Memory usage increases after each time the computer wakes up from hibernation

[P4-630]

As the title says: Memory usage increases after each time the computer wakes up from hibernation.
I always use hibernate on my laptop but now and then I restart the laptop completely because it's eating ram, especially when I leave 6 or more tabs open in Chrome. I always leave Chrome and Opera open when hibernating. Why is it doing this.

 

[newtekie1]

Thats an issue I've had with Chrome, it doesn't like to free up RAM properly when it is done using it.

 

[Kursah]

Well, it's probably just reloading all processes and OS resources back to RAM, then it has to figure out what you're unloading/not using and what you are. From how I've come to understand it, as even some page file items are reloaded into RAM until the OS knows what you are doing after the reload. You should notice your memory usage go down.

Chrome tabs can consume decent amounts of RAM for sure...I use hybrid sleep on Win8 for my laptop and have noticed similar.

Is it primarily Chrome you're having issues with on memory consumption?

I can't say it's become a really big issue for me with my 8GB laptop or 16GB workstation using 10-30 tabs on Chrome, sometimes two separate Chrome windows. But regardless, Chrome takes up a surprising amount of memory.

What are you using to monitor memory usage? I recommend Windows 8 Task Manger in advanced mode and even better, for Vista/7/8 is Resource Monitor for the Memory Tab. After a few sleep/hiber cycles, you will see very little actual free RAM because it is all pre-loaded with the next most utilized software and related resources...but is ready to be flushed out should you open a new task or application that needs that RAM address area.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, the OS is designed to handle memory this way and it's quite effective. What's the point of having memory if you're not using it? It's 1000's of times faster than HDD's and SSD's, I'd much rather have my memory full of data than my page file. I know this is beside the point, but in a way it is the point once you understand how Windows uses memory.

 

[P4-630]

Thats an issue I've had with Chrome, it doesn't like to free up RAM properly when it is done using it.

So if I would close Chrome before hibernating the memory usage won't increase.

 

[P4-630]

Well, it's probably just reloading all processes and OS resources back to RAM, then it has to figure out what you're unloading/not using and what you are. From how I've come to understand it, as even some page file items are reloaded into RAM until the OS knows what you are doing after the reload. You should notice your memory usage go down.

Chrome tabs can consume decent amounts of RAM for sure...I use hybrid sleep on Win8 for my laptop and have noticed similar.

Is it primarily Chrome you're having issues with on memory consumption?

I can't say it's become a really big issue for me with my 8GB laptop or 16GB workstation using 10-30 tabs on Chrome, sometimes two separate Chrome windows. But regardless, Chrome takes up a surprising amount of memory.

What are you using to monitor memory usage? I recommend Windows 8 Task Manger in advanced mode and even better, for Vista/7/8 is Resource Monitor for the Memory Tab. After a few sleep/hiber cycles, you will see very little actual free RAM because it is all pre-loaded with the next most utilized software and related resources...but is ready to be flushed out should you open a new task or application that needs that RAM address area.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, the OS is designed to handle memory this way and it's quite effective. What's the point of having memory if you're not using it? It's 1000's of times faster than HDD's and SSD's, I'd much rather have my memory full of data than my page file. I know this is beside the point, but in a way it is the point once you understand how Windows uses memory.

Yes it's primarily Chrome, I'm using the microsoft CPU/RAM meter gadget on Windows 8.1.
I have 8GB of memory so I won't be running out anytime soon, but just noticed it.

 

[Kursah]

Well the meter gadget is fine, but it's not telling the whole story like Resource Monitor will.

I wouldn't worry too much, I run 2X the tabs you do on average in Chrome on my Dell 3540, and even when I had 4GB of RAM I was fine. No issues at all with 8GB. Sure I have used a surprising amount of memory for just Chrome, it's never been a red flag for me. I hope it won't be for you moving forward!

In all fairness, why not just use hybrid sleep? Why are you using hibernation directly? Not saying there's anything wrong with it, just curious. Windows 8.1 shutdown itself is a sort of hibernation variety...at least for MinWin or whatever the base OS core is called. That's why it boots so damn fast.

I like hybrid sleep because it gives me 2-3 hours of instant on, and then after that it goes into hibernation. I lose about 1% battery in that 2-3 hour span. That might just be my experience with it though, but going from class-to-class or even class-to-work, it's nice to have instant on or resume.

 

[P4-630]

Well the meter gadget is fine, but it's not telling the whole story like Resource Monitor will.

I wouldn't worry too much, I run 2X the tabs you do on average in Chrome on my Dell 3540, and even when I had 4GB of RAM I was fine. No issues at all with 8GB. Sure I have used a surprising amount of memory for just Chrome, it's never been a red flag for me. I hope it won't be for you moving forward!

In all fairness, why not just use hybrid sleep? Why are you using hibernation directly? Not saying there's anything wrong with it, just curious. Windows 8.1 shutdown itself is a sort of hibernation variety...at least for MinWin or whatever the base OS core is called. That's why it boots so damn fast.

I like hybrid sleep because it gives me 2-3 hours of instant on, and then after that it goes into hibernation. I lose about 1% battery in that 2-3 hour span. That might just be my experience with it though, but going from class-to-class or even class-to-work, it's nice to have instant on or resume.

I start my laptop in the morning and have it all day running, at night before I go to bed I use hibernate to shut it down.

 

[newtekie1]

Actually, I just noticed you have an SSD. I'd disable hibernation completely to free up the 8GB of space on the SSD and use sleep during the day and completely shutting down at night. With the SSD, Windows should boot plenty fast, you probably won't even notice the difference between booting normally and restoring from hibernation.

 

[eidairaman1]

Computers today with ssds shouldnt really need to be put in hibernation.

 

[xBruce88x]

while an SSD uses less power than a traditional HDD the other parts of the computer are still using power. things like wifi, cpu, gpu, ram, etc, etc are still drawing power while the computer is powered up. hibernation allows these things to go to a lower power state/turn off while the user isn't well.. using it. When in a school environment or work environment where you may not always have access to a power outlet, every bit of saved battery life helps.

 

[Kursah]

while an SSD uses less power than a traditional HDD the other parts of the computer are still using power. things like wifi, cpu, gpu, ram, etc, etc are still drawing power while the computer is powered up. hibernation allows these things to go to a lower power state/turn off while the user isn't well.. using it. When in a school environment or work environment where you may not always have access to a power outlet, every bit of saved battery life helps.

Yes, but on a W8.1 laptop as the OP has, with a haswell-based CPU as the OP has, I'm here to tell you that hybrid sleep is very very efficient. If I'm only losing 1, maaaaybe 2% for a 3-hour sleep session prior to the system powering down into a Windows 8.1 hibernation/shutdown mode, I really don't think that's a deal breaker. I've verified this is THAT effective on over a dozen laptops of varying brands from Asus, HP, Dell, and Lenovo. As a full-time student and employee in IT, I use my laptop daily, and I find Windows 8.1 hybrid sleep is extremely effective and useful. I can get back to work super fast, and with such a minimal loss of juice it seems worth it to me.

I can't validate his exact losses from using this method, but if my low-end Asus with a shitty battery life of 3.5-4 hours web browsing has the same percentage loss as my Dell that lasts 7-8 hours browsing, that's impressive. I also realize that battery life measurements aren't exactly perfect..but ultimately, power saving technology from software to hardware is quite effective this generation.

 

[newtekie1]

while an SSD uses less power than a traditional HDD the other parts of the computer are still using power. things like wifi, cpu, gpu, ram, etc, etc are still drawing power while the computer is powered up. hibernation allows these things to go to a lower power state/turn off while the user isn't well.. using it. When in a school environment or work environment where you may not always have access to a power outlet, every bit of saved battery life helps.

Use sleep. The power savings you get with hibernate over sleep is basically negated by the time it takes to do a full power POST when you use hibernate as well as the time to go into hibernation. Plus since the hiberfile is stored on the C drive, if you have 8GB of RAM, you are wasting 8GB of SSD space. But if you are like me, and have 32GB or 24GB of RAM, that is a lot of space on a SSD to be wasted.

 

[xBruce88x]

yes a sleep mode would be preferable to hibernation