Although there are a few types of memory leaks in Windows, the most common by far is the problem with standby memory. Going back as far as Windows 7, the standby memory issue is still prevalent in Windows 10. Once your standby memory completely eats up your free memory, your system may begin to lag, and might even crash. Because a memory leak is typically the result of a software bug or glitch, it’s important to keep all your drivers up to date.
Find a Memory Leak With Windows’ Resource Monitor
Resource Monitor is a great built-in tool that will give you a much clearer picture of how Windows is managing your computer’s resources (RAM, CPU, hard drives, etc.). If you suspect an application or process isn’t releasing your standby memory, Resource Monitor is a great place to start observing. The steps below show how to view your system’s memory usage in Windows 10, 8, and 7.
Diagnose a Memory Leak With Windows’ RaMMap
RaMMap is a free tool from Microsoft that will show real-time data on how Windows manages and allocates your RAM. Similar to the Resource Monitor, RaMMap will display standby memory usage, and it runs on Windows 10, 8, and 7. The steps below illustrate how to download and run RaMMap.
Check RAM With Windows’ Memory Diagnostics Tool
Running Windows’ Memory Diagnostics is an excellent way to check your computer’s physical memory thoroughly for any errors.
Empty Standby Memory in Windows With RaMMap
In addition to monitoring your memory usage, RaMMap can also be used to manually empty your standby list.
Clear Standby Memory With Intelligent Standby List Cleaner
Intelligent Standby List Cleaner (ISLC) is a free tool offered by Wagnardsoft that will automatically empty your computer’s standby memory, based on a few editable conditions.
Fix Windows 10 Memory Leak With FreeStandbyMemory.bat
The freestandbymemory.bat script is another useful tool to help mitigate the Windows’ 10 standby memory issues. It runs every 3 minutes automatically in the background and will clear standby memory if your computer’s physical memory drops below 1500 MB. The script is free to download and is designed for Windows 10.
Fix a Memory Leak by Updating Your Drivers
Although there are several tools for checking for outdated drivers, it’s best to go through them one at a time, individually, to ensure everything is up-to-date.
