TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2002-03 > 1015113678


From: Walt Flory <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Exhibit Log
Date: Sat, 02 Mar 2002 19:01:18 -0500
In-Reply-To: <OE135uKxeSuPcw3LyyU00005116@hotmail.com>


Carol

It sounds like I got caught in an unwarranted assumption about ME. I know
that what I said about memory was true in 98 and I thought it was true in
ME, but if programs running under ME tell you that 192 MB are there I
expect that I was wrong. I had thought that ME was just another marketing
department name for an augmented version of 98.

Can someone out there verify that Win ME does use more than 128 MB? Sure
sounds like it does. Thanks.
_____

As for virtual memory:
When Windows handles virtual memory it has an algorithm that tells it
how much to use. Since it doesn't take a fixed amount it dynamically adds
to it as it needs it. Under Win 98 (and I assume under ME as well) this
causes virtual memory fragmentation. That is to say that when Windows goes
to read or write to virtual memory the files may be in little pieces in
various places on the hard drive which will slow down the reading and
writing quite a bit over having them written out in one contiguous file.

I have always used a amount (same lower and upper sizes) when I have set
the size of virtual memory. I believe that this is what I was told to do
when I first stumbled on the suggestion to do this. I'm not sure what
happens if you use different upper and lower bounds for the amount of
virtual memory. It would make sense to me that there would be a fixed
unmovable file which would hold the lower amount, and that you would have
fragmentation only if you went over that.

Does someone out there know more than I do about this?
_____

As far as lowering the amount of virtual memory I don't know what the
optimum amount might be. It depends on what programs and how many you have
what works best. Some graphics programs call for lots of it, I believe,
though RAM is what everything really prefers.

All I can say is that you can look in the specs and recommendations for
your graphics programs and TMG. Or talk to tech support at various places.
Or (what I would normally do) pick a size after seeing what my program
manuals recommended and try it. If you have problems, increase it and see
if it makes a difference.

I have not been running heavy graphics but have successfully run with 1 GB,
512 MB, 256 MB, and 128 MB. I never go less than the amount of RAM I have
and think that putting in more than four times the amount of physical
memory without specific recommendation from tech support would be wasteful
and just increase the amount of overhead in managing virtual memory. Unless
you have problems I would go with either 256 MB or 512 MB of virtual memory
on your computer.

Anyone else out there with an opinion?

Walt Flory


At 08:27 AM 3/2/02 -0600, you wrote:
>PS. What do you mean that ME won't recognize the 192MB? It tells me it's
>there- and it lists it everywhere. Does it then just not use it or something?
>
>And here's a stupid question (I should know, but it's been so long since I
>had to go in and mess with anything, I've forgotten)... The virtual mem
>lists: Hard Disk- C:\19836MB Free; Minimum 0; Maximum 4056
>So, are you saying I should change Min to 256 and Max to 256 - that would
>lower it?
>Don't I want to raise it?
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Walt Flory
>Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 12:52 AM
>To:
>Subject: Re: [TMG] Exhibit Log
>
>Carol
>It still sounds to me like you have a lot running at startup. I would
>suggest the following:
>
> 1. keep selective startup checked in MSCONFIG
> 2. remove the check from msmsgs
>When you want to use Messenger you can start it, but every chat or IM
>program I have used is a resource hog, if you are having problems only run
>it when you are using it. (If you start a program at bootup and shut it
>down when you need more resources you frequently don't get as many
>resources back as you would have had if you hadn't started it.)
> 3. remove the check from explorer
> 4. remove the check from anything else that is running that you know
>you don't need all the time.
>
>Loadqm isn't needed but it serves a purpose and I don't think it uses much
>in the way of resources. I tried not starting it but decided it was ok to
>leave it running.
>
>Experiment and see what causes problems for you and what doesn't, and what
>helps you and what doesn't.
>Make changes one at a time when you don't know what you are unchecking.
>Check the resource level when you reboot to see what effect your change had.
>
>If you are playing with MSCONFIG to see what helps, always write down any
>changes you make so you'll know what to change back if it causes a problem.
>If things get worse, and you don't know what you changed, just recheck all
>the boxes and start experimenting all over again slowly.
>_____
>
>As far as virtual memory goes, the reason for setting the amount of it is
>so that it doesn't get fragmented. If you let Windows handle virtual memory
>it does get fragmented.
>
>When I have enough hard disk space available I set virtual memory to a
>figure somewhere between the size of my physical memory and two and half
>times that. I believe that is what is recommended. Since you have 192 MB of
>memory running under ME which will recognize 128 MB, I would set virtual
>memory to probably 256 MB. This is probably generous as you really don't
>want to do too much swapping but that isn't a lot of hard disk these days.
>Might even try 512 MB but I doubt that it would work better than 256 MB.
>
>To set the amount of virtual memory:
> 1. click on "Start"
> 2. highlight "Settings"
> 3. click on "Control Panel"
> 4. click on "System"
> 5. click on "Performance"
> 6. click on "Virtual Memory"
> 7. click on "Let me specify my own memory"
> 8. enter the same number for both minimum and maximum (256, for
> instance)
>
>Walt Flory
>
>
><snip>
>
> >A. Opened MSCONFIG, and removed the check from all programs except
> >system, msmsgs, explorer, and loadqm.
> >B. TMG locked up before it was even open.
> >C. I rebooted, and followed Richard's instructions. Removed the checks
> >from the list under Selective startup, and rebooted.
> >C. TMG did not lock up. Added two images, even viewed them. Closed TMG.
> >D. Went back into msconfig and changed to NORMAL boot (I've always used
> >selective, because I hate things like QAgent always out there). Rebooted.
> >E. I opened TMG, and the exhibit log and everything worked fine, no
> >problems. I'm right now at 62% availability on the system (I think that's
> >what it said, I'm not sure I remember) and my Close Programs box is
> >showing that 33 programs are running. And I can see from my tool bar that
> >all that crap is back again. So, what gives? I just opened Sys Prop and
> >it says I have 42% free. So perhaps NOW, I won't be able to run the
> >exhibit log...
>
><snip>
>
> >And my virtual memory is 19,836 MB. I had heard once that if I could
> >(had enough memory, and now I do) I should up this figure. Perhaps this
> >is where the problem is. I know with Win95 I was told NOT to let windows
> >figure my virtual memory, but I don't remember what we changed it to.
>
><snip>
>
> >Carol Peterson
>
>
>
>==== TMG Mailing List ====
>.
>
>
>==== TMG Mailing List ====
>.




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