Would it be possible to completely remove standby memory ?

Question

Hello everyone so I did some tests while playing games and I realized that even if I have 64 GB of Ram for my system whenever Standby Memory gets above a certain ammount I get huge FPS issues within games of any kind.

I noticed that using a 3rd party to completely remove it and make it stay at 0 helps loads and my fps in games from dropping to 10 - 20 goes back to 300 400 on the games I play.

So please tell me there's a possibility to completely remove the standby memory so I don't have to schedule a task to run to clear it off always ?

Kind regards,

Catalin Strajeru

Answer 1

Hello StrajeruPetru,

Thank you for sharing your experience with us here, and we would like to give you some additional information about this standby memory:

Background: What is Standby Memory?

Standby Memory is a portion of your system's RAM that is reserved by Windows for caching purposes. It stores data that is not actively being used but may be needed soon, such as recently opened files or programs. The idea is to allow quick access to data that was recently in use, improving system responsiveness.

However, when Standby Memory gets too high (especially on systems with large amounts of RAM like yours), it can cause performance issues, including slowdowns or FPS drops in games. This happens because, despite having 64 GB of RAM, the system is allocating more resources to cached data rather than allowing those resources to be available for active processes, such as your games.

Can You Completely Remove or Disable Standby Memory?

Unfortunately, you cannot completely "remove" or disable Standby Memory in a standard way through Windows settings, as it's part of the operating system's memory management system. However, there are some steps and workarounds that can help minimize the impact of high Standby Memory usage on your gaming performance without needing to manually clear it all the time.

Possible Solutions

1. Increase the Size of Virtual Memory (Pagefile)

One of the ways Windows manages memory is through a pagefile (virtual memory) that acts as an extension of RAM. If your system runs out of physical RAM, it will start swapping data to the pagefile on disk.

• Steps:
  1. Press Windows + X and choose System.
  2. Click on Advanced system settings on the left sidebar.
  3. Under the Advanced tab, click on Settings under Performance.
  4. In the Performance Options window, go to the Advanced tab.
  5. Click Change under Virtual Memory.
  6. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
  7. Set a custom size for your virtual memory (pagefile). Set both the initial and maximum sizes to the recommended value, or consider a larger size than your RAM (e.g., 128 GB for 64 GB of physical RAM).
  8. Click Set, then restart your PC.

By increasing virtual memory, you may alleviate some of the pressure on physical RAM and help mitigate high standby memory usage.

2. Disable Superfetch (SysMain)

Superfetch (now called SysMain) is a Windows service that preloads applications into RAM for faster access. While this is generally helpful, it can increase Standby Memory usage unnecessarily, especially in gaming scenarios.

• Steps:
  1. Press Windows + R and type services.msc, then press Enter.
  2. Scroll down to find SysMain (previously known as Superfetch).
  3. Right-click it and select Properties.
  4. Under Startup type, select Disabled.
  5. Click Stop to stop the service immediately, then click OK.
  6. Restart your PC.

Disabling SysMain may help reduce the amount of memory allocated to caching, reducing the chances of excessive Standby Memory buildup during gaming.

3. Use RAM Cleaner Tools (with Caution)

There are third-party tools, such as RAMMap (from Microsoft) or other RAM cleaners, that allow you to clear Standby Memory manually. These tools can provide you with more control over how your memory is used, but keep in mind that the operating system will likely just fill the Standby Memory again after it's cleared.

• RAMMap is a free tool from Microsoft that allows you to view and manage the different types of memory on your system. You can use Empty Standby List in RAMMap to clear the Standby Memory.

While you mentioned using third-party software to clear it, keep in mind that this is a temporary solution. If you don't want to schedule the task manually, this method may still require intervention from time to time.

4. Disable Hibernation

Hibernation also uses Standby Memory as part of its process. If you don’t use hibernation, disabling it might free up some RAM and reduce the system's caching.

• Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type the following command to disable hibernation: powercfg /hibernate off
3. Press Enter and restart your computer.

Disabling hibernation will not only remove the hibernation file but may also help in reducing Standby Memory usage.

5. Adjust Memory Compression Settings

Memory compression is a feature in Windows that compresses data in RAM rather than writing it to disk when the system runs low on memory. However, this could sometimes lead to higher memory consumption, especially if Standby Memory is not being managed well.

You can disable or adjust memory compression via registry tweaks, but this is more advanced and can potentially destabilize your system. It’s recommended to avoid this unless you are confident in editing system settings.

6. Regularly Monitor and Clear Standby Memory Using Scripts (if you must)

If you're okay with running periodic scripts to clear Standby Memory, you can automate the process without needing to use third-party software.

For example, you can create a PowerShell script to clear the Standby Memory periodically:

1. Open Notepad and paste the following script:

    $EmptyList = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Process -Filter "Name = 'System'" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty CommandLine
    Clear-Content -Path "C:\Windows\Prefetch\*"
   

2. Save the file as ClearStandby.ps1.
3. Schedule the script to run periodically using Task Scheduler.

This will automatically clear Standby Memory without manual intervention.

Final Thoughts

There is no direct way to completely remove or disable Standby Memory, but you can reduce its impact by managing it more effectively with the solutions mentioned above. Keep in mind that Standby Memory is part of the operating system's optimization strategy, and clearing it frequently might interfere with normal system behavior, so use these solutions with caution.

If your performance issues persist after these optimizations, you might want to consider deeper system diagnostics or even upgrading certain hardware components (like storage or RAM) for a better overall experience.

Best Regards,

William.Y | Microsoft Community Support Specialist