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Best Free Memory Optimizer
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In a Hurry?
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Introduction
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Windows (XP and Vista) has excellent memory management and for the most part you don't need a third party memory management product. I've tried a few free memory managers but none has impressed me enough to allow recommendation. Until now that is. Most people believe that Memory Optimizers are nothing but "Snake Oil". And, that is mostly true. Most memory optimizers simply fill up memory in windows, and force everything to the page file. However, there a couple that seem to actually work. |
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Discussion
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Install it and your done! The program doesn't run in the back ground, once it does its job it closes and doesn't run again until the task scheduler runs it. The program is very simple to operate as it will run and clean the memory out of all processes it can, without any user input. This doesn't work like other memory cleaners that do nothing but force windows to free up memory by using up all the avail. memory. This old trick then causes your system to lag big time! NEW UPDATE: CleanMem has been upgraded to version 2.3.0. CleanMem is now 3.5x faster. CleanMem use to take 3.5 sec to do its job and close. It now takes 1 sec. Added better support for the window positions of the program. On some users systems, if they had another program running that worked with program windows, it would cause CleanMem to save the window positions off screen, or if a user lowered their screen resolution and the old position would now be off screen. The program now checks the current screen resolution and brings the windows back on screen. Supports people with multiple monitors. One additional feature that I am also excited about is a feature to change cleanmem auto run time via the right click menu. Basically, when you click it, it opens the task scheduler for the user. It isn't rocket science, but it is a new handy feature. Special Note: Upon installation, you have 2 choices--you can either install a 32-bit version or a 64-bit version.
Does freeing up memory improve performance? On both my test system and personal laptop it certainly did release some more memory, but it didn't make much difference to performance. Still, all my systems are XP and have 1GB plus. Maybe on older PCs with less memory, or when using applications like PhotoShop that eat up a lot of memory it may make a difference, I can't say. What I can say is that FreeRAM XP caused no problems other than a 10-30 second freeze of my PC when FreeRAM is in the actual process of releasing memory. This product no longer appears to be in development. The most recent release is from 2006.
Special Note: I recently upgraded to Windows 7 (64-bit). To be quite honest with you, after about a month of use, I don't see a need to install a third-party memory optimizer. I'm sure that some might disagree, but I won't be using them nor will I be testing them on my Windows 7 system. My recommendation, if you have Windows 7, is to leave well enough alone. So far, I am quite impressed with all the tools within Windows 7 including disk defragmenter, backup, search, and even memory management. I'm finding myself using less and less third-party tools with Windows 7.
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Related Products and Links
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MZ Ram Booster (http://mztweak.bravehost.com/) Please be advised that MZ Ram Booster requires .Net Framework 2.0 or higher. Recently upgraded to version 3.5.2 and is currently in development. Reportedly works in all versions of Windows. RAMBooster 2 (http://www.sci.fi/~borg/rambooster/). There are actually 2 videos on CNET TV (http://www.cnettv.com/) featuring RAMBooster 2 that speak highly of the program. If you are interested, just follow the link and do a search for RAMBooster. Version 2.0. Please note that the most recent version was released in 2005. It appears to be no longer in development. MiniMem (http://main.kerkia.com/tools/Minimem/description.aspx) Minimem is a memory optimization tools that allows you running modern applications on not-so-modern computers that are RAM-limited. You just choose which programs to optimize and how to do so, and Minimem takes care of the rest, running silently in your tray bar. "Initially developed for Firefox only, Minimem now can reduce the memory footprint of any application. It runs in the background and can be set up to optimize as many proceses as you'd like, using a very intuitive graphical interface. Unlike other memory optimization tools, it gives you full control over what applications you want to optimize, when and how often, as well as the possibility to only optimize memory when required and relevant." (Minimem appears to be closely related to or similar to CleanMem.) |
On a small minority of systems, installing Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP will result in the FreeRAM XP Pro tray icon not showing up properly when starting with Windows. The number of Windows XP SP2 systems affected appears to be a relatively small percentage, and it is not known what system factors cause this issue on affected computers.
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Have Your Say
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You are invited to share and discuss your views in our freeware forum. To post in the forum you need to register first but that's quick and immediate. Alternatively, anyone can leave a comment at the bottom of this page. |
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Editor
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This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Kendall Alexander. |
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Comments
Hi,
I have been using v.1.4.2 since it came out, with no problems. Today, I installed v.2.3.1, and I have a couple questions. What is lua5.1.dll? I'm not a noob, and I have never heard of it. I googled it, and, apparently, not alot of people have. Couldn't find a reference to it anywhere...beyond it being a language.
Also, what is the file cmm.dat that is in my C:\Windows? I know it has something to do with rules, but that isn't much of an explanation.
When I click on the settings wizard to edit the scheduler, nothing happens.
I will uninstall this and try the portable...I didn't see any spare language files in that one. And if that prog is funky, I'll re-install 1.4.2. That one is good. OS: XP SP3
lua5.1.dll is part of the setup factory program I use to make cleanmem's setup. Cleanmem doesn't need it, its for the setup itself. I believe it is their language file.
cmm.dat is used my the cleanmem mini monitor.
"When I click on the settings wizard to edit the scheduler, nothing happens"
That should be opening your task scheduler as that is where cleanmem runs.
Cleanmem itself is still the same and still cleans the same way since v1.4.2 so feel free to keep using that one. The new versions are more updates and control with the mini monitor ;-)
Shane
This program worked painlessly and brilliantly for me for years in XP, but I have been unable to install it on Win 7, which is slow and pedestrian in comparison to Win XP on my machine.
Every attempt to install it to the default folders yields the same message: "Unable to write to C:\Windows\Cleanmem". I get this while it is creating the uninstall utility. The default folder for the program is C:\Program files\Cleanmem.
Has anyone had this problem and solved it, please? And if so, how?
Many thanks
Apinargh
The setup program puts the uninstaller there.
C:\Windows\CleanMem\uninstall.exe
If you are getting that error it is normally because of permissions. Make sure to right click and choose run as administrator on the setup :-)
Shane
what's different from memory cleaner and memory optimizer,or it's same?
There's any memory optimizer can speed up PC?
I heard about memory defragmentation can speed up PC,it's true?
Please, tell me if there any memory tweaker can improve speed.
Thanks.
For the best explanation about Memory Optimizers or Memory Cleaners, the following page should prove very helpful for you:
http://www.pcwintech.com/about-cleanmem
Memory Optimizers/Cleaners are not magic. They will not speed up a slow machine (much), but they can help. The single best thing you can do and the most inexpensive is buy more ram for your machine.
Gizmo, are you saying you wont even use Auslogics Disk Defrag on your new Windows 7 machine? You'll use the built-in Windows disk defrag? I don't know if this is a good idea....
Gizmo is not the editor of this category, I am. (All editors are volunteers and write independently. We agree to join this site as editors. However, our research/investigation is our own and we are free to recommend or not recommend products based upon our research.)
In addition, this article is about the Best Free Memory Optimizer, not the best defragger. That article can be found elsewhere on this site. Your post appears to be an attempt to promote Auslogics Defrag and we call that trolling.
CleanMem should not be considered freeware in my opinion. The reason why is it starts you out in demo mode for the professional purchased version with no option to start in freeware mode, meaning you are forced to demo the pro mode which gives you no clear indication as to what you will lose when the trial is over with and goes to freeware mode. You should be provided with an option upon installing this software to select pro demo or freeware version only, or there should be two versions available to download in order to say this is freeware.
Cleanmem itself is free. Only the mini monitor is free/pro. Everything that was in cleanmem 1.7.0 is still free in v2 and even more features are free. The pro features are simply enabled, but not turned on. All pro features are stated on my site
http://www.pcwintech.com/cleanmem-help
And it is in freeware mode. The pro features simply disable when the time is up. No nag screens, no pop ups, not a single thing asking the user to upgrade. EVER.
I don't treat my users that way.
My ram/memory was great on my windows 7 64 bit machines until I upgrade to IE9. I have 6 gigs of ram and my wife has 4 gigs on her machine. Her machine become so slow that I had to uninstall IE9 to try to get her ram back, BUT, her machine did not get any better. .... Now I am wondering if the microsoft updates that I uploaded just before I uploaded IE9 was the problem resulting in my ram problem dramatic increase. The two things I am wondering about was the Microsoft Silverlight upgrade and the massive microsoft office list of updates. Anyone got any guesses which of these 2 things might have increased our ram so much? I feel strange not trusting microsoft's upgrades.
Such questions should be posted on our freeware forum, where they can be better answered.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum
CachemanXP is not freeware :o( looks great but it's only a 30 day trial.
I love CleanMem but I wished I had not upgraded. Whenever I try to open the options settings or mini monitor my pc crashes? It runs fine so long as I leave the settings and monitor alone.
I should report it to the creator but the site is down.
Thanks for your info though :o) great place, Helen (ex-Twistyd Morticia)
Wow. Cacheman used to be free. I didn't realize that it had changed to trialware. Thank you for the head's up. I will edit this article accordingly. I did find older versions still available at some sites that are still freeware, but you are correct, the newest versions are now trialware.
I encourage you to contact the developer regarding CleanMem. He is very responsive. Please access their forums for technical issues: http://forums.pcwintech.com/. Let me know if you do not get a response.
Sorry my host has had a major network problem, one of their core routers went out.
My forums are up however.
Swing on over and let me know about the crash you are having. I am curious to why it is happening. Odd thing is it only crashes when you try to open the settings window?
None of my users have reported anything like that. You could try a test. Close the mini monitor and delete the Mini_Monitor.exe.manifest
That file tells windows to draw the buttons and such with the windows theme. Perhaps something on your system is corrupt with the system files needed for that.
Report back to me in my forum and we can find out.
Shane
Wow. Many improvements for CleanMem, one of the smallest, most useful, truly set-and-forget freeware!
I can ashamedly says I haven't updated it since v1.42 simply because I've forgotten it's there. No wonder my Firefox never really ate through my RAM unlike my friend's. That's one mystery solved.
On another note, the comment has become interesting place discussion about how computer memory works. Not that I understand even 10% of it, but still a good read.
I have tried many programs to make computers faster over a period of years. Never found one to work. However, I was proven under informed by two programs recently. I have an old emachine I've been working on for fun. It's a T1440 with 256MB of ram. I had already lowered the fancy windows graphics which helped, and ran another program by IOBit(Advanced system care free)which helped some more. I had problems running the itunes and web browser tabs and still have power to do anything else. I was at a complete stand still until I installed CleanMem. I'm running again. My task manager ram number doesn't match the CleanMem ram counter but I believe CleanMem over windows task manager base on performance. A significant improvement. Bravo!
thank you
I would like to add that the comments sections are usually reserved for just that, and so this type of lengthy discussion would normally be referred to the forum. This is to prevent new visitor comments disappearing onto page two before they've had a chance to be viewed.
We always welcome direct interaction with developers though and as the information being presented contributes to a popular debate then it can stay here and may be copied across to the forum as a reference later.
In terms of real life usefulness, some folks might add programs like registry cleaners, fancy firewalls and tweak tools to the list including memory optimisers :) All I can say is that I always used CleanMem until I moved up to Windows 7 at which point I felt my upgraded machine didn't need it. I also appreciate that unlike the others apps I've quoted, this type is unlikely to have any negative effect on the users system.
I've often felt albeit from an unqualified viewpoint that most memory optimisers were designed to show just a big fat figure spinning round in the tray. I appreciate that CleanMem isn't like this and applaud its availability as a free program for those who wish to use it.
wj32,
I love being able to talk to another tech about these things. I tried your app and it is very nice, good work. You are a low level guy, knowing the core of windows programming, where as I am more on the high level end.
But lets face it, I am not going to change your mind in the slightest, and while I understand what you are referring to and why I still hold strong to my view point. But I also respect yours.
You make very good points. But there is one thing that isn't included in our debate. Long term testing.
I have seen and do have proof that there is a performance increase. The more memory a person has the lower the increase. Also it truly depends what the person is running on their system. Is there a old crappy program sucking up memory and not using it? Does the person not have a lot of free memory left? Or does the person have a system more like yourself? Plenty of memory and no crappy programs?
There are to many variables. But one thing I can with confidence say is CleanMem doesn't hurt or slow down the system. Many MANY users have confirmed this and so have I.
What I think it comes down to is in the middle of us both.
I think that the small amount of page file and page faults CleanMem does is far less, and the help it gives is far greater to certain users machines. Thus they get a performance increase and not a decrease.
On my system I am currently on Windows 7 64 bit, 8gb ram x4 3.4 ghz AMD. Mirrored WD Black HD's. I have the speed that I don't really need cleanmem. My system can handle what I throw at it. But I still use it. I find it keeps programs running smooth. Memory errors I use to get in firefox are gone. I play Black Ops at MAX settings, have cleanmem running every 5 min and doesn't even miss a beat.
Again I know none of this will change your mind, or make you see CleanMem in ANY different way. And that is ok, point is, CleanMem is free. It is there for people who want it. I don't force it down their throat. And unlike all the crap memory programs, mine doesn't slow the system down.
Take care :-)
Shane
I know you're just trying to help out your users by developing CleanMem. But the one thing that you still haven't explained is the mechanism through which a memory optimizer can improve system performance. In a system as deterministic as a computer, the theoretical side of things is stronger than the practical. If something is impossible from a theoretical perspective, then it's simply impossible. I'm generally open-minded. If you can give me a solid, detailed and low-level explanation of how CleanMem would improve system performance, I will believe you.
As for the performance increases/decreases - I doubt any performance hit would be noticeable on modern computers, which are very fast. The main issue here is whether memory optimizers actually work. From a theoretical perspective, the answer is clearly no (unless I have missed something very big). The claimed performance improvements are probably just a result of the placebo effect.
The best way to get rid of all RAM-related issues: buy more RAM. If your commit charge is below the amount of physical memory you have, then there's no need to worry.
Ha! This reminds me of Zeno's argument that motion is theoretically impossible because it requires an infinity of mathematical calculations. This is impossible, so motion doesn't happen. QED!
Is it possible that computers are getting so complex that precise predictions are ever more difficult?
(So let me MOVE my mouse down and click the save button!!!)
Thanks a lot for bring into prominence the Zeno's paradox. It have an crucial enlightenment to the issue, that couldn't to seem at first glance.
Above all when the theories are too much hermetic that only accept to listen the echo of their own voice. Thus some 'expertises' like to deny the reality, the facts, the evidences, test proofs. And when the reality is irrefutable, they say ever that the facts are "not relevant" for the issue. Once only just their own voice is valid! The best is to move on...
Great post. Congratulations, Anonymousfff!
I would avoid posting (due to the large number of comments already posted), but...
How is this relevant to my statements at all? The whole point I'm trying to make is that a computer system is deterministic, unlike the real world. Therefore, people should stop thinking of programs as black magic. Zeno's paradoxes are not interpreted by modern physicists as proving motion is theoretically or mathematically impossible. Please read the Wikipedia article for more information.
Wikipedia: "Today there is still a debate on the question of whether or not Zeno's paradoxes have been resolved."
How isn't it relevant? Your response to it shows its relevance; otherwise you wouldn't have treated it as a counter-argument/refutation of your comments, which it is.
But the basic counter-argument form is still potent even if you don't agree with Zeno's paradoxes (which are still commonly discussed and aren't as easily refuted as you seem to think; taking polls of physicists isn't a proof of motion!). The form of the counter-argument was that a theoretical impossibility isn't very convincing if we have empirical evidence of a phenomenon. (Aristotle believed empty space was impossible and placed the Earth at the center of the universe, but he didn't take into consideration enough empirical data to make such arguments.) So if you aren't convinced of the impossibility of motion, then you must be relying more on theory!
Even if a system is deterministic, our knowledge of the system may well be incomplete. For example, Stephen Hawking ("The Grand Design" in a rejection of his stance in previous books that information might be lost around black holes) and other physicists believe that the real world IS mostly or completely deterministic in principle, but they don't therefore believe that they have perfect theoretical or empirical knowledge of it.
In other words:
(1) Things that seem theoretically convincing can be, and often are, dead wrong. This includes Newton's laws (at least when compared to Einstein in certain contexts, but they work fine for most simple calculations), the geocentric ideology, etc. You need empirical evidence and rigorous testing to prove any particular theory.
(2) Determinism doesn't necessitate knowledge of anything. String theory may one day become a single deterministic theory of everything, or it may end up being dead wrong. Sorry, fellow lovers of wisdom! Knowledge requires justification, not just the existence of a system that supports unchanging truths (whether computers or the physical universe)!
(Also, Zeno's paradoxes aren't directly refuted by modern physics in my opinion. It simply misses the point of Zeno's argument. For example, calculus can't prove that an object is ever in motion because the calculations never precisely arrive at the exact speed -- the additions still go to infinity and just make Zeno's point. It's not as if motion is something modern physicists discovered!!! Physicists aren't necessarily lovers of philosophy, so it isn't surprising that many of them don't take skepticism seriously. Unlike philosophers they tend to dismiss Descartes' demon and The Matrix arguments, except for supporters of Stephen Hawking's model dependent realism!).
Sorry I didn't make these apparent before, but as you see it would have taken this kind of detail to explain my attempt at a witty Zeno remark! Thanks for responding though since I love these kind of discussions, and I expect readers of this kind of site will too!
I don't understand half of what you just said/typed. However, I do say that I've enjoyed this exchange and dialogue.
But, we are getting somewhat off-topic and the posts are getting longer and longer. Let me encourage you all to continue this debate over at our forums. The forums were designed for this type of long debates.
For now, I'd ask that we keep the discussion focused on memory optimizers.
Thank you all for your input.
The main reason I made CleanMem 2 years before I put it on the net was for my customers. A lot of my customers couldn't afford more ram, or just didn't want to spend the money. Also all these machines where XP. Memory would get ate up like candy.
Then things starting going to the page file. Since the Hard Drive is the bottle neck of performance you can see how bad the system would run at this point. Hard drive thrashing galore!
So the goal was to keep the system from pushing the memory to the page file as much as possible. By keeping the system from using to page file to much kept that performance up since the bottleneck of the hard drive was not in the way.
That is how the performance increase comes. This is why the more memory you have the less of an effect you see. Besides helping with memory leaks of course.
That was the goal. Keep the page file to a min. And for 2 years I had it running on customers computers and it worked! the page file issues where much better. HAd user that used autocad, and on a machine with 512 mb of ram. Their system went to a crawl every day. After cleanmem kept autocad cleared they didnt hit the page file any more and the system never went to a crawl again. They saw a great performance increase since the system was being taken down by all the memory being used. So then I released cleanmem on my site, and has been out for a few years now.
Still works, still helps. But as you said the best thing is more memory, and that is totally true. I use it now just for keeping apps that leak clean.
Anyways looking forward to talking more by email if your up to it :-)
Shane
Well this page has gotten to big already. And some users such as Butrick are taking our debate totally wrong. Neither of us is attacking, thus why it is a debate.
I would be more than happy to share some more detail with you on how I have cleanmem doing stuff and how on lower end systems is where I see the most performance. Feel free to email me if you wish to continue the debate. I am having fun with it and learning a few more than things on memory that I had before.
I only focused on Page file and physical. I am liking the new info on standby and such. The problem is everyone uses different terms, which in turn confuses on which parts we are talking about.
But this will be the last I post on here, wasn't excepting it to get this long :-)
Shane
Shane, regardless of whatever "high level" knowledge you purport to have, and this claim is questionable, the fact that your condescending attitude is evident in your replies is more than enough for me and I suppose others as well to completely disregard your comments. You have just wasted your own time and effort.
condescending attitude????
You obviously misunderstood. Low level is not a put down, low level means he knows the lower workings of windows, the deeper part of windows. Where I am on the high level, such as GUI and such. Being a low lever programmer is far better than being a high level. Its simply terms. You notice he understood that and took no offense.
I also clearly let him and everyone know that I respected his view point. Yet to you this is a condescending attitude?
Shane
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