is 256 MB too little memory to handle SP-2?

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For some time (possibly ever since downloading SP-2) my Dell laptop has been
running with agonizing slowness. Today a friend pointed out to me that Task
Mgr shows "System Idle Process" using up to 98% of CPU memory and he thinks
that might be my problem -- i.e. that 256MB was enough for XP(Home) as
originally installed but cannot handle all the many subsequent
"improvements". Should I see if Dell can furnish an additional 256MB, or
rather would that help??
 
johnb357 said:
For some time (possibly ever since downloading SP-2) my Dell laptop
has been running with agonizing slowness. Today a friend pointed
out to me that Task Mgr shows "System Idle Process" using up to 98%
of CPU memory and he thinks that might be my problem -- i.e. that
256MB was enough for XP(Home) as originally installed but cannot
handle all the many subsequent "improvements". Should I see if
Dell can furnish an additional 256MB, or rather would that help??
Click to expand...

I would buy the RAM elsewhere and I would shoot for 1GB total - getting as
close as I could.
256MB - to me - is "just enough" to run Windows XP (any edition) --> but not
enough to "do it well."

http://www.crucial.com/

Use their "memory Advisor Tool" to find out what you should buy and either
get it from there or go to http://www.pricewatch.com/ and find it there
(least expensive with lifetime warranty.)
 
johnb357 wrote
:
For some time (possibly ever since downloading SP-2) my Dell laptop
has been running with agonizing slowness. Today a friend pointed out
to me that Task Mgr shows "System Idle Process" using up to 98% of
CPU memory and he thinks that might be my problem --
Click to expand...


Your friend, while undoubtedly well-meaning, is obviously not a good source
of computer advice, and might want to look up the word "idle" in the
dictionary. ;-)

"System Idle Process" is not any problem at all. That's just the name for
what the system is doing when it's not doing anything. It's there to make
the total add up to 100%

i.e. that 256MB
was enough for XP(Home) as originally installed but cannot handle all
the many subsequent "improvements". Should I see if Dell can furnish
an additional 256MB, or rather would that help??
Click to expand...


It might or not, and I wouldn't be too quick to do that.

This is *not* a one-size-fits-all situation. You get good performance if the
amount of RAM you have keeps you from using the page file, and that depends
on what apps you run. Most people running a typical range of business
applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB works well, others need
512MB. Almost anyone will see poor performance with less than 256MB. Some
people, particularly those doing things like editing large photographic
images, can see a performance boost by adding even more than
512MB--sometimes much more.

If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory will
decrease or eliminate that usage, and improve your performance. If you are
not using the page file significantly, more memory will do nothing for you.
Go to http://billsway.com/notes_public/winxp_tweaks/ and download
WinXP-2K_Pagefile.zip and monitor your pagefile usage. That should give you
a good idea of whether more memory can help, and if so, how much more.

If your computer is running slowly, the most likely suspect these days is
spyware, which is reaching epidemic proportions. What anti-spyware apps
(plural--one isn't enough) do you run, and are they up to date?

Read here: http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
 
You might also want to set XP appearance to 'best performance'.. the XP eye
candy weighs heavy on underpowered machines..
 
Thank you, Ken, for straightening me out on "System Idle" :)). Page File is
a new one for me, but I will try monitoring usage as you suggested. As to
spyware, I am running Windows Defender (Beta 2). Do not know what MVP means,
but most impressed with your expertise and really appreciate the help!
 
johnb357 said:
Thank you, Ken, for straightening me out on "System Idle" :)).
Click to expand...


You're welcome.

Page
File is a new one for me, but I will try monitoring usage as you
suggested.

Good.


As to spyware, I am running Windows Defender (Beta 2).
Click to expand...


That's not enough, and that strengthens my guess that the reason for your
slowdown is spyware.Note that Eric Howes, who has done extensive testing on
Anti-Spyware products states

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the best-performing
anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one quarter of the
"critical" files and Registry entries"


See http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm



I would add Spyware Blaster, Spybot Search and Destroy, and Adaware, all
free. And read and follow MVP Malke's advice at :
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware



Do not know what MVP means, but most impressed with your expertise
and really appreciate the help!
Click to expand...


You're welcome. Glad to help.

"MVP" stands for "Most Valuable Professional," and is an honorary title
provided by Microsoft for having provided consistently helpful advice

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



 
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