Hi,
EDIT**-- I think I should be asking what the Performance Meters in Platinum represent, whether it's RAM or CPU. It seems when compared to the Windows 10 Task Mgr reading, the Sys Mem Usage meter in Sonar is reflecting overall System RAM usage as opposed to only showing CPU usage of Sonar itself. I'm fairly new to Platinum, and if I'm not mistaken, I remember in Sonar 8, the meters said specifically "CPU". Right clicking on the Performance Meter brings up three options, and although it says "CPU Options", when I change to any of those options, the percentage seems to remain the same. I could be just getting confused about the terminology here, sorry if this is the case! I know Windows 10 uses 1.5-2.0GB to operate, and add to that with Sonar open.
 
What should my system memory usage be averaging for a project with only one audio clip and no VSTs or FX loaded? I seem to remember my CPU being only 5% or so at the start of a project with minimal tracks, now I'm seeing it around 28%, which seems odd to me. I've read some other posts regarding this, but I haven't seen a definitive solution so far.  As a test I just loaded a "New Project" with nothing recorded, and the CPU is at 21%.
 
I'm running v2017.05. I don't have any other programs running in the background, and I don't remember any major W10 updates, maybe a couple small security updates (can't be 100% sure on that though). Is there a known issue for this version of Platinum, and has this possibly already been addressed in the latest v2017.06?
 
So far I haven't gotten dropout messages, but then I haven't really loaded up any big projects either, it's just the Sys Memory usage seems oddly high. Thanks in advance.
 
MM

Windows total reported RAM usage doesn't necessarily relate to what applications are currently using.

Once an application is closed Windows might well retain it in RAM until the memory is needed for something else, when WIndows will then free off the RAM. There is also the RAM used by background tasks to take into account.

Having Windows free off all possible RAM can be done via the console or by rebooting, but it's generally not necessary unless something you're running has a memory leak and you start getting excessive paging to the swap file or "out of memory" issues.

CPU usage has nothing at all to do with RAM usage.

Thanks, I do realize that CPU usage has nothing to do with RAM, I'm just trying to find out exactly what the performance meter in Sonar Platinum is measuring. Is it measuring how much of my available PC's RAM that Sonar is using, or how much CPU Sonar is using, or both combined? I assume that because it is called "System Memory" usage, that it is referring to only how much RAM is being used. However, that said...... 
 
I remember Sonar 8.5 measured CPU, because the meter was actually called a "CPU" usage meter, ... and I remember watching the percentage go higher as I added more VST instruments, or more tracks in general.

maybe this will help http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=ControlBar.11.html
 

Exactly what I was looking for, just wasn't looking in the right place I guess. So the CPU meter doesn't actually give you a percentage number anymore, just a meter/bar for each core of your processor. That's what was confusing me, I was seeing the percentage for the Memory Usage meter and thought it was CPU (like the former meter in older versions of Sonar). Thanks scook.