Memory Leak after the Anniversary Update if download large files

M

Morok

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
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12
Location
Ukraine
When downloading large files (like Battlefield 1 during Open Beta), had to reboot PC 2-3 times, or else I got to the situation when 99% of my RAM is used - and the system completely hangs out without any signs of life. It doesn't matter, what I'm downloading: large file through browser or game from Steam, or large file from Dropbox. Memory leaked not restored until reboot, no matter I do. It didn't show any apps in Task Manager that use "missed" RAM either.
sfc /scannow - everything fine
DISM /CheckHealth - everything fine
Malwarebytes Antimalware scan - check.
Dr. Web Cure It! - check.
Kaspersky Security Scan - check.

I even used MemClean - no changes, no RAM released =(

Any advice, where I need to look to fix that thing?

My system: Alienware 17 r2
CPU: i7-4710HQ
GPU: NVidia 970M
RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX DDR3L
SSD: 250GB Mushkin
HDD: 1 TB WD
 
Hi Morok. :welcome:

Are you using the paging file (pagefile.sys)?
Go to Control Panel\System and Security\System, advanced system settings, in the performance frame click settings, switch to the advanced tab, click change, post a screenshot of the virtual memory window that should appear and/or report its settings (both is better).
 
- You have a SSD, so I would assume that the pagefile is disabled.
- Try this: Enable the pagefile for the HDD only and let Windows manage the size of the pagefile.
 
Hi, thanks for the quick answer!
Here is the screenshot of the settings: Screenshot by Lightshot

Pagefile is already enabled for the HDD (I prefer to keep it that way, so will not meet any unpleasant surprises because of low memory). It's set to custom, 16-24GB (100-150% of the installed RAM).
 
Try 1024 -1024 for the system drive and 6144 - 6144 for the other drive.
Select adjust for best performance of background services in preceding window.
 
Last edited:
Not helped =( After downloading ~10GB, my RAM is used up to 13GB, in Resource Monitor I've counted commit memory manually ~9GB. So 4 GB of RAM is not available until reboot =(
 
I don't recommend a set PF size. Windows knows how to manage PFs just fine (they've had over 25 years to figure it out!) and I recommend checking "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives". Note there is no study or white paper that says a fixed size (or no PF if you have lots of RAM) is better. Not one! The only exception for setting a fixed size PF is if you are critically low on disk space.
Willy2 said:
- You have a SSD, so I would assume that the pagefile is disabled.
- Try this: Enable the pagefile for the HDD only and let Windows manage the size of the pagefile.
Click to expand...
I agree to let Windows manage it, but not sure why you would assume it would be disabled with a SSD. Windows would not disable it and it must be noted that SSDs are ideally suited for Page Files. See Support and Q&A for Solid-State Drives and scroll down to, "Frequently Asked Questions, Should the pagefile be placed on SSDs?" While the article is getting old, it still applies - even more so now since wear problems of early generation SSDs are no longer a problem.

You need to see what program is eating up your RAM. That would not be a PF in any case as the PF is disk space.

Look in Resource Monitor again under the Memory tab and see which program or programs are consuming your RAM.
 
Digerati, thanks for answer. But my SSD lately shows abnormally high temperature (usually 50C, can be up to 60+C, but decreases to 40C when playing games with high load (i suppose, coolers on the GPU decrease temperature). Is it safe to make PF on SSD? I've used advice in previous post: 1024 -1024 for the SSD and 6144 - 6144 for HDD

The main problem, that there is no program that use this "missed" memory. When I use Resource Monitor, I can calculate 8GB of used RAM + some amount of small processes for 3-4 MB. But used memory can be 13-14 GB. And this memory isn't available until the reboot.
 
Not sure I would call 60°C abnormally high under high load. The specs for this Mushkin 250GB SSD state operating range up to 70°C. But note that has NOTHING to do with memory leaks. If anything, it suggests your case cooling is inadequate. You need to make sure the interior of your case is clean of heat-trapping dust, you have good cable management, all your fans are spinning, and if necessary you need to add another case fan to increase the flow of cool air flowing through the case.
Is it safe to make PF on SSD?
Click to expand...
I already provided a link to show that "SSDs are ideally suited for Page Files" so of course it is safe to put your PF on a SSD. Remember, more and more computers (especially notebooks which naturally have heat problems because of the confined space and poor cooling capacity) don't even use hard drives anymore. I don't use HDs in any of my builds anymore! Only SSDs. And yes, I have PFs on my SSDs and I let Windows Manage them and recommend you do that too. But again, the PF (regardless its setting) has nothing to do with "memory leaks". The PF is all about virtual memory and if you run out of virtual memory, you will get an "out of memory" error, but that is NOT a memory "leak".

When in Resource Monitor, click on the Memory tab, then click on Commit (KB) to sort on that column. You will then see what programs are using the most RAM.

or else I got to the situation when 99% of my RAM is used
Click to expand...
Where are you seeing this?
 
Well, when I tried to run built-in diagnostics, temperature of my SSD skyrocketed to 90C - and that's not a good thing. It's a laptop, so not sure, what I can do with cooling - trying to keep it clean of dust and have some space near ventilation holes.
When in Resource Monitor, click on the Memory tab, then click on Commit (KB) to sort on that column. You will then see what programs are using the most RAM.
Click to expand...
I've used this method to count, how much memory is used by programs. Chrome eats 480-500 MB at most. Memory is just disappeared.
Where are you seeing this?
Click to expand...
In Task Manager, but Resource Monitor shows the same picture. Leaked memory marked as "used" there. While I can download 10GB without serious issues (3-4 GB isn't a big issue), but if I need to download like 40 GB - it's certainly 2 reboots at least. I can free some memory, if I'll close browser or background programs, but leaked memory will only increase while download process is active. MemClean not helped at all =(
 
While I can download 10GB without serious issues
but if I need to download like 40 GB - it's certainly 2 reboots at least
Click to expand...
Downloading is NOT the same thing as using. When downloading a file, it comes in chunks then those chunks are saved to disk.

If Chrome is your biggest consumer and it is using 500Mb, that is just 1/2 Gb and should not be a problem.

Is this problem only happening when downloading huge files? How much free disk space do you have?
 
Downloading is NOT the same thing as using. When downloading a file, it comes in chunks then those chunks are saved to disk.
Click to expand...
That's why I'm confused. Download of large files is 100% cause memory leak for me. I don't know, why. And no programs in Resource Monitor use this leaked memory. I've tried Dr. Web Cure It, Malwarebytes AM, Kaspersky Security Scan - nothing.
Is this problem only happening when downloading huge files? How much free disk space do you have?
Click to expand...
At least, I can reproduce it for sure with this. Maybe some other things cause memory leak too, but this method have the fastest results and was easiest to find.
 
- Let Windows manage the size of the pagefile.
- Run Sysinternal's RAMMAP. That also could give a clue of what's going on.
- I fear it's a combination of programs (incl. the Anniversary Update) that causes this problem. Try if you can to reduce the amount of programs running or perform a "Clean Boot" and then run e.g. Steam. That also could give a clue of what's going on.
- Does the same problem occur when the destiny of those large files is the HDD ?

@Digerati: Interesting article regarding SSDs. But I continue to think that it's better (if & when possible) to put the pagefile on the HDD.
 
@Willy2, well, I've put PF on SSD and made it 0.5 of my installed RAM (8GB), but I haven't seen out of memory message for a long time - with this leak I receive system lag and hangs, not "out of memory" message.
I've already downloaded RAMMap, but haven't understood, on what I need to look.
I've tried different methods. I have low startup list, so I tried it with Steam, with Origin, with GW2 launcher. It doesn't matter, if I have anything running on the background - memory leak is still here. Just I have more time before it make things uncomfortable. After some limit programs stop to respond and after you close them, you can't open any new ones or reopen closed ones.
I mostly use HDD for downloads, SSD is the system drive and for installed soft. Steam - on HDD (I know, that games have less performance because of that, but I prefer to keep one game on the SSD, and have more free space).

@Digerati, I've noticed, that I didn't answer about free space. SSD: 22 GB free, HDD: 350GB free.
 
But I continue to think that it's better (if & when possible) to put the pagefile on the HDD.
Click to expand...
Why? I see absolutely no advantage to putting a PF on a hard drive when a SSD is available - unless you have a tiny SSD (like 32GB).

With today's SSDs prices plummeting, even that does not make sense. Current generation SSDs don't suffer from write limitations of first generation SSDs so it will NOT significantly shorten the life of the SSD. In fact, because hard drives are electromechanical devices, having the PF on the HD beats up the HD much more than a PF on a SSD does. The fastest hard drive is still much slower than even the slowest SSD. SSDs don't suffer from fragmentation issue. Putting a PF on a hard drive when you have a SSD available just introduces an unnecessary performance bottleneck, wasting one of the greater advantages of the SSD.

I note again, more and more computers don't even come with slow, big, heavy, clunky, slow, noisy (did I mention slow?) hard drives anymore. Nor should they. Hard drives are a 60 year old technology!
 
@Digerati, I've noticed, that I didn't answer about free space. SSD: 22 GB free, HDD: 350GB free.
Click to expand...
You posted while I was typing my last reply. 22GB is not a lot but should be plenty IF your default download location is on your HD.
 
It's like 10% of my 250gb SSD. And it's together with the PF (already set it to 8GB). My Default download location for Origin and Steam is HDD, for browser is SSD (mostly because I use small files). I'm running RamMap now, but not sure, on what I need to look to find culprit.
 
- Ah. Rule of thumb is that when free space on a SSD is down to say 10% or less then it takes more time to write to the SSD.
- Run RAMMAP, use the "Empty" options, open the "User Counts" tab and start downloading a file and then hit F5 over & over to refresh the RAMMAP picture. See which memory part starts growing at a rapid pace.
 

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