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SweepRAM

July 6, 2007 By 16 Comments

SweepRAM is a memory optimization program that forces all memory-resident applications to use only as much memory as they need, freeing memory in the process.

Let me start by saying that I do not like memory optimizers; I’ve used a number of them over the years (both freeware and shareware) and concluded that the psychological effect taking place in the user’s head is probably bigger than any actual performance benefit taking place inside the computer.

Having said this, let me say that I really like SweepRAM. It is different from most memory optimization programs out there in some important respects, as follows:

sweepram

  • SweepRAM is based on the principle that programs occupying RAM is a GOOD thing (what use is unused RAM anyway?) Unlike other memory optimizers, which attempt to lay claim to as much memory as possible before releasing it (therefore squeezing applications of the memory resources they might need), SweepRAM allows applications to take up as much memory as they need but not more, and frees up many extra memory they might have been using.
  • SweepRAM is not a memory resident app, but can be run on demand whenever needed. It does not need to be installed.

When to use SweepRAM? Whenever you feel like your computer is not performing up to standard. The author actually does not recommend running it too often and/or all the time; here are some suggested usage scenarios from his website:

  • Upon booting first thing after all the memory resident applications (antivirus, anti-malware, clipboard managers, firewalls, etc.) have loaded.
  • Before starting to work on your computer, and, if you’re done working on something and about to start working on something else.

The memory optimization process using SweepRAM is lightning fast; as for the performance improvement… well… I think it is very noticeable, but alas I am being purely subjective. Test it out for yourself and let me know. Note, however, that there are some who do not believe memory optimizers are beneficial and in fact think they are the opposite (see this article).

Compatibility: Windows XP.

The program page no longer exists, but you can download ver. 1.0 of the program here.


 
 
 
Samer Kurdi

Samer Kurdi

Has been reviewing software since 2006 when he started Freewaregenius.com
Samer Kurdi

@freewaregenius

July 6, 2007
Samer Kurdi
16
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  • nerkel

    I must say, this actually worked for me! Whether or not this was really increased RAM, or a sort of placebo effect, I still don’t know, but my windows seemed to load a bit better…

  • http://www.y0himba.net y0himba

    This one works. I was using a shortcut:

    %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

    which works quite well also. However, this one is faster and recovers more available memory.

  • Midas

    Actually the exe I downloaded just now states that it is version 0.0.0.3…

  • http://www.toxzik.com/ Brian

    These programs are useless. I don’t care if I have 99% memory usage. It’s what I bought all the RAM for. :)

  • Samer

    Brian… did you even read the review? I agree that memory optimizers are useless, and that memory usage is a good thing… in fact this program was built with this premise in mind.

  • inspirat

    Does this work in windows vista?

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  • Jerome

    Tried to run the app but got the following message: Sweep Ram.dll was loaded, but the DLLRegisterServer entry point was not found. This file cannot be registered. What did I do wrong?

  • richard

    Appears to work in Vista

  • Sean

    great job

  • http://none anthony

    “RAM Optimizers” are a joke, people. RAM is allocated by the program’s necessity by the OS. Programs need memory to function at all. This is another program to allocate memory to itself so that the computer “feels” faster. At the very best, it will allocate all available memory, thus causing non-essential and unused program memory to be “swapped” to your swap file. Then free it up so that all the used-but-now-swapped memory is free to be used by whichever program you are now using.

    Think of it like how the “rice boys” fix up their cars. With all the wings and stickers they sure look and feel fast, but all they are doing is making themselves feel that way with no real improvement of performance.

    The reason things are slow is not because there isn’t any free RAM, its that your OS is swapping your RAM out to your paging/swap file. Try:

    1. Setting a stack size of 2x to 3x of your available physical RAM. I.E. set your swapfile to 2GB if you have 1GB of physical RAM (The sticks of RAM). Set your swapfile to 1GB if you have 512MB. Suggestions, not the law, increase as necessary.

    2. Close your unused programs and services.

  • Kaji

    *sigh* Some people…
    Please, first read the article, or render thyself.. well.. pretty silly!

  • add

    good

  • http://www.reviewunit.com Review Unit

    this one is as COOL as ICE…..i never knew this one…thanks for sharing…its too cool

  • TacoPaco

    Not better than cleanmem, that does the same but is more efficient. I use both time ago, but cleanmem works much better.

  • LIZ

    the link is no longer active