Greetings all,

 

I am experiencing a strange problem with my computer while not running MS Flight Simulator, or any other simulator.  While performing normal MS Office, MS Outlook, and IE11 operations, I noticed my computer running very, very sluggishly.  I opened Task Manager and to my surprise, the Physical Memory in use was > 6.0 GB.  There was no apparent explanation for this high memory usage.  I attempted to troubleshoot by closing programs, stopping services, etc.  However, I could not bring the memory in use down below 6.0 GB.

 

The other evening, I re-started the computer using msconfig.exe after stopping all start-up services. I left the computer running over-night with no programs open, it was just in its static configuration after start up.  The next morning, the Physical Memory in use was > 7.5 GB.  I had to use the Start button on the computer to shut it down.  I could not get the mouse to track on the monitor.

 

A few weeks ago, I began over-clocking my computer for the first time .  I used the ASUS Ez software program that comes with motherboard (a Z28, IIRC) and did a nominal bump up on processor speed, about 40% according to the ASUS program.  My clock speed running FSX is now 4.1 GHz verses the stock 3.4 GHz.  My processer is an I7 2600k Sandybridge.  Everything was running stable, and FSX was running real well, up until this week.  It was just the past week, maybe last week, that I begin noticing performance issues that were related to the now-known high memory use.

 

Here are my specs:

 

i7 2600k Sandybridge 3.4Ghz

8 GB RAM

ASUS Z28 MB

GTX 960 Video Card - w/latest GeForce Drivers

MS Windows 7, fully updated

 

Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts as to what might be causing this problem?  Could it be related to my attempt at overclocking.  To my knowledge, I only overclocked the processor. I did not overclock the memory.  Any ideas on how to fix the problem, or steps to troubleshoot and find the offending program(s) that is consuming the physical memory?

 

I understand it could be a virus or malware.  However, I have both the latest versions of Norton and Malwarebytes on my computer.

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Best regards & many thanks!

 

Rich Boll     

What was using the 6.0Gb - was it a program, or was it disk cache? Windows will aggressively use RAM for disk cache, but free it back up if a program needs it. Was the CPU usage high? If so, what was consuming the CPU?

 

Cheers!
 

Luke

In your Task Manager, click on the Processes Tab as well as the Services tab.  From there, you can get a clearer picture of what is using RAM.

 

-Jim

Luke,

 

The process with the highest Working Set was svchost.exe (LocalSystemNetworkRestricted).

 

Rich

The CPU use very low, less 20%

Jim,

 

I check the Process Tab.  svchost.exe was the largest consumer

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

Just an update on the system.  The motherboard is an ASU P8Z68.  Memory is 2x4096 MB G Skill 800MHz.

 

This morning, when I restarted the computer, it went in the safe, CHKDSK mode.  Windows did the three step disk scan. I re-scanned using Malwarebytes and Norton.  Outside of the usual Tracking Cookies, nothing unusual occurred.

 

I am still have all start up services disabled. I going to see how this runs for bit to see if I can get it to fail again.

 

Could this be related to a NIVIDA GeForce Experience Update that I performed last week?

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Rich

The process with the highest Working Set was svchost.exe (LocalSystemNetworkRestricted).

 

 

How much was it using? How large was the disk cache?

 

We're trying to determine what was using all the memory. There's a variety of things it could be, some are quite benign. Does your system to a virus scan overnight?

 

The CPU use very low, less 20%

 

You have a quad core. Does that mean one core was highly utilized (aggregate usage across all 4/8 cores) or were all 4/8 cores mostly idle?

 

Cheers!

 

Luke

Luke,

 

My apologies for not responding sooner. I was away from my computer on a work detail this week. I have been trying to figure this problem out, but no avail. 

 

I am experience it right now.  I have 4 PDFs open, the largest of which is 10 MB.  I have MS Outlook open and 2 IE windows, one of which is streaming music.  I tired to upload images, but right now not enough memory.  I will try to provide the information requested using Task Manager

 

CPU Usage:

 

CPU usage varies from 12-25%.  CPU 0 is consistently over 50% with frequent spikes up to 75%.  CPU 4 is showing steady use at 20% with spikes as 40%.  CPU 7 and CPU 2 where both around 10%.  However, I just noticed that CPU 2 has jumped with frequent spikes between 40-70%.  CPU 4 has dropped to frequent spikes between 20% and 40%.

 

Physical Memory:

 

Total:  8089

Casched

Low memory is affecting my computer...  Continued from above...Starting over...

 

Physical Memory (MB)

 

Total                 8089

Cached              951

Available            970

Free                     22

 

Kernel Memory (MB)

 

Paged                  667

Nonpaged           158

 

System

 

Handles                      34686

Threads                        1111

Process                            39

Up Time                0:06:16:10

Commit (GB)            3/15

 

On the Resource Monitor:

 

Largest Working Set is iexplorer with 427400, Acrobat is next with 274842 and svchost.exe (LocalSystemNetworkRestricted) is 206656

 

I am using msconfig and Selective Startup to control services.  The only non-Microsoft services that I am running are Malwarebytes and Norton AV.  Further, all Startup items have been disabled.  Also, I returned the processor and memory back to its orginal, non-overclocked status in hope that this may result in better operation.  None of these changes not affected my memory usage.

 

Yesterday, I started the computer in Safe mode and let it run for several hours. Memory usage was as expected, under 2 GB. 

 

I can explain every program that appears to be running.  svchost has very, very long list of items showing.  I suspect the problem is somewhere in there.  However, I stopped various items but do not see memory use dropping. 

 

I fear and getting very, very close to a re-install of MS Windows.  And I just got FSX tweaked to run with DX10 with great frame rates....ARGH!!!!!

 

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Rich

CPU usage varies from 12-25%.  CPU 0 is consistently over 50% with frequent spikes up to 75%.  CPU 4 is showing steady use at 20% with spikes as 40%.  CPU 7 and CPU 2 where both around 10%.  However, I just noticed that CPU 2 has jumped with frequent spikes between 40-70%.  CPU 4 has dropped to frequent spikes between 20% and 40%.

 

Fascinating. What's eating the CPU?

 

The memory usage you mentioned showed that 7GB are in use (with 1GB for cache) but commit charge was only 3GB - that doesn't make sense. Were they taken at the same time?

 

I suppose you could do a reinstall but it's worth checking to see what's consuming the RAM and CPU. Poke around Task Manager and make sure you Show processes from All Users.

 

Cheers!

 

Luke

Sunday morning update....

 

Yesterday, I had a chance to upload Microsoft's Process Explorer program.  The offending process was Norton AV.  For obvious reasons, I was not able to terminate that program.  I also terminated nearly ever svchost process that was possible. I was able to confirm that it was not this process, as I first suspected.

 

Norton was consuming 12% of the 14% continuous CPU usage.  The Physical Memory in use topped out at 7.75 MB. Available & Free Physical Memory were in the single digits as shown on Task Manager.  I was forced to shut down my computer using the power button.

 

This morning, Windows began with an extensive disk check. After windows started, I noticed that Norton had completed an install.  It also reported that Norton had repaired a bad installation. 

 

So far today, the Physical Memory in use has remained around the 3.5 to 4.0 MB range consistent with normal IE use with streaming music, MS Outlook open and using, and sundry other tasks.  I am still running minimal start up services.  Norton AV is sitting very low on the Process Explorer tote board.

 

Pending other events today, I am going to say that this issue is resolved and likely the result of a Norton update install that went very, very bad.

 

Thanks to everyone that helped!

 

Rich Boll

Final update...

 

After 24 hours of continuous running, the computer is stable.  Memory use is back to normal as well as CPU use.  Appears to have been a Norton installation issue that has somehow resolved itself.

 

Please consider this issue closed.

 

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

Rich