Modern computers are equipped with a lot of storage space and memory and are quite fast in their operations. But sometimes, a small problem here or there could lead to the slowing down of a computer. One of the main reasons for this is a memory leak.
But what exactly is a memory link, and how does it happen? Can you do anything to resolve this issue? Let’s take a look.
What Is a Memory Leak?
Computer memory is temporarily stored and retrieved from random access memory (RAM) for running various applications.
A memory leak is a portion of an application that uses memory from RAM without finally freeing it. The result is that an app crashes the next time it attempts to use more memory, which can impact on the performance of a computer.
How to Detect a Memory Leak
When the system undergoes a shortage of memory, you are most likely to receive an on-screen warning message along the lines of “running out of memory.: The performance starts degrading and the system begins malfunctioning.
You can find a memory leak by looking at your system’s RAM usage. Running the Windows Performance Monitor can help find a memory leak. You won’t find the source of leakage using this method, but it will help you investigate whether a memory link exists.
To run the Performance monitor, hold Windows Key + R simultaneously to open the Run command. Then, enter mdsched.exe.
After that, click OK and select Restart Now to check problems. The test will start and may take several hours to complete. Follow the on-screen instructions after the completion of the test to detect memory leaks.
The Consequences of Memory Leaks
Consequences depend on the use of client or server applications. The extent of these is listed below.
Client Applications (Desktops and Mobile Phones)
For these, the consequences are not very serious, as the memory allocated is released when the application is terminated. So, there is no system instability. Some problems encountered by excessive memory usage can be:
- Your system may begin slowing down.
- Apps on your computer might close abruptly.
- The computer’s application code allocating memory can crash and cause bugs.
Server Applications
The problem of memory leakage gets worse in this case, as the server has to run for a long time without restarting. The problems here are the same as those in the case of desktop applications. The memory is consumed over days, weeks, months, and the server performance starts degrading. Bugs start to appear, causing the server to stop working eventually.
How to Prevent a Memory Leak
Most programming languages today are included with features to assist developers with automatic memory management. They use a system called Garbage Collector, which helps in freeing up memory that is not in use. There are various types of garbage collectors, and understanding how your application’s garbage collector functions is an important step in preventing memory leaks.
Another method to prevent memory leakage is by writing a code that disposes of unneeded resources. You will be required to write specific code indicating the application that the resource’s work has finished, and there is no further memory use. Ensure that loops are executed completely to avoid memory leak occurrence.
Sometimes, you may need to restart the system to prevent a memory leak. However, doing this can impact open apps. This is therefore the least recommended option, and you should close all apps if you resort to this.
How to Fix a Memory Leak in Windows
Memory leaks may be hard to detect and fix at an early stage of development. However, some of the recommended methods of fixing memory leaks are:
Ending a Program Using the Most Memory
One of the best methods to prevent memory leaks is to terminate the program that is using most of the computer’s memory.
Press CTRL + Shift + ESC keys to start Task Manager. Under the Process tab, find a program using most of the memory. Now, right-click the program to End Task and close this program. Restart your PC and you will find that the memory leak has been wiped off.
Windows 10 has a built-in diagnostics tool to provide accurate analysis in determining the main cause of the problem.
Go to Search, type Windows Memory Diagnostic and click it.
After that, choose Restart now to check for problems. The tool will scan your PC for memory issues, including leakage, and provide you with results for the problems detected.
You can also take the help of a built-in app in Windows 10 known as a Resource Monitor to understand the memory leakage problem. Go to Search, type Resource Monitor, and open it. By clicking Resource Monitor, you can view the real-time data of your system. Analyze the cause of the problem and fix it accordingly.
Adjusting Your PC for the Best Performance
Windows allows you to adjust the setting of your PC with the best performance option.
Right-click your desktop and go to Personalize. In the new window, type Advanced System Settings in the search bar.
After completing the above steps, go to the Advanced tab and click Settings under Performance.
After that, check the Adjust for Best Performance option. Click OK and restart your PC. Your PC is now set to provide you with the best performance.
??How to Disable Programs Running on Start-Up
Sometimes there is a program running on start-up causing a memory leak. To deal with this problem, it is required to disable the app to ensure that it causes no more problems at the start-up.
Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys to open Task Manager and click the Startup tab.
In the new window, find the program you don’t want to run with a PC start-up. The task manager also shows which program is leaking memory. Simply disable it to prevent any memory leakage. Click the program and choose Disable. Finally, restart your PC.
Defragmenting Hard Drives
Besides optimizing the computer’s hard disk, defragmentation results in amazing memory management. On your desktop, click This PC. Right-click the hard drive you want to defragment (most likely C) and select Properties.
Afterward, select the Tools tab and under Optimize and Defragment Drive, click Optimize. Wait for the process to finish. Restart to save changes.
How to Disable Runtime Broker
Disabling Runtime Broker is the process of managing permissions of Microsoft apps on your PC. Usually, Runtime Brokers use a small amount of memory, but in case of a faulty app, the process can significantly slow down your PC.
First, press the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys to open Task Manager and scroll down to find Runtime Broker.
Right-click it and Disable/End Task.
Disabling Windows Tips and Tricks
Tips and Tricks offered by Windows 10 are useful for new users. They guide the users to effectively use the system and assist them with some additional useful options.
Go to the Start Menu of your system and open Settings.
In the new window, under System, select and click Notifications & actions on the left panel.
After completing the steps listed above, find Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows and uncheck it.
Unchecking this option will confirm that you don’t receive messages from Windows. However, you can reverse this option by checking it if you want suggestions from Windows.
Related:
Reduce Memory Leaks and Help Your Computer Perform Better
A memory leak is one of the major causes of the slowing down of a computer. It can be dangerous and lead to serious system stability issues.
Check for driver updates and remove malware from the system, as it also can be the cause of memory leaks. And if you are still encountering slow speed, consider adding more RAM to make your system handle all demanding operations.
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