What is Memory?

Memory is where your computer stores its information while it is running. In contrast to your hard disk, memory is very fast. That's why it exists in the first place; memory is the only medium fast enough to store your information while your computer is actually working on it. Memory can't store information permanently though; when your computer is turned off, memory is erased. It's also very expensive, much too expensive to store everything like your hard disk does.

Does MemoryBoost help on powerful computers?

The short answer is "yes, absolutely." The long answer appears below.

People often think of the amount of free memory indicating how fast their computers will run. This is close to the truth, but it misses a very important point. No matter how much or how little free memory you have, your computer will run at top-speed. It's only when you run out of free memory that your computer will slow down, and it will slow down dramatically. When it runs out of memory, your computer must use your hard disk as "virtual memory;" your hard disk is hundreds of times slower than memory, meaning your computer starts to grind. Many are familiar with this situation.

The reason people think of free memory indicating how fast their computers will run is that, statistically speaking, the more free memory you have the less likely you'll run out. In practice, if I have a lot of free memory my computer will run at top-speed even if I start a new program because I probably won't run out of memory. The amount of free memory doesn't impact computer speed at all; it just impacts the likelihood that the computer will run out of memory, which itself heavily impacts computer speed. MemoryBoost addresses the middle problem: running out of memory.

But you say, "I have a ton of memory--I spent a lot of money on it--and I have the latest Windows, which is supposed to be really stable and powerful." The key point here is that no matter how much memory you have or which version of Windows, programs always use more memory than they give back when they're done. No matter what you're doing, over time your memory will get smaller and smaller, eventually reaching dangerous levels. Depending on your computer, this may take hours to days to even a week. But it will happen. And when it does happen, your computer's performance will begin to sag. It may also become unstable.

The impact MemoryBoost has on your computer, if you have a powerful one, may not be instantaneous. It will not come when you don't need it; it will come when you need it the most. When you're working on something important that's very big, and you've been working on it for a long time. This is when memory often becomes low, and when MemoryBoost's continual freeing of memory will allow your computer to run at top-speed and remain stable. MemoryBoost is very much like insurance.

What are System Resources?

System resources are a special part of memory that Windows uses to draw things on the screen, open files, and perform other menial but important and frequent tasks. System resources are important because, on Windows 95, 98 and ME, they are limited in size (in contrast, Windows NT, 2000 and XP can expand the system resources if necessary). If system resources are exhausted, your computer effectively grinds to an immediate halt. Since system resources are used for everything, the computer doesn't even have the chance to display a warning window, or take necessary steps to protect your computer. Because system resources are so precious, computers often crash when they become scarce.

There is no good way around this problem. On the aforementioned Windows versions, the amount of system resources is strictly limited. No matter how much memory you buy, or how fast your computer is, your system resources will never expand and the danger of losing them will never diminish. Unlike conventional memory, there is no way to reclaim dead system resources or compact the existing ones--the technology MemoryBoost uses to increase your memory cannot be used on system resources. No application can ever solve this problem, because system resources are managed deep inside Windows. They are so fundamental to the way Windows works, it's impossible to manage them from outside.

MemoryBoost takes steps to try to avoid crash-prone situations, when your system resources become low. It constantly monitors your system resources, and if they reach a dangerous level it will optionally notify you. MemoryBoost can immediately stop your running programs if your computer is really in danger of crashing. But the real benefit is that MemoryBoost will notify you before your computer is really in bad shape, giving you the opportunity to save your work and exit your programs before anything bad happens.

On Windows NT-based systems (Windows NT, 2000 and XP), system resources are just as important but the system can expand them as necessary. You effectively cannot run out of system resources on Windows NT-based systems.

What does MemoryBoost do, and why is it important?

Memory is the most precious resource in your computer. It's very fast; that's where all your computer's work is done. It's also very expensive; you probably have a hundred times more hard-drive space than you have memory. As long as you have free memory in your computer, your programs can run at top-speed. When your memory runs out, your computer has to use the hard disk as "virtual memory," which slows your computer down tremendously and can cause crashes. You can learn more about memory in the memory article.

MemoryBoost actively maintains your free memory. Programs let objects (or data) leak into memory while they run, and never reclaim them. Almost all programs do this. Over time, no matter how much memory you have, your memory will dwindle. MemoryBoost reclaims leaked objects for your computer; it sweeps memory to find them, and then moves them out of memory. MemoryBoost can keep your memory level safe indefinitely; Windows will not do this on its own.

MemoryBoost also watches a very special part of memory called the system resources. You can read the system resources article to learn more about them. This special memory is crucial to the operation of your computer; when it runs out, your computer will become very unreliable and probably crash altogether. MemoryBoost watches the system resources and warns you before something bad happens. This can help you avoid the single greatest source of computer crashes.

MemoryBoost is engineered to run inconspicuously. When MemoryBoost is running, you may not even notice that it is there. On computers with a modest to medium amount of memory, MemoryBoost may make an immediate impact, helping your computer to run faster instantly. On computers with a large amount of memory, you may only notice the difference when you're hard at work and have been working for a while. No matter how powerful your computer, or how much memory you have, your memory is always being lost. It's just a matter of time before it becomes problematic; MemoryBoost strives to keep this from happening at all. In many senses MemoryBoost is like an insurance policy. You may not think of it much while it's running, but when something goes wrong, it may make a world of difference.

In total, MemoryBoost seeks to improve computer performance and reliability by managing your memory. On some computers, the effect will be instantaneous and noticeable; on others, it may occur gradually over a period of time, making significant contributions only when the computer is under stress or has been running for a long time. Stability and performance are very important to all computer users, no matter what their interests or applications or level of expertise. MemoryBoost tries to address both of these issues in a way that is accessible for everyone.