Resources

[Espi]

Well I just read that post by primative about them system resources, now I thought I'd check what it shows for me, and guess what? It's 69% free resources and a swap file of 96 megs! (well okay I shut down all other programs except those keeping the system and connection up and it shows 83% and 68 megs swap)I have 256 megs of ram for chrissakes how can there be a swap file and WTF it's used for?

[fodders]

The swop file is an area on your hard disk Windows writes to when extra memory is needed for programmes running, with 256 meg it is possible to disable the swop file "virtual memory" mine works fine with this disabled apart from sound in Doom it looks like my soundcard needs a certain address in memory and with no swop file this area must be taken up by windows go read http://www.doomworld.com/forums/general/messages/11887.shtml and use that tip it speeds things up

[ReX]

Fod:

My system came with 64 MB (2*32 MB DIMMs, using up 2 out of 3 slots). I recently got my hands on some extra DIMMs, some of them 64 MB each, some 32 MB each. All of them were 168-pin, but only the 32 MB variety looked the same as my origin 32 MB DIMMs (i.e., the chips appeared to be on both sides of the card). The 64 MB variety had chips only on one side of the card.

First I replaced the original 2 DIMMs with 2*64 MB DIMMS, and stuck a 3rd 64 MB DIMM into the 3rd slot, making a total of 192 MB. I thought that my system would fly. The reality of it, however, was quite different. Although the additional memory had registered in the system (I checked the BIOS setup at startup and under System Properties) things did not seem to be any faster. Furthermore, the amount of resources available was the same as before (i.e., in the range of 83-86%). I would have thought that with thrice as much memory the amount of resources available would have significantly increased.

I had read somewhere that even though memory might be compatible it might be "slower". So I experimented with combinations of the new and old DIMMs that I had. I timed the following 4 things -- cold boot to Windows95, loading Half-Life, loading Quake2, and completing a virus scan of the entire system. Here are the results, which are quite weird:
Boot HL Q2 Virus Scan
64 MB (original DIMMs) 1min 13sec 8sec 3min
96 MB (3*32 DIMMs) 1min 13sec 5sec 2min 50sec
128 MB (2*32+1*64) 1min 12sec 5sec 2min 45sec
192 MB (3*64 DIMMs) 1min 13sec 5sec 6min

I concluded that the 64 MB DIMMS were not as fast as my original 32 MB DIMMS. Also, it seems that when at least one of the original DIMMs is not used (as in the 192MB case) then the system is actually _slower_ for some things. Note the amount of time to run the virus scan -- a whopping 6 minutes, compared to just about 3 minutes in all other cases.

I also discovered that opening numerous programs simultaneously does not appear to affect system performance appreciably in any of the memory configurations I tested. For example, I opened up MSWord, MSExcel, Windows Explorer, ACD See (a picture viewer), ZDLaunch (a front-end for ZDooM that is a memory-hog), WadAuthor, and ZDooM, all at the same time. ZDooM ran fine under all scenarios. I did notice, however, that every time I opened a new program the amount of available resources decreased by about the same value under each of the memory scenarios. How is that possible? Assuming the amount of memory required by a program is constant, wouldn't the amount of available resources be greater when I have more memory? (Unless the available resources refers to something other than memory.) Also, after I had closed all programs, the amount of available resources rarely returned to the original available just following boot-up. Moreover, the amount available after all programs were closed was not the same for all the memory scenarios I tested.

Do you have any thoughts on these memory issues? Btw, I am currently using the original 2 DIMMs plus a 64 MB DIMM, for a total of 128MB. Things seem to be fine, just not terribly faster than they were before.

[Espi]

I mean should it be able to read everything into RAM? If so why does it still use a swap file? Or do I need to reinstall windows or something so it realizes I don't have 64 megs of RAM anymore if that's what's bugging it?

[fodders]

ReX said:

Diff types of memory could slow computer down mixing and matching etc
Spend an hour here and theres more than enough info to answer all your questions sorry url is so long
http://xlink.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/zdhelp/morechannel1/search.html?Utmp=77&Uschm=help&Ust=H&Utype=H&Utext=memory&Uhcat=help13

[ReX]

Thanks for the link. Actually, I had already downloaded and read Kingston's excellent "The Ultimate Memory Guide", and browsed many sources of information on memory. I just seem to be missing a definitive discussion on why a particular computer works best with a specific variety of memory. For example, the new DIMMs that I was talking about are 66 MHz, just like my original DIMMs, so there is certainly no difference there. And yet .....

Anyway, I'm in the middle of browsing the various topics in the link you posted. No luck so far, but I'll keep reading.