Am I doing anything wrong? (Task Killers/Memory)

[W4LLY]

Before you start rolling your eyes and bashing me, I've been here on the forums since I got my Eris the day before thanksgiving and have tried my best to help and share all knowledge gained and offered my tips and services. I've been with the phone now for 3 months and love it, it's my baby <3. All this is is trying to optimize it to it's fullest. This is NOT a bashing thread, I just want some answers without "omg ur stupid lolz". There are a lot of intelligent people on here like Caddy and OTD, so I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

I've honestly been quiet on here lately because I dont' really have any problems with my phone . Like i said, this is me just wanting to know the trust/best way to use my phone.

I read OTD's Signature link to "Why you shouldn't use a Task Killer"

It all makes sense to me. I understand that the coding does it's job and auto-kills things. I'm scared though, and want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong.

I have been using Advanced Task Manager for a while, and it's the only thing that keeps my phone from lagging to a halt.

Maybe you guys' can help me understand my phone better, so I won't have to rely on this.

This is what I have at the moment:

providers.htccdma
Quick Calander (Exclude from end all)
Foursqure
Start Up Auditor (Exclude)**
Handscent (Exclude)
ATM
Beautiful Widgets (Exclude)

Free MEM: 34mb, Number of Processes: 7.

The process tab also has stuff like Sense running, but also Stocks (which I dont use..but if i kill it, they come back).

Now, when I start my phone up, with all things killed, the most I ever saw was 80mb.

1.) Do we know what the memory capacity is on this device, or if this information is even close to accurate?

2.) I notice that when the phone get's down below what it is now, it starts to lag a bit. Is this just me.

3.) Am I doing something wrong? If so, PLEASE tell me.

I love my phone, the only thing I can say bad about it at all is the random bits of lagging up. I know some don't experience this, but I don't know.

*I've been using Start Up Auditor, and it does a good job of keeping the default message program from popping up as well as a few other things. Is it bad of me to be doing this, since the system will automatically do it?

 

[Scynthetic78]

Have you tried clearing your cache?

 

[ericlmccormick]

A task killer is good for occasional use, like when you first boot or you install something that goes rouge. Outside of that, the system will take care of itself. The only thing I have really had a problem with are home replacements. I have tried a bunch and even though most are cool, they make the system lag like crazy for the most part. And the only other time I have had lag is when running multiple things that take a lot of CPU cycles and bandwidth. Such as running Pandora, Waze and Browser all at the same time.
Some programs really do not like being shut down through a task killer, one of these is Locale, great program, worth the money, but if I kill it accidentally through a 3rd party program I have to reboot the phone before it starts up again.
Most programs, when not in use don't use any cycles but the killing and restarting will use cycles and therefore can kill your battery faster. If you have a problem with they system lagging, use a task manager to see which program is causing the problem and kill only that. Also make sure that when you exit out of program, you use the back button and not home, it makes a difference.
Hope this helps

 

[W4LLY]

I have 0 Battery issues. My battery always get's me trough the day. I do use the back button to close out.

I like my kill-switch. Because sometimes I don't have time to wait for the phone to kill the idle tasks by itself...and i need to use my phone to look something up quickly, or answer a call.

 

[pjwren13]

I understand the whole process of using the back button to exit out of most programs but what about the browser if you hit the back button it goes back to the previous viewed page?

 

[jamezelle]

Before you start rolling your eyes and bashing me, I've been here on the forums since I got my Eris the day before thanksgiving and have tried my best to help and share all knowledge gained and offered my tips and services. I've been with the phone now for 3 months and love it, it's my baby <3. All this is is trying to optimize it to it's fullest. This is NOT a bashing thread, I just want some answers without "omg ur stupid lolz". There are a lot of intelligent people on here like Caddy and OTD, so I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

I've honestly been quiet on here lately because I dont' really have any problems with my phone . Like i said, this is me just wanting to know the trust/best way to use my phone.

I read OTD's Signature link to "Why you shouldn't use a Task Killer"

It all makes sense to me. I understand that the coding does it's job and auto-kills things. I'm scared though, and want to make sure I'm not doing something wrong.

I have been using Advanced Task Manager for a while, and it's the only thing that keeps my phone from lagging to a halt.

Maybe you guys' can help me understand my phone better, so I won't have to rely on this.

This is what I have at the moment:

providers.htccdma
Quick Calander (Exclude from end all)
Foursqure
Start Up Auditor (Exclude)**
Handscent (Exclude)
ATM
Beautiful Widgets (Exclude)

Free MEM: 34mb, Number of Processes: 7.

The process tab also has stuff like Sense running, but also Stocks (which I dont use..but if i kill it, they come back).

Now, when I start my phone up, with all things killed, the most I ever saw was 80mb.

1.) Do we know what the memory capacity is on this device, or if this information is even close to accurate?

2.) I notice that when the phone get's down below what it is now, it starts to lag a bit. Is this just me.

3.) Am I doing something wrong? If so, PLEASE tell me.

I love my phone, the only thing I can say bad about it at all is the random bits of lagging up. I know some don't experience this, but I don't know.

*I've been using Start Up Auditor, and it does a good job of keeping the default message program from popping up as well as a few other things. Is it bad of me to be doing this, since the system will automatically do it?

to start off "bash bash roll eyes.....oh and your stupid" JUST KIDDING!!!


nah but seriously

1) ram the max is 288MB source HTC Droid Eris (HTC Desire) Specs | Technical Specifications | PDAdb.net - Comprehensive Database of PDA, PDA Phone, Smartphone, PNA & Mobile Device Specifications (ooh a link to back me up....not trolling )
but of course the android core (acore) takes up a lot as well as the radio (calls data sms) yea that all uses ram! so for apps running we have a lot less to work with.

2) yea at that point it will bog a bit

3) no....your not. when we get root and you run a basic android rom it will fly because sense takes a lot of ram to run. so it can lag sometimes.

 

[aleis]

i just found the widget for advanced task killer lol
my only thing is, i use google listen, tunewiki with keepscreen. if i forget and leave these running...android does not kill them. the battery dies before then do!
keepscreen makes it so that the screen stays on for whatever app u specify. i need that so when im using google maps it doesnt go to sleep. or when im using tunewiki while driving the screen stays up so i can change music.
its MY preference. so if i get a call and forget to close those apps (which by the way do not have dedicated end or close options) i have to use taskmanager or they will drain my battery. so for me it works, i am past the point of debating it.
so, do whatever works best for your applications.

 

[jkmasi]

providers.htccdma -Can anyone tell me what this is?

I uninstalled Beautiful widgets because I think it caused sudden bouts of crippling lag. I haven't had lag so severely since I uninstalled.

 

[rmartin27]

When the eris gets to 30mb or less is when you will see your lag. I normally boot up with 103mb after I turn it on and then kill my apps. Clearing your browser cache is important. I do mine about everyday.

 

[W4LLY]

Yea, been doing the cache thing, no biggie. I do want to know what the provider is.

I understand that Sense takes up alot of ram/causes lag...but that's one of the 2 main reasons I got this and not a droid or the Motorola Devour.

 

[Frisco]

I understand the whole process of using the back button to exit out of most programs but what about the browser if you hit the back button it goes back to the previous viewed page?

Yes. And I'm not sure what the advantage of that is; I tested it by simply browsing the web for a while, backing out via hitting the back arrow, then checking the cache.

Then cleared the cache, browsed the exact same news pages (CNN and CBS News), killed the browser on the last page by hitting the home button, then checked the cache and it was within a few kilos of the same size as when backing out.

So, the cache stores it all and needs to be cleared irrespective of how the browser is exited. My question is similar to yours; what advantage is there in backing out of the browser? There may be one, but it is not reducing the cache size (which would seem obvious anyway, but I did want to be sure and tested it, this being a phone device and not my laptop computer).

 

[OfTheDamned]

Yes. And I'm not sure what the advantage of that is; I tested it by simply browsing the web for a while, backing out via hitting the back arrow, then checking the cache.

Then cleared the cache, browsed the exact same news pages (CNN and CBS News), killed the browser on the last page by hitting the home button, then checked the cache and it was within a few kilos of the same size as when backing out.

So, the cache stores it all and needs to be cleared irrespective of how the browser is exited. My question is similar to yours; what advantage is there in backing out of the browser? There may be one, but it is not reducing the cache size (which would seem obvious anyway, but I did want to be sure and tested it, this being a phone device and not my laptop computer).

With the browser the main reason to back out is that the cpu does not continue to run as it does when you simply hit the home button. When you close out on a static page (like the google homepage) the memory is set free a little more quickly than with other pages. Pages that have flash and constant updating tend to remain open for a while longer in the memory.

These have been my findings at any rate. I am sure that someone will come along to argue with everything I just said shortly.

 

[W4LLY]

OTD: Do you know what the providers.htc is?

Also, I'm curious what apps you run on a typical basis, if that's not too intrusive.

 

[OfTheDamned]

OTD: Do you know what the providers.htc is?

Also, I'm curious what apps you run on a typical basis, if that's not too intrusive.

Do you mean com.htc.providers? I think this has something to do with the web connections for peep, weather, etc. The only thing I have really ever seen about it is when someone has a problem with a "connected" htc application.

The apps that I run on a fairly regular basis are:

Aldiko Reader
Ambling BookPlayer
Astraware Sudoku
Browser
Documents to Go
FeedR
EasyMoney
Gentle Alarm
Google Talk
Gmail
Magic 8-Ball
Million Dollar Poker
Music Junk
OI Safe
Pandora
Peep
People
Shazam
Shop Savvy
Slacker
Speed Forge 3D
SportsTap
Texas Hold'em Red Poker Club
USA Today
Google Voice
Waze
WeatherBug Elite
Wolrd Poker Tour

Widgets:
Photo Album
Music Player
HTC toggles - Wifi, Bluetooth, Gps, Mobile
SportsTap
Clock/weather
Calendar (mini version)
People (mini version)
Bookmarks
Peep
HTC battery

 

[Frisco]

With the browser the main reason to back out is that the cpu does not continue to run as it does when you simply hit the home button. When you close out on a static page (like the google homepage) the memory is set free a little more quickly than with other pages. Pages that have flash and constant updating tend to remain open for a while longer in the memory.

Great info. Was that tested by monitoring the CPU? If so, how?

 

[OfTheDamned]

Great info. Was that tested by monitoring the CPU? If so, how?

I noticed it when I had Astro on my phone at one point.

 

[cmack]

I posted the following text on another thread. Simply put, this elaborates on what OTD is saying about backing out:


Try an experiment and you will no longer question yourself:

First, make sure you have Astro file manager on your phone. Then the first time, open your web browser and browse around and hit the home key. Go into Astro -> Processes and see what the CPU is (who cares about the memory, the CPU is what will slow the phone down). When I did this, my browser was using 56% of the CPU.

Now go back to the browser, browse around and hit the back button to get out (or open a new window, close the window you were using and then back out). Now open Astro and see what your CPU is at. Mine is at 0% when I do that.

Hope this helps.

 

[pjwren13]

OTD with all those programs how much storage memory do you have left. I uninstalled a few programs I liked having but rarely used because my internal phone memory got down to about 68 % remaining and I thought that it might be causing the phone to lag. With all those programs how much do you have left?

 

[OfTheDamned]

OTD with all those programs how much storage memory do you have left. I uninstalled a few programs I liked having but rarely used because my internal phone memory got down to about 68 % remaining and I thought that it might be causing the phone to lag. With all those programs how much do you have left?

Just looked and I am at 56 right now. I have not cleared my cache today though and I have been online a bit. Those aren't all my apps though. Most of mine don't take up too much room though. The big ones for me are speed forge (7Mb), docs2go (7Mb) and word poker tour (5.5Mb). Most of the others are 2 Mb and below.

 

[smacky]

Do you mean com.htc.providers? I think this has something to do with the web connections for peep, weather, etc. The only thing I have really ever seen about it is when someone has a problem with a "connected" htc application.

The apps that I run on a fairly regular basis are:

Aldiko Reader
Ambling BookPlayer
Astraware Sudoku
Browser
Documents to Go
FeedR
EasyMoney
Gentle Alarm
Google Talk
Gmail
Magic 8-Ball
Million Dollar Poker
Music Junk
OI Safe
Pandora
Peep
People
Shazam
Shop Savvy
Slacker
Speed Forge 3D
SportsTap
Texas Hold'em Red Poker Club
USA Today
Google Voice
Waze
WeatherBug Elite
Wolrd Poker Tour

Widgets:
Photo Album
Music Player
HTC toggles - Wifi, Bluetooth, Gps, Mobile
SportsTap
Clock/weather
Calendar (mini version)
People (mini version)
Bookmarks
Peep
HTC battery

Really? I know you get lag, but it doesn't bother you how bad it is with all that running?

 

[Ryobi]

I call BS. Backing out of the browser does absolutely nothing.

 

[OfTheDamned]

Really? I know you get lag, but it doesn't bother you how bad it is with all that running?

Not all of that is running. Those are just the apps I run on a regular basis. I really don't have any lag, with the exception of the keyboard in landscape.

BTW, I just cleared my cache and I have 67 Mb free now. Also, I noticed that Waze is up to 6 Mb and Slacker is up to 4 Mb. Since both of these store data and not cache the will be uninstalled and reinstalled later tonight.

I call BS. Backing out of the browser does absolutely nothing.

Ok, if that is what you prefer to believe. I go by what I have done and what works for me. Since I always back out of the browser and I don't have any problems then I will stick with it. You do what you like.

 

[Ryobi]

Ok, if that is what you prefer to believe. I go by what I have done and what works for me. Since I always back out of the browser and I don't have any problems then I will stick with it. You do what you like.

TaskPanel Lite all the way baby! Give it a try, it won't bite.

 

[OfTheDamned]

TaskPanel Lite all the way baby! Give it a try, it won't bite.

Do I look like someone that is afraid of things biting?

I really don't need any of that stuff on my phone. It runs just fine on its own.

 

[patches152]

just as a sort of point of reference, i cleared my cache (it's set to 6MB max in the browser settings, idk how much of that it was actually using) and my app memory went from like 23-26MB all the way up to 36MB.

i'm an ex-blackberry user and i sort of got the app memory/check open apps OCD from that, but i'm learning quickly to forget it and just use the phone.

so as far as performance slipping, should we even use a task killer or will an occasional reboot suffice?