Interesting results of steam experiment

[ZoFreX]

After reading the "Steam slowing down half-life 2" thread, I decided to try opening all the steam windows and close them all again, whilst watching memory usage.

Then, just for kicks, I did it again. And again. Every time, memory usage went up some more.

It seems to be the browse games window that does it, but whatever the cause this really smells of "memory leak" to me. Can you guys try this yourselves, as it might just be my craaazy computer

 

[CriYam]

Well, aside from memory leaks I think the big issue is with the game having to constantly speak with steam causing lag spikes. :/

 

[Asuka]

You guys sure its not your comps? ALL my friends never had any problems with steam. Doesnt ever lag, loads fast, updates fast, etc.

 

[gweedodogg69]

I have a P4 2.66 GHz laptop, Radeon IGP 345M DX7 , 512mb (128 shared with video)PC 2100 RAM and I have no problems running HL2. I used to but a good reformat, newest ATI drivers since I used the thing to mod the catalysts to be used on my card from driverheaven.net, and I haven't had a problem. Only thing was, HL2 kept sayin my card was DX6 and everything looked sucky. So I forced DX7 and everything is all good. HL2 will play better on my new PC though

 

[ZoFreX]

This isn't a general rant against / praise for steam thread, god knows we have enough of those already. I'm just wondering if anyone else can confirm this memory leak?

 

[Reaktor4]

I had steam open so tried it. Memory usage started at 9mb, kept going up the first couple of times but then stopped at 25mb, and is staying there even after all the windows are closed but its not really changing now.

 

[MajorPayne]

After reading the "Steam slowing down half-life 2" thread, I decided to try opening all the steam windows and close them all again, whilst watching memory usage.

Then, just for kicks, I did it again. And again. Every time, memory usage went up some more.

It seems to be the browse games window that does it, but whatever the cause this really smells of "memory leak" to me. Can you guys try this yourselves, as it might just be my craaazy computer

This is possible (I have not observed it on my system myself), but if this is the case, and opening the steam WINDOW is the cause, then why not just make a shortcut to the desktop for each game -- they you never open the steam window at all!

 

[destrukt]

of course the memory usage goes up, anything you open will do that. it just depends on how much it uses.

 

[Neutrino]

of course the memory usage goes up, anything you open will do that. it just depends on how much it uses.

I believe he's saying it keeps going up every time you reopen it and does not go back down when you close it. That is not normal.

I truly hate steam. I open it once and it uses 40MB of memory. I'm seriously considering not even buying any more Valve games because of it. (Mostly for other reasons, not just the memory use issue.)

 

[Neutrino]

Edit to above post:

Ok, he seems to be right about the memory leak thing or whatever it is. If I open steam it starts at 40MB. Then if I open other steam windows and then shut them down a couple times it goes up to 52MB and never comes back down even when they are all closed again. Tried it multiple times too.

Edit 2: Actually something is going on far worse than that even. It seems to just keep going up. I opened steam and opened each windows a couple times and closed them until all windows were closed again. Steam then proceeds to increase its memory usage steadily without any further input. It goes on like this for about five minutes until it finally stopped at 75MB. What the hell?

 

[jameth]

minimise the windows before you close it.

 

[diluted]

Steam feeds on RAM. It's the only way it can survive.

 

[The Mullinator]

Ok here is how much RAM Steam is taking up on my computer after over 2 hours of use and having 1 window up, and its updating at the same time.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v624/Mullinator/?action=view&current=DesktopSteam.jpg

Notice its only 10mb?

The thing taking up 99% of my CPU power is one of those grid computing programs. I don't know why so many people seem to have Steam taking up around 45mb because I have never seen Steam go beyond 20mb for me.

 

[Asus]

Windows does keep some data in it's memory incase it needs to reuse it soon after. It doesn't flush it out right away.

 

[Danimal]

You guys sure its not your comps? ALL my friends never had any problems with steam. Doesnt ever lag, loads fast, updates fast, etc.

That is because they use nuclear generators to run thier computers

 

[ZoFreX]

Windows does keep some data in it's memory incase it needs to reuse it soon after. It doesn't flush it out right away.

If it's keeping the memory there in case it needs to use it again, surely it doesn't need to take up more memory when you open the window again? The usage shouldn't keep going up everytime you open and close a window.

After a couple of times it doesn't go up by much, but it does keep going up. On my computer steam takes up around 23 megs of RAM, over 40 if I open half-life 2.