Wednesday, January 3, 2018
How to use CrashPlan but not suffer from using so much RAM memory
How to use CrashPlan but not suffer from using so much RAM memory
I use CrashPlan to backup my data as mentioned in a previous article � it�s free for local backups and for sharing HDD space using multiple friends� HDD space. I have noticed that the RAM usage goes up in proportion to the number of files that you have selected to backup � even during the time when the backups are disabled. 
My CrashPlan settings are set to backup only during the hours that I�m not working on my PC and when I�m connected to my home network (where my external HDD is connected). I�m also not working at those times so when CrashPlan is accessing the HDD it doesn�t slow down my PC.
The settings to limit the time that CrashPlan does the backups can be found in the CrashPlan Desktop interface under �Settings->Backup->Between Specified Times�. I have selected From 18:00 to 08:00 and ticked each day � so that backups only happen at night daily. 
I noticed that even when the backup was disabled, the CrashPlanService was using a lot of RAM memory (over 500MB) � and I found my PC swapping to disc all the time � which was slowing my PC down � a bit of a waste! So, I found a way to create a schedule that stopped the CrashPlanService just after 08h00 and start it again just before 18h00.
Creating a scheduled task to kill the service:
Open the �Control Panel->Administrative Tools-> Task Scheduler�
Click into �Microsoft->Windows�: 
Click on �Create Task�: 
Enter name: �Turn OFF CrashPlan service�, under �Triggers� tab: 
Under �Actions� tab: enter Program to run: C:WindowsSystem32 askkill.exe
and under �Add arguments� enter: /IM CrashPlanService.exe /F 
Click OK to save the scheduled task.
Creating a scheduled task to start the service:
Click on �Create Task�: Enter name: �Turn ON CrashPlan service�, under �Triggers� tab: 
Under �Actions� tab: enter Program to run: C:WindowsSystem32 et.exe
and under �Add arguments� enter: start CrashPlanService 
Your tasks list should look like this:
You can test the tasks by right clicking the task and selecting �Run�:
With thanks to Scott Granneman for his blog that describes the steps to do this in Linux.
