Desktop and RAM

[TRSmith]

This is one of those questions I know I've asked before, somewhere, and received an answer. Unfortunately, I keep forgetting.

The question is: If you store a bunch of files on your desktop (MAC), does their presence there, instead of literally on the HD, use more RAM?

Thanks!
Tim

 

[Guy Mancuso]

No . It takes HD space but Ram is only used in applications themselves . I believe this is correct. HD and Processor also launch programs. Faster the HD the faster programs open but I think more Ram you can actually have more programs run since it accesses the Ram. Bob and Jack can answer this better but I am pretty sure this is the case but hey i have been wrong before. LOL

 

[TRSmith]

Thanks Guy! That's what I was thinking, but every once in awhile I imagine that once files are on the desktop, they are being carried by the OS and not technically "stored" on the HD. And since the OS resides to some extent in RAM (I think?) then all those loose files would seem to be eating up RAM instead of quietly sitting on the HD. Bad imagination.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I think they sit quietly in the corner until we call upon them to act and in this case PS which uses a ton of Ram.

Tim cool little free program called Istat menus http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatmenus/

which in your menu bar all this system stuff goes in and gives you all system data, ram , HD, fan speed and a bunch more. Really neat little program and free or donation. I have it on both the desktop and laptop. One of the few program extra's i have

 

[dfarkas]

Tim,

The Desktop is just another folder on your primary HD. No RAM is involved.

David

 

[TRSmith]

David, thanks! That's what I needed to hear.

Guy, I'll check that freeware out. Thanks!

Tim

 

[Jack]

To complicate the answer: If you WANT a folder on your desktop to reside in RAM, you can create a ram-disk on your desktop to store it in. Not sure why you'd want to do that unless maybe you had a program you needed to run many, many times in succession on a bunch of individual files...

 

[robsteve]

It may slow the system down a bit upon start up if you have a lot of files scattered on your desktop. It has to render the icons or previews for each one of them when you start up. This probably doesn't matter much if it is just folders, but may for individual files.

It may also affect graphic performance if you have a cluttered desktop and you are dragging windows around and it has to redraw. May even affect Photoshop, if you use PhotoShop in the mode where your normal desktop is the background.

Robert

 

[TRSmith]

My desktop is actually pretty organized. But I do have a folder on there for all the jpegs I post or want quick access to. After awhile it can get pretty big and I just wanted to be sure I wasn't inadvertently putting a drag on RAM.

Thanks all.
Tim

 

[ecliffordsmith]

Hi Tim,

I am not a Mac user but am a UNIX person by trade. As everybody else has stated, the presence of files in a folder should not lead them to occupy RAM. I think Rob made a good point about performance times though.

Have a nice weekend everybody!