Unload Unnecessary DLLs From Memory - Good Idea?

[Guest Daddy]

I have Windows XP Home SP 3.

 

Normally, when you close a program, any associated DLLs it has been using should also be closed.

 

I have read that this doesn't always happen - sometimes DLLs no longer needed are not closed - and that this can result in a sluggish and unstable system. There is a registry edit published to allegedly fix this problem: In HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer you create a new DWORD value called AlwaysUnloadDll and give it a value of 1. This is supposed to ensure that unneeded DLLs are always unloaded from memory when their associated program closes.

 

I like to think I have a pretty advanced level of knowledge, and I've certainly worked in the registry before, but I do like to be very cautious just the same. So before I even consider doing this, I want to ask about it first.

 

Is this 'problem' really such a problem?

 

Does the proposed fix have a dark side?

 

Thanks for your candid advice.

 

Daddy

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: Unload Unnecessary DLLs From Memory - Good Idea?

 

Daddy wrote:

> I have Windows XP Home SP 3.

>

> Normally, when you close a program, any associated DLLs it has been using

> should also be closed.

>

> I have read that this doesn't always happen

 

Right.

> - sometimes DLLs no longer needed

> are not closed

 

Who is to know for sure that it isn't really needed anymore? Which

program is omnipotent enough to make that call?

>- and that this can result in a sluggish and unstable system.

 

Balderdash.

> There is a registry edit published to allegedly fix this problem: In

> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer you create a new

> DWORD value called AlwaysUnloadDll and give it a value of 1. This is

> supposed

> to ensure that unneeded DLLs are always unloaded from memory when their

> associated program closes.

>

> I like to think I have a pretty advanced level of knowledge, and I've

> certainly worked in the registry before, but I do like to be very cautious

> just the same. So before I even consider doing this, I want to ask about

> it

> first.

>

> Is this 'problem' really such a problem?

 

No.

> Does the proposed fix have a dark side?

 

Yes, potentially. Just like the so called "registry cleaners" (cough).

> Thanks for your candid advice.

>

> Daddy