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Task manager says I'm using 31.2/32 gb of Ram

Tayshawn Escott 0 Reputation points
2026-01-04T19:47:24.5866667+00:00

My task manager says I'm using 31.2/32 gb of ram but it does not match the ram being used by my processes.

Rammap says I have 12 gb of ram free but the processes are only using around 7 gb which is about the same as task manager.

Resetting my computer helps but only for a little bit.

I've done multiple virus scans and can't find anything.

Moderator: Moved from Sysinternals

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. Igor Leyko 111K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-01-04T23:36:00.8233333+00:00

    Hi,

    please show screenshots of memory part in Performance tab of Task manager with 31 GB used and a screenshot of Process explorer.

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  2. Jonathan Ansel 0 Reputation points
    2026-01-04T22:52:30.14+00:00

    The difference comes from things that is not used up by the processes you can see. Things like kernel, System PTEs, Session space, Driver-locked pages, shared GPU memory, etc uses RAM that are not visible to apps like RAMMap, but TaskManager could take account of it into the "RAM usage", but TaskManager would only display the processes that is running and not display those silent usage in the processes tab. Your system is indeed using 31.2 GB of RAM, and you should consider using methods to speed up your system, however if you have GBs more of pagefiles you don't need to worry much if on SSD because usually with 32GB RAM the paging would not be too much.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-01-04T19:47:35.6766667+00:00

    It seems like you are experiencing a discrepancy between the memory usage reported by Task Manager and RAMMap. Here are a few points to consider:

    1. Task Manager Limitations: Task Manager may not always display accurate memory information due to how it parses SMBIOS memory data. This can lead to situations where the reported memory usage does not match the actual usage by processes.
    2. RAMMap Utility: RAMMap is a more advanced tool that provides detailed insights into physical memory usage, including how much RAM is free and how it is allocated among processes. If RAMMap indicates that you have 12 GB of free RAM while Task Manager shows near full usage, it suggests that there might be cached data or other allocations not directly tied to running processes.
    3. Memory Management: Windows uses a variety of techniques to manage memory, including caching and paging, which can sometimes lead to confusion regarding the actual memory usage. Even if Task Manager shows high usage, it does not necessarily mean that all of it is actively being used by applications.
    4. Resetting the Computer: Restarting your computer clears the memory and can temporarily resolve these discrepancies, but if the issue recurs, it may indicate a deeper problem with memory management or a specific application causing high memory usage.
    5. Further Investigation: Since you've already performed virus scans, you might want to consider using additional diagnostic tools like Performance Monitor or DebugDiag to further analyze memory usage and identify any potential memory leaks or issues with specific applications.

    If the problem persists, it may be worth checking for updates to your operating system or drivers, as these can sometimes resolve underlying issues with memory reporting.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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