Re: RAM

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Ron Martell (ron_at_onlinehelp.bc.ca)
Date: 04/24/04 

Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2004 18:13:58 GMT

"Tim" <Tim@XHemplemans.com> wrote:

>I got 256 PC133 to get it running. Do I want to add 256 or collect more cans
>and add 512 to xp pro?
>

The proper amount of RAM for Windows XP is whatever it takes to reduce
the actual usage of the page file to zero or close to it. Actual
usage means the movement of active memory pages from RAM to the page
file so as to allow that RAM to be used for other, currently more
important, tasks.

Unfortunately Windows XP does not contain a reporting tool that
reports this actual usage in a meaningful way. MVP Bill James has
developed a utility that provides this information. I can be
downloaded from http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm or
from http://billsway.com/notes_public/WinXP_Tweaks/

If that reports actual page file usage as 50 mb or more on a regular
basis then this is indicative of significant actual paging activity,
and in that circumstance adding more RAM will reduce or perhaps
eliminate the paging activity thereby improving overall performance.

For many users a total of 512 mb of RAM is quite adequate, especially
if they do not have a large number of applications open at the same
time and/or if they do not work with huge data files or other memory
intensive activities.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada 

-- 
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

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