Unload.dll’s to Free Memory
March 12, 2008
Windows Explorer caches DLLs (Dynamic-Link Libraries) in memory for a period of time after the application using them has been closed. This can be an inefficient use of memory.
Find the key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer].
Create a new sub-key named ‘AlwaysUnloadDLL’ and set the default value to equal ‘1′ to disable Windows caching the DLL in memory.
Restart Windows for the change to take effect.
Allan, the author said: “I tried this after running a intense program,then watched the task manager; memory recovered it self.”
Popularity: 53% [?]
Ever nice tweak, Thanks a lot
BAD ADVICE
Windows does not immediately unload DLL’s for performance reasons. And it is not only DLL’s that are retained in memory, this is done with program code as well. To do so would be a violation of an important Windows design principle. This is to always find some use for as much memory as possible, even if it is of trivial value. Any use of memory s better than no use at all. Free memory is the absolute ultimate in wasted memory.
Caching has had a long and distinguished history in computer systems and it is highly developed in XP. Windows has a complex and efficient system for reclaiming the memory used by caching when it is needed. Until this occurs there is no need to unload a DLL or otherwise free memory. Reloading a prematurely unloaded DLL will impair performance.
Windows designers know more about memory management than you do. Let caching work for you and improve performance. Do not follow this well meaning but uninformed advice.
Larry Miler
Microsoft MCSA
CompTIA Network+, A+