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Archiver > TMG > 2002-03 > 1015176480


From: "Cliff Soderback" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Memory in Win 98 SE, Win ME, Win XP/XP Pro (was: Exhibit log)
Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2002 10:28:21 -0700
References: <5.1.0.14.0.20020302183300.00acca80@mail.fscv.net> <OE135uKxeSuPcw3LyyU00005116@hotmail.com> <5.1.0.14.0.20020302233030.0270f8f0@mail.fscv.net>


snip

> I've been wanting to add more memory to it but Dell technical support
> assured me (about nine months ago) that the Windows SE that it shipped
with
> would not recognize more than 128 MB and I would have to upgrade to
Windows
> 2000 to use more RAM in any way except as cache, a memory hard drive or
> with programs such as the high end graphics programs that accessed memory
> in proprietary ways.
>
snip

> Walt Flory


That statement is misleading at best. The way Windows is written it can't
run out of memory(if the applications programs a written properly) unless
you run out of space on your hard-disk.

When a program runs out of memory it is supposed to spill over into the
Windows swap file and part of the hard disk is used for memory. This is so
computers with less memory can still use Windows, this holds for all
versions
of Windows. Since the hard-disk is a whole lot slower than memory the
program
just runs slower with less memory.

Windows code is of a rather fixed size in memory and only the temporary
file caches are the only ones that are dynamic in size, this also applies to
programs. Their code is usually of a fixed size and the temporary
buffers are the one that expand and contract with need.

Some programs a poorly written and violate the rules so they don't free
up memory when they should and that causes crashes because of faulty
code. When programs crash(stop responding) 99.999% of the time it is
that there is an error in the program's code.

The above, is the reason for buying the maximum memory for your computer.
It will make the programs run faster because they don't have to swap
data off and on the hard-disk. This applies to ALL versions of Windows, in
fact to all computers.

For those who want to know, WinXP occupies about 250meg of memory
without running any programs. So, 256meg of memory would be
marginal at best, 512 meg. would be more realistic. WinXP will run in
less memory by using swap files but it will run slower because of
the disk file swapping that is needed.

Cliff Soderback


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