Using Windows 2000 with only 256M of RAM?

[Toni]

Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup laptop that has
Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.

Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly browsing the
web to do work & read my email.

I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish eats fish food.
I'm limited to IE6.

I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display to 16-bit
colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.

Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows to effectively
use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

Thanks!!!

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup
laptop that has Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.

Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly
browsing the web to do work & read my email.

I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish
eats fish food. I'm limited to IE6.

I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display
to 16-bit colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.

Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows
to effectively use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

Thanks!!!

256 MBytes is oodles for Win2000. I ran my machine for years on 128 MBytes.

If you have a router then you do not really need a software firewall.
Routers are a hardware firewall that will protect you very effectively
against intruders.

 

[Buffalo]

Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a
backup laptop that has Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of
RAM.

Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am
mainly browsing the web to do work & read my email.

I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a
goldfish eats fish food. I'm limited to IE6.

I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the
display to 16-bit colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses
42M of RAM.

Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim
Windows to effectively use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

Thanks!!!

I just checked the memory usage of FF3.6.3 and IE6.0.2800.1106 while viewing
the weather channel.
FF went up to 80MB and IE6 went up to 60MB.
Perhaps different URL s use more or less of each one.
Perhaps if you bring up Task Manager and take a look you can see what FF is
using for you (if you already haven't done it).
Buffalo

 

[John John - MVP]

Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup laptop that has
Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.

Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly browsing the
web to do work & read my email.

I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish eats fish food.
I'm limited to IE6.

I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display to 16-bit
colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.

Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows to effectively
use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

I agree with Pegasus, 256MB of RAM is not a small amount for Windows
2000. I ran with 512MB and had lots to spare, the only reason I had
512MB is because I do large spreadsheets and handle large folder
structures with as many as 200,000 files.

As much as I love Firefox it has always been a memory hog, maybe you
should consider another Mozilla browser in lieu of Firefox.

John

 

[Toni]

I just checked the memory usage of FF3.6.3 and IE6.0.2800.1106 while viewing
the weather channel.
FF went up to 80MB and IE6 went up to 60MB.
Perhaps different URL s use more or less of each one.
Perhaps if you bring up Task Manager and take a look you can see what FF is
using for you (if you already haven't done it).
Buffalo

I know how to check memory usage.

FF caches fives pages per tab history in RAM. A busy professional with multiple open
tabs and actively browsing all of them can quickly see RAM usage explode.

 

[Buffalo]

...

I know how to check memory usage.

FF caches fives pages per tab history in RAM. A busy professional
with multiple open tabs and actively browsing all of them can quickly
see RAM usage explode.

Fair enough.
Buffalo