BleepingComputer.com: Vista using 1.5GB Ram just at idle

Vista seems to be using 43% of available ram just at idle...

Is this normal?

It's using about 1.5GB of ram

Lucky you, mine's using 2.29 gB at rest (I've got lot's of stuff open and 8gB of RAM).
Sometimes Vista will use "unused" RAM for it's own purposes, but most often it's the open programs that are using it.
Check the Processes tab of Task Manager (select the option to show all processes for all users) to see what's using your memory up.

In the absence of any other symptoms, this is likely to be normal - but the symptoms are probably more important than the numbers.

it operates perfectly fine I was just shocked when I opened up task manager... there are multiple processes running, the majority of which must be OS based as I recognise no software/program names amongst them...

I a fickler for controlling startup programs and not installing bloatware etc but 2.29gig at rest!!!! Have you checked what programs have snuck into your startup programs list????

after an afternoon of fiddling... mainly uninstalling unnecessary software bundled with my laptop from HP... idle Mem usuage is now down to 1.10gb

also downloaded Ccleaner and ran registry fixer

I'd avoid any registry fixer - they cause more problems than they're worth (been there, got the t-shirt!)
Here's a link about the myths behind registry cleaners: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=61015
Although the article refers to XP, the same discussion applies to Vista and to other versions of the Windows OS.

Windows does a lot of stuff deep in the background that you can't see. With the memory management features added in Vista, there'll be a greater at rest usage than you were used to with XP.

I've got 22 tabs open in Firefox, 8 open in IE, 3 VM's running (XP, Vista, Win7) and all of my email stuff (4 programs total), Windows Debugging Tools, Task Manager, Process Explorer, Autoruns, Folding at Home, and a Router monitor program.

The good thing about having 8 gB of RAM is that I can keep all of this open without suffering from lag. I can even play video games without shutting anything down!