Identifying High Memory Usage with Htop in WSL

If you’re running a Linux environment within Windows using WSL, monitoring system resources becomes essential. Htop, a powerful command-line utility, allows you to visualize resource usage, including memory, CPU, and more.

Step 1: Install Htop

First, ensure that Htop is installed. Open your Windows terminal and run:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install htop

Step 2: Launch Htop

Simply type htop in your terminal and hit Enter. You’ll see a real-time overview of system processes.

Step 3: Sort by Memory Usage

By default, Htop sorts processes by CPU usage. To focus on memory, press F6 (or Ctrl + F6). Select MEM% to sort by memory consumption.

Step 4: Identify the Culprit

Scroll through the list. If you notice an application consuming excessive memory, it’s likely the culprit. In my case, it’s ‘Ollama serve’.

Step 5: Investigate Further

Select the process (use arrow keys) and press F1 for help. You’ll find detailed information about the selected process, including its PID, memory usage, and more.

Step 6: Take Action

Depending on your needs, you can:

Terminate the process by pressing F9.
Investigate further using other tools or logs.
Optimize the application to reduce memory usage.

Remember, Htop provides real-time insights, so keep an eye on it periodically to maintain a healthy system.

In summary, Htop is your go-to tool for identifying memory-hungry processes in your WSL environment. Keep your system lean and efficient by monitoring resource usage effectively! 🚀🔍

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