I am looking for a Windows 7 program that can give me an alert (e.g. pop up around the icon tray) whenever the ratio available RAM / total RAM goes below some configurable threshold. Gratis is better.
asked Aug 23 '15 at 23:01
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Do you turn off virtual memory (or severely limit it)? Otherwise, won't Windows 7 always page memory when it gets low? – RockPaperLizard♦ Aug 23 '15 at 23:34
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@RockPaperLizard yes virtual memory is turned off to avoid swapping – Franck Dernoncourt Aug 23 '15 at 23:38
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Okay, now it makes sense! ;) – RockPaperLizard♦ Aug 23 '15 at 23:56
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1On Linux 100% of the memory being used is normal, it is actually a good thing. Isn't it the same on Windows? – Nicolas Raoul♦ Aug 24 '15 at 6:21
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@NicolasRaoul it's the same. (free vs available physical memory) – Franck Dernoncourt Aug 24 '15 at 21:28
I'm using similar tool in a form of lightweight plugin for IM client (client used as kind of container), but it takes only few lines of code, so here is "standalone" version: memwarning. It has no configuration, by default it warns when total memory usage is > 90% checking usage every two minutes. It doesn't show any window, just runs in background. If memory usage is exceeded it beeps with PC speaker three times and checks again after 1 minute. Use Code::Blocks/MinGW to change configuration (modifying ThreadProc()) and/or rebuild.
One disadvantage of using GlobalMemoryStatusEx() function is that it treats system cache memory as used which may give warning earlier than expected. I have no idea how to check memory usage without system buffers.
Here is a script of Powershell I just wrote. To use it open up "Powershell" (It's in the start menu, already installed) and run it:
while ($true) {
$available = (get-counter -counter "\Memory\Available Bytes").CounterSamples[0].CookedValue
$thresholdInBytes = 100 * 1024*1024;
echo $available
if($available -lt $thresholdInBytes) {
$wshell = New-Object -ComObject Wscript.Shell
$wshell.Popup("Low RAM available",0,"Ok",0x1)
}
start-sleep -s 5
}
Changed the threshold value if you want a value other than 100MB of ram. I'm licensing it with the WTFPL.
