Memory Question
in [Windows 98]
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From: "MEB" meb on 15 Dec 2006 16:04 Ah, if you plan on doing the eventual processor upgrade make absolutely certain the memory can handle 100mhz FSB also. Preferably at CAS 2. See below: "Daave" <dcwashNOSPAM(a)myrealboxXYZ.invalid> wrote in message news:W82dnciGO-3mVB_YnZ2dnUVZ_q2pnZ2d(a)cavtel.net... | MEB wrote: | | >> Daave wrote: | >>> Gary S. Terhune wrote: | >>> | >>>> The standard way to judge whether you need more RAM is to use | >>>> System Monitor's "Swap file in use" monitoring. System Monitor is | >>>> a System Tool and usually needs to be installed via Add/Remove | >>>> Programs => Windows Components tab. If "swap file in use" | >>>> consistently or even just often measures more than 10 - 20 MB, | >>>> then you could make good | >>>> use of more RAM. Make sure to give your system a good workout while | >>>> monitoring, leaving stuff open while you try other things, | >>>> playiing a video or listening to quality music while scrolling | >>>> through a folder full of images, or editing images with something | >>>> like IrfanView, creating an album of photos, etc. | >>> | >>> Thanks for the tip, Gary. | >>> | >>> I got that Swap File in Use up to around 50 MB by the way! | > | > First, what did you do, just the memory upgrade, or the processor and | > memory? | > 256megs memory or what? | | Actually, I haven't even purchased the RAM yet! But I do plan on | ordering two 128 MB sticks later on today from Comtread to bring my | system up to 384 MB. If you plan on the processor upgrade, that would be the FIRST that should be done. Check that your present memory can handle the faster FSB first though. At least do as I indicated with the memory up top. | | Before I experimented by using several memory-intensive applications all | at once, the swapfiles in use figure was closer to 15 MB. But when I | went whole hog (which I normally don't do), it shot way up past 50 MB. | | Also, my system can handle *certain* streaming video. For example, | http://www.learner.org/resources/series72.html presents no problems | whatsoever. But streaming video from | http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3095083752167460110&q="infinite+thinking+machine" | (which must be in significantly higher fidelity) makes my system choke. | I'm guessing that more RAM will help, but as I mentioned earlier, the | mobo/processor would still be less than optimal--which is why I'm | considering upgrading to a faster Pentium III down the road. Again, the processor should be first choice. | | > 50megs used, gees, that's reasonable. | | You think? I thought Gary said that 10-20 warrants more RAM. And once my | swapfile in use got up past 30 MB, the system really started to sputter! It does, but your Celeron at its its speed and the FSB at 66 mhz cause the bottle neck previously mentioned. Only so much code can be processed at one time, the rest has to queued, waiting for processor time. | | > What was the "available resources" showing. | | I checked that a number of times. Under regular use, it was 53%. But | each time I challenged my system, it dropped a few points. As early as | 51%, I noticed significant slowing. By the time it got down to 46%, it | was like it was on life support! And it would be, particularly if 16 bit progs were hogging much of the processor and memory. | | BTW, I checked available resources by clicking on the Performance tab of | System Properties. Is there a better way? Of course, but what are you trying to accomplish, monitoring or usage. Monitoring the system take resourses and processor time. | | Also, I was using Process Explorer. I like how it shows percentage of | CPU usage for each process. Is there a similar utility that shows actual | RAM usage? Check View in PE then System information. | | > Hmm, the processor usage should wildly fluctuate as you open and | > close programs, or they idle waiting for something to do. | > Can be as high as 100% usage for a few microsecs (at today's processor | > speeds likely nano), but should drop to idle (a small percentage) or a | > steady usage if your not doing much of anything [like crunching data | > bases and numbers in the background]. Your scheduled programs (anti-v | > updaters and such) may cause minor fluctuations. | | Interesting. I notice that it's at 100% more often than not. And during | my experiment, it was 100% the entire time. Then your results show you need higher processor speed, faster FSB, and memory. | | Some time next week, I'll start a new thread addressing how things are | with 384 MB RAM. | | Thanks, MEB (and Gary) for taking time to explain all this stuff to me! | | -- | Dave | | As another has opined, the video card issue will also make a difference, but that should be last on the list. I see you also checked the connect speeds, they seem reasonable. Remember, that information you are receiving from the NET also has to be queued for processor time. With browser, connection driver, video, compression progs, and the rest, all waiting to access the processor, you're too slow for the newer stream compressions. Increase your speed. Temporarily, try increasing your pre-cache/pre-fetch if possible [delay play], but don't expect much. -- MEB http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ BLOG http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real world" "Most people, sometime in their lives, stumble across truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off, and hurry on about their business as if nothing had happen." Winston Churchill Or to put it another way: Morpheus can offer you the two pills; but only you can choose whether you take the red pill or the blue one. _______________
From: "MEB" meb on 15 Dec 2006 16:26 "Gary S. Terhune" <grystnews(a)mvps.org> wrote in message news:%23gBDX7FIHHA.1188(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... | I got turned onto that link by Pa Bear. Decided it needed a good home, <s>. | | I'm always up at "this time". Usually until 3am or so, PST/PDT. DOesn't mean | I'm always online, though that's frequently the case. | | It's when I'm up past 4 that you have to start worrying. Been a few of those | this week. Me too, must be something going on that is "beaming" into our brains... ah yeah.. | | -- | | Gary S. Terhune | MS-MVP Shell/User | http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm | http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm | "Roll Your Own Free Security Suite" | http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite So what's your opinion on the stuff at the new link? Used keep up with Castle Cops, not sure why I stopped... -- MEB _______________
From: lb on 15 Dec 2006 18:00 Daave wrote: > lb wrote: > > You will have to look it up on the spec sheet for your motherboard. I > > am just using the 32 mb number to establish that you have a vid card > > that is not much older than 5-6 years. That also helps to establish > > whether it has a halfway decent core speed. The amount of video > > memory itself was not a significant issue. You should be able to > > determine the exact brand of card it is from the spec sheet. > > So much for 32! > > From the manual: > > The mainboard includes a graphics accelerator that uses up to 8 MB of > main memory as video memory. The graphics accelerator complies with the > AGP Ver. 2 specification. The graphics controller can deliver extended > VGA resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200 pixels. > > 8MB AGP SiS 620 Graphics Controller... weakest link? > > -- > Dave Definately a clunker. A new cpu as suggested would maybe help, but I think you would still need to upgrade the vid card. Here are some OLD system requirements for Windows media player. The new video streams are much more intense requiring fast connection, cpu power to decompress the stream and feed the video card. Notice that the minimum years ago is a 24 bit true color card for which I do not think yours makes it. http://video.csupomona.edu/streaming/system_req.html#WMP6498 You are kind of in an upgrade rut. A cpu upgrade would probably require a minimum of a Windows reinstall and possibly a reformat. Your mother board will limit you to only a few choices for cpu's and vid cards which there may not even be a slot for it. They should be cheap if you can find them. I would go to the PC venders website and see what you can upgrade, sounds like you have a SIS 620 board with onboard video. You could see if there is a newer video driver, but it may not help all that much.
From: Gary S. Terhune on 16 Dec 2006 00:57 Haven't actually had time to test the one's I don't know first hand. Took Pa Bear's word for it. However, most of them look quite familar, mostly apps that have a good track record with the people I already trust. Of course, some of them look to be for pros only (like RegCleaner), and others, like HOSTS file, can be overbearing, causing things like Google ad links to fail. If anybody or anything is trying to beam into *my* head, good luck to them. With the way it resembles Swiss cheese, lately, most beams are gonna pass right through! -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm "Roll Your Own Free Security Suite" http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite MEB wrote: > "Gary S. Terhune" <grystnews(a)mvps.org> wrote in message > news:%23gBDX7FIHHA.1188(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... >> I got turned onto that link by Pa Bear. Decided it needed a good >> home, <s>. >> >> I'm always up at "this time". Usually until 3am or so, PST/PDT. >> DOesn't mean I'm always online, though that's frequently the case. >> >> It's when I'm up past 4 that you have to start worrying. Been a few >> of those this week. > > Me too, must be something going on that is "beaming" into our > brains... ah yeah.. > >> >> -- >> >> Gary S. Terhune >> MS-MVP Shell/User >> http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm >> http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm >> "Roll Your Own Free Security Suite" >> http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite > > So what's your opinion on the stuff at the new link? > Used keep up with Castle Cops, not sure why I stopped...
From: "MEB" meb on 16 Dec 2006 02:48
Yep those photon tracks do add up.... "Beam me up Scotty" -- MEB http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com/ BLOG http://peoplescounsel.spaces.live.com/ Public Notice or the "real world" "Most people, sometime in their lives, stumble across truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off, and hurry on about their business as if nothing had happen." Winston Churchill Or to put it another way: Morpheus can offer you the two pills; but only you can choose whether you take the red pill or the blue one. _______________ "Gary S. Terhune" <grystnews(a)mvps.org> wrote in message news:ezQQhcNIHHA.3780(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... | Haven't actually had time to test the one's I don't know first hand. Took Pa | Bear's word for it. However, most of them look quite familar, mostly apps | that have a good track record with the people I already trust. Of course, | some of them look to be for pros only (like RegCleaner), and others, like | HOSTS file, can be overbearing, causing things like Google ad links to fail. | | If anybody or anything is trying to beam into *my* head, good luck to them. | With the way it resembles Swiss cheese, lately, most beams are gonna pass | right through! | | -- | | Gary S. Terhune | MS-MVP Shell/User | http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm | http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm | "Roll Your Own Free Security Suite" | http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite | | MEB wrote: | > "Gary S. Terhune" <grystnews(a)mvps.org> wrote in message | > news:%23gBDX7FIHHA.1188(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... | >> I got turned onto that link by Pa Bear. Decided it needed a good | >> home, <s>. | >> | >> I'm always up at "this time". Usually until 3am or so, PST/PDT. | >> DOesn't mean I'm always online, though that's frequently the case. | >> | >> It's when I'm up past 4 that you have to start worrying. Been a few | >> of those this week. | > | > Me too, must be something going on that is "beaming" into our | > brains... ah yeah.. | > | >> | >> -- | >> | >> Gary S. Terhune | >> MS-MVP Shell/User | >> http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm | >> http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm | >> "Roll Your Own Free Security Suite" | >> http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite | > | > So what's your opinion on the stuff at the new link? | > Used keep up with Castle Cops, not sure why I stopped... | | |