SP2 RAM Requirements??

[fred]

I have a 96MB Dell Inspiron 7500 with XP Home and it works but it's sluggish
probably due to VM thrashing. My questions is whether SP2 will exacerbate
the RAM shortage, leave it the same or make it better.

 

[Paul Smith]

I have a 96MB Dell Inspiron 7500 with XP Home and it works but it's
sluggish probably due to VM thrashing. My questions is whether SP2 will
exacerbate the RAM shortage, leave it the same or make it better.

It'll probably be around the same. But with RAM as cheap as it is put it up
to at least 256MB.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove 'nospam.' to reply by e-mail*

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Fred;
Probably no change.
Is there a reason your computer is so deficient in RAM.
You really should triple or more your RAM.
You may be surprised at the performance boost assuming the rest of the
computer is OK.
The Memory Advisor on this sight can help determine type of RAM:
http://www.crucial.com/

 

[Greg Ro]

I have a 96MB Dell Inspiron 7500 with XP Home and it works but it's sluggish
probably due to VM thrashing. My questions is whether SP2 will exacerbate
the RAM shortage, leave it the same or make it better.

I notice some dells do that. I know at a work place, it takes
forever for a Microsoft Office program to open up.

If found out if you disable dep in boot.ini

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=AlwaysOff

Just the last part after fastdetect /something=something to
/NoExecute=AlwaysOff

Then reboot.

You may need remove the read only attribute from the boot.ini file

Also real-one preinstalled player would also cause this.

You can get real alternative from
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm


Greg Ro

 

[Greg Ro]

Forgot to add if windows xp crashes after editing the boot.ini file

F8 twice Reboot is safe mode and put it back like it was.


Greg Rozelle

 

[fred]

It'll probably be around the same. But with RAM as cheap as it is put it
up to at least 256MB.

Right but a 256MB stick for an Inspiron 7500 is ~$80. You can get another
whole 7500 on Ebay for $150. More money after......

 

[fred]

I notice some dells do that. I know at a work place, it takes
forever for a Microsoft Office program to open up.

If found out if you disable dep in boot.ini

What's "dep"?

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=AlwaysOff

Just the last part after fastdetect /something=something to
/NoExecute=AlwaysOff

A change in boot.ini settings greatly affects overall XP operation...please
explain.

Then reboot.

You may need remove the read only attribute from the boot.ini file

Also real-one preinstalled player would also cause this.

You can get real alternative from
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

OK so RealPlayer is there but it's the latest free one available form Real.
You're saying that has an overall effect on performance even while not
running??

 

[Leythos]

I have a 96MB Dell Inspiron 7500 with XP Home and it works but it's sluggish
probably due to VM thrashing. My questions is whether SP2 will exacerbate
the RAM shortage, leave it the same or make it better.

Visit www.crucial.com and use their wizard to find more ram for your
computer, it's cheap and with less than 256MB of RAM your machine is way
under powered.

 

[Ron Martell]

What's "dep"?

Data Execution Prevention, a facility that prevents the execution of
program code from memory areas that are designated as being for the
storage of data. This helps to combat one of the major methods that
parasites use to infest and take control of computers.

Disabling it would weaken your computer's security from these
infestantations.

Hope this explains the situation.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[fred]

Data Execution Prevention, a facility that prevents the execution of
program code from memory areas that are designated as being for the
storage of data. This helps to combat one of the major methods that
parasites use to infest and take control of computers.

Disabling it would weaken your computer's security from these
infestantations.

OK. Now what does "Data Execution Prevention" have to do with
"multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=AlwaysOff"? AND what does either have to do
with sluggish performance? Was the above DEP setting in the registry
available in original XP? XP SP1?

 

[Travis King]

Visit www.crucial.com and use their wizard to find more ram for your
computer, it's cheap and with less than 256MB of RAM your machine is way
under powered.

It would depend on what you use your computer for, but you should really
upgrade to at least 256MB of RAM. If you are using it for more than just
basics, go for 512MB if your machine supports it.

 

[Jetro]

Do yourself a favor and trash your 128 MB PC100 RAM module. Replace it with
2x256 MB PC100 modules if you plan to use the laptop further and do it fast
because modern PC133 modules ain't backward compatible with PC100 modules
anymore (at least manufacturers state it) and PC100 price is jumping.
Another option is rolling back to WinMe or purchasing more powerful laptop.
If you cannot afford any investment, install Linux.

 

[Leythos]

It would depend on what you use your computer for, but you should really
upgrade to at least 256MB of RAM.

No, it doesn't depend on what the OP uses their computer for - anyone
that has XP knows that in a default state, without anything else
running, it will consume between 90~110MB of RAM just booting up and
logging in. When you add AV and then start running IE or FF or Word you
exceed the base 128MB of RAM in very short order. So, as I said before,
if the machine has less than 256MB of RAM it's under powered.

If you are using it for more than just
basics, go for 512MB if your machine supports it.

Anyone running a machine with 96MB of RAM is obviously not doing much
with it, and they were concerned about cost, so suggesting that they
moved to 512MB, while a good idea for many, is a waste for them. 256MB
of RAM would be an ideal amount for this users.

 

[Greg Ro]

OK so RealPlayer is there but it's the latest free one available form Real.
You're saying that has an overall effect on performance even while not
running??

Yes.
The dell at work did improve without realplayer installed.

Now, it is not the last freeone. You can still get the basic player
for Free.

There is no dep settings in xp, xpsp1 just xpsp2

I don't have a dell at home. I do have an emachine that has problems
with xp sp2 dep. This is why I had to disable it. Xp keep always
crashing on me.

Greg Ro

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I have a 96MB Dell Inspiron 7500 with XP Home and it works but
it's
sluggish probably due to VM thrashing.

Undoubtedly. 96MB is *way* too little for running XP, unless you
do nothing with it but play solitaire.

How much memory you need depends on what apps you run, but almost
everyone needs at least 256MB for decent performance. For some
people, for example those who edit large photographic images,
more than 256MB--even much more--can be required for good
performance.

My questions is whether SP2
will exacerbate the RAM shortage, leave it the same or make it
better.

It certainly won't make it any better. It might make it slighly
worse, but my guess is that any difference would be small.

 

[fred]

In


Undoubtedly. 96MB is *way* too little for running XP, unless you do
nothing with it but play solitaire.

The problems is that I'm havin trouble talking myself into paying $80 for a
256MB stick for a laptop I can replace from Ebay for $150.

How much memory you need depends on what apps you run, but almost everyone
needs at least 256MB for decent performance. For some people, for example
those who edit large photographic images, more than 256MB--even much
more--can be required for good performance.




It certainly won't make it any better. It might make it slighly worse, but
my guess is that any difference would be small.

THANKS for a straight answer to the question that this OP actually posed.
It came at the 14th post to this thread. Others take a HINT.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

At least 2 others answered, did you read them?

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


THANKS for a straight answer to the
question that this OP actually posed.

 

[fred]

At least 2 others answered, did you read them?

How about just NO.

Reread the thread.

The others didn't provide crisp and unclouded answer. You should take this
as a learning experience about proper Usenet professionalism.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

There is little need to read the entire thread since you received multiple
similar answers early as well as Ken's.
If a definitive Yes or "NO" is what you wanted, you never got it.
Or were you meaning you did not read the answers?
The answers seem to agree, minimal to no difference with SP-2 and
suggestions for more memory before you made clear you did not want to spend
the $.

 

[fred]

Obvious troll ignored.

There is little need to read the entire thread since you received multiple
similar answers early as well as Ken's.
If a definitive Yes or "NO" is what you wanted, you never got it.
Or were you meaning you did not read the answers?
The answers seem to agree, minimal to no difference with SP-2 and
suggestions for more memory before you made clear you did not want to
spend the $.