Issue with CTD/Freezing = "not enough Memory" when running high-mem intensity Games.

pinkempyreal

Honorable
Oct 19, 2012
8
0
10,510
To start, this is a game related issue, most specifically TES V: Skyrim. I'd like to add my System Specs well exceed the "Recommended" for this game. And a note per memory usage of application, this game is capped at using no more than 4gb of RAM.

So before I begin here are my system specs as per DXDIAG (some seemingly unimportant information omitted, please post if you need it):
And please forgive any newbish/layman understanding that I have.

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System Information
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Time of this report: 6/12/2013, 02:01:03
Machine name: BRIE-HP
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.130318-1533)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System Model: p7-1234
BIOS: Ver: HOL_723.ROM vHOL7.23
Processor: AMD A6-3650 APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics (4 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 7154MB RAM
Page File: 2095MB used, 345057MB available
Windows Dir: C:\windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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Card name: AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x6819)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6819&SUBSYS_27301462&REV_00
Display Memory: 4095 MB
Dedicated Memory: 2030 MB
Shared Memory: 2065 MB
Current Mode: 1600 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: HP 2011xi
Monitor Id: HWP3018
Native Mode: 1600 x 900(p) (60.000Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1172 (English)
Driver Version: 9.12.0.0
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 12/19/2012 15:08:04, 1151488 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2B59-11CF-4673-3A07BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x6819
SubSys ID: 0x27301462
Revision ID: 0x0000
Driver Strong Name: oem121.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.1:ati2mtag_R575B:9.12.0.0:pci\ven_1002&dev_6819
Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x32315659) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC1,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC2,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC3,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC4,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S340,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S342,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
DXVA-HD: Not Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled

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Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
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Drive: C:
Free Space: 352.2 GB
Total Space: 936.5 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: Hitachi HDS721010CLA630 SATA Disk Device

OK. The issue I am having is that any game I play maxes out at around 2.5gb of memory usage. Why? When I have 8gb of RAM? Now I know that system hardware automatically needs to allocate it's own usage (mine seemingly being at 1038mb, w/ some few allowances), and of course necessary system resources will begin to add to that.
However, what I have been noticing is that upon a fresh boot of my computer, my "Free" memory is usually upwards of 5654mb available, but given no less than a few minutes idle time (with NO processes initiated on my part) it reads from about 2644mb available.

I guess my misunderstanding here is, well, why? It seems my "Cached" memory steadily increases over a very small amount of time thus, when I play a game that demands a lot of memory usage (e.g. Skyrim), the application either crashes/freezes when it exceeds what is "Free".
Now an example I have tested a few times over with the specific game mentioned above: I load a save in a very taxing area (Right after a fresh reboot, and no other Apps initiated my me); my in game memory tracker reads approx: 1957 MB. I enter another taxing cell in the game: approx 2358. Now, I tab over to my Task Manager and I've barely 100 "Free" memory.
I can understand that 2358mb is a lot of used Memory at any given time, however my "Cached" memory scores upwards of 3000mb, which, in my mind, is what is taking away from any available resources I need to play the game. And, keep in mind this is immediately after a fresh reboot.

I guess my main question would be what is all this "Cached" memory going towards? Why is it necessary (especially when the main system processes demand less than half as much?)? And, well, what can I do? If I need to add more memory, than OK, but I've read so many times that anywhere upwards of 8gb for gaming is just a waste. But why am I having this issue?

Please, if you need any more information let me know.