Photo and Graphics Designer - Can I really only use 12 percent of my memory?

Just create a backup copy of the PhotoGraphicDesigner.exe before you patch it. If all goes pear shaped you can delete it and use the backup.
(The patcher will create a backup also and name it PhotoGraphicDesigner.exe.Backup)

Ok it seems to have worked, I opened a few files and got the ram usage up to 2.7gb

So thanks to gwpriester for the idea.

Now I'll be able to take my time and decide what to do in a few months.
It's a shame XDP doesn't have image linking as well as embedding because I'd still have long save times even if I upgraded to it.