
Technology 65 nm
Core Speed 1987.0 MHz (10.0 x 198.7 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 794.8 MHz
Stock frequency 2000 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 4096 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 10.0x
max VID 1.200 V
Features XD, VT


Thread dumps
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU Thread 0
APIC ID 0
Topology Processor ID 0, Core ID 0, Thread ID 0
Type 01008001h
Max CPUID level 0000000Ah
Max CPUID ext. level 80000008h


Cache descriptor Level 1 D 32 KB 1 threads
Cache descriptor Level 1 I 32 KB 1 threads
Cache descriptor Level 2 U 4 MB 2 threads

CPU Thread 1
APIC ID 1
Topology Processor ID 0, Core ID 1, Thread ID 0
Type 01008001h
Max CPUID level 0000000Ah
Max CPUID ext. level 80000008h


Cache descriptor Level 1 D 32 KB 1 threads
Cache descriptor Level 1 I 32 KB 1 threads
Cache descriptor Level 2 U 4 MB 2 threads



Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge Intel GM965 rev. C0
Southbridge Intel 82801HBM (ICH8-ME) rev. 02
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 1024 MBytes
Memory Frequency 331.2 MHz (3:5)
CAS# 5.0
RAS# to CAS# 5
RAS# Precharge 5
Cycle Time (tRAS) 15



Memory SPD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM #1

General
Memory type DDR2
Module format SO-DIMM
Manufacturer (ID) Hyundai Electronics (AD00000000000000)
Size 512 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part number HYMP564S64CP6-Y5
Serial number 0622237B
Manufacturing date Week 24/Year 07

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 200 266 333
CAS# 3.0 4.0 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 3 4 5
RAS# Precharge 3 4 5
TRAS 9 12 15
TRC 12 16 20

DIMM #2

General
Memory type DDR2
Module format SO-DIMM
Manufacturer (ID) Hyundai Electronics (AD00000000000000)
Size 512 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-5300 (333 MHz)
Part number HYMP564S64CP6-Y5
Serial number 01222C78
Manufacturing date Week 24/Year 07

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP no
XMP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 200 266 333
CAS# 3.0 4.0 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 3 4 5
RAS# Precharge 3 4 5
TRAS 9 12 15
TRC 12 16 20



Monitoring
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mainboard Model 0UW306 (0x175 - 0x5BD6C0)



Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------

Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7300 hardware monitor

Temperature sensor 0 45°C (112°F) [0x37] (core #0)
Temperature sensor 1 49°C (120°F) [0x33] (core #1)

Dump hardware monitor



DMI BIOS
--------
vendor Dell Inc.
version A00
date 05/16/2007


DMI System Information
----------------------
manufacturer Dell Inc.
product Inspiron 1520
version unknown


DMI Baseboard
-------------
vendor Dell Inc.
model 0UW306
revision unknown
serial .J9MPGD1.CN4864377E3574.


DMI System Enclosure
--------------------
manufacturer Dell Inc.
chassis type Portable
chassis serial J9MPGD1


DMI Processor
-------------
manufacturer Intel
model unknown
clock speed 1600.0MHz
FSB speed 200.0MHz
multiplier 8.0x


DMI Port Connector
------------------
designation USB (internal)
port type USB
connector Access Bus (USB)


DMI Port Connector
------------------
designation MONITOR (internal)
port type Video Port
connector DB-15 female


DMI Port Connector
------------------
designation FireWire (internal)
port type Firewire (IEEE P1394)
connector IEEE 1394


DMI Port Connector
------------------
designation Modem (internal)
port type Modem Port
connector RJ-11


DMI Port Connector
------------------
designation Ethernet (internal)
port type Network Port
connector RJ-45


DMI Physical Memory Array
-------------------------
location Motherboard
usage System Memory
correction None
max capacity 4096MBytes
max# of devices 2


DMI Memory Device
-----------------
designation DIMM_A
format DIMM
type DDR
total width 64bits
data width 64bits
size 512MBytes


DMI Memory Device
-----------------
designation DIMM_B
format DIMM
type DDR
total width 64bits
data width 64bits
size 512MBytes


Software
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Version Microsoft Windows Vista (6.0) Home Premium Edition (Build 6000)
DirectX Version 10.0

[jonnybinthemix]

I agree with others that a memory upgrade is always handy and can never be a bad thing...

However, I am not convinced that it will completley solve your problem..

I think it may be a combination of a few things, and the fact you are playing it on a laptop may not help either. (although they say the days of a laptop being behind a few steps are well and truly over) I always find things generally run better on PC's where you can fiddle with things easier.

I found the recommended specs list for battlefield 2 and they gave this list of video cards and quite adamantly stated that BF2 ONLY supports these video cards...

Radeon X700 (PCIe)
Radeon X600 (PCIe)
GeForce 6600 (PCIe)
GeForce PCX 5900 (PCIe)
GeForce 5800 Series (AGP)
ATI Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition
ATI Radeon X800 PRO
ATI Radeon 9800 Series
ATI Radeon 9600 Series
ATI Radeon 9550 (RV350LX)
ATI Radeon 9500 / 9700 Series
ATI Radeon 8500 Series
ATI Radeon X300 Series
NVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra
NVidia GeForce 6800 GT
NVidia GeForce 6800
NVidia GeForce FX 5950 Series
NVidia GeForce FX 5900 Series
NVidia GeForce FX 5700 Series

This tells me that they have had a lot of problems with Video card compatability.

The long and short of it is (in my opinion) you can try a memory upgrade, but if it is just to play this game, i wouldent waste the money. They say that the minimum memory requirement for the game is 512MB and they recommend 1GB. Therefore, i would think if you are using too much memory, that is something you can resolve on the pc its self rather than buying additional memory.

Hope that helps..

Jon

[oracleguy]

This tells me that they have had a lot of problems with Video card compatability.

I wouldn't doubt it, BF2 was incredibly buggy when it was released, the developer of the game (I can't remember their name) has done that before too, release games full of bugs and then start patching like crazy.

[brad211987]

The GeForce 8 series is relatively new also, and may not have made it onto their list of supported cards yet, a modified date on that support list would be helpful for that. My current system has 2 GB of ram, an athlon 64 3200+ and an ATI radeon 1800xt and runs BF2 very well on near max settings, my biggest bottleneck for newer games is my CPU.

[daniel_g]

Nah, I don't think they will add support, even the newest version, battlefield 2142, does not offer support for the 8 series, they even lack support for most 7 series()they only support like 2 of those, and those are kind of 'old' by now...

And of course it's gonna run fine on the radeon 1800xt, that's like one of the top 20 GPUs for laptops out there. Lucky you :p

So I've decided I'll pass on the RAM, better use the money to pay my bills :rolleyes:

[kieran]

If you use Windows XP,I think 1GB is enough,but 2GB is better.

[U-Turn]

I'm seeing some thing new on my task manager. When it's showing the CPU usage, 1/2 of the green Bar is in RED. Should I be worried and what is this indicating????
:confused:

[ghell]

I'm seeing some thing new on my task manager. When it's showing the CPU usage, 1/2 of the green Bar is in RED. Should I be worried and what is this indicating????
:confused:

Kernel times. You can disable this from view -> show kernel times.

Every time your application asks the kernel (the core of the operating system) to do something, such as file I/O, the kernel does it and just gives the application what it needs. This is why the application does not need to know things like which cylinder on disk some data is in and why access can be controlled properly and concurrently. For example, if you have something scanning through a lot of files, most of it's CPU usage will be taken up by the kernel. The kernel does quite a lot of things other than just disk I/O too.