Your problem using 4GB RAM instead of 2 was not a problem native to Windows
Vista. I'm not sure what the many tests you deployed were, but here are
some moves you can make to ensure you get maximal speed. I doubt your
choice of video driver is causing a serious speed problem, but nearly all
the graphics *cards (Not Nvidia but the card maker here) have tech support
who knows which driver (if there is a choice and there often is on newer
high end cards with Nvidia chip sets) is working best and which drivers have
performance glitches.
You could try running the memory diagnostic tool on reboot manually:
How do I know if my computer has a memory problem?
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/4edd5f80-def2-4d32-965c-116d49fb98721033.mspx
If the Windows Memory Diagnostics tool does not run automatically, you can
run it manually.
1. Open Memory Diagnostics Tool by clicking the Start button , clicking
Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, clicking Administrative
Tools, and then clicking Memory Diagnostics Tool.? If you are prompted for
an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide
confirmation.
2. Choose between the two options for when to run the Memory Diagnostics
Tool:
.. You can restart your computer and run the tool immediately.
.. You can restart your computer and run the tool later.
How do I know if my computer has a memory problem?
Applies to all editions of Windows Vista.
Which edition of Windows Vista am I using?
Usually, Windows automatically detects possible problems with your
computer's
memory and displays a notification that asks if you want to run the Memory
Diagnostics Tool.
Running the Memory Diagnostics Tool
When you receive a notification about a possible memory problem, click the
notification so you can choose between two options for when to run the
Memory Diagnostics Tool:
.. You can restart your computer and run the tool immediately.
.. You can restart your computer and run the tool later.
If you choose to restart your computer and run the tool immediately, make
sure that you save your work and close all of your running programs. The
Memory Diagnostics Tool will run automatically when you restart Windows.
While the Memory Diagnostics Tool runs, you will see a progress bar
indicating the status of the test. Once the test is done, Windows will again
restart automatically.
Top of page
Getting the results of the memory test
If the Memory Diagnostics Tool does not find any errors, you'll get a
message that no errors were found.
If the Memory Diagnostics Tool detects errors, contact your computer or
memory manufacturer for more information.
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What do I do if the Memory Diagnostics Tool finds errors
If the Memory Diagnostics Tool detects problems with your computer's memory,
contact your computer or memory manufacturer for information about fixing
the problem.
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Advanced options for running the Memory Diagnostics Tool
We recommend that you let the Memory Diagnostics Tool run automatically.
However, advanced users might want to adjust the tool's settings.
1. When the Memory Diagnostics Tool starts, press F1.
2. You can adjust the following settings:
.. Test mix. Choose what type of test you want to run. These options are
listed when you run the Memory Diagnostics Tool
.. Cache. Choose the cache setting you want for each test.
.. Pass count. Type the number of times you want to repeat the tests.
3. Press F10 to start the test.
I also think given the contrast between that spiffy new box, and your memory
performance that again Superfetch ain't at all accounting for your memory
consumption. Read up on Superfetch here since it was invoked as a component
in this and it isn't:
Superfetch Explanations
Windows Ready Boost and Superfetch (Jim Allchin's blog)
http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/20/windows-readyboost.aspx
http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/w...1/03/building-a-more-intelligent-windows.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/winperf/
http://blogs.msdn.com/ianm/archive/2006/04/06/569715.aspx
From Jim Allchin who oversaw Vista ultimately:
We redesigned the memory manager in Windows Vista so that if you give the
system more memory, it uses that memory much more efficiently than previous
operating systems via a technique called SuperFetch -- part of Windows
Vista's intelligent heuristic memory management system. And so Windows
Vista on a PC with even more than 1 GB of primary memory (say 2 GB) will
generally outperform Windows XP on that same machine -- especially once you
have been using the machine for some time because Windows Vista learns what
you do the most often and optimizes for this.
One of the key enhancements to the Windows Vista memory management system is
a new feature called SuperFetch. I discussed this briefly in my blog post
about ReadyBoost. SuperFetch watches how you work and then uses the RAM on
your system in a new way that optimizes the system's performance to the way
you work. For example, in contrast to traditional memory management systems
that today use an approach to prioritizing how RAM is allocated to the
various programs and services running on the system, SuperFetch can
differentiate memory being used for interactive (high-priority) tasks from
memory used for background (low-priority) tasks. When the user isn't
interacting with the system, background tasks are allowed to run, but when
they complete, SuperFetch repopulates RAM with the content that supports the
interactive applications. SuperFetch is also smart enough to know which
applications are used most often (over a long period of time) and pre-loads
those applications into memory.
You need to maximize CPU efficiency to get maximum performance out of the
spiffy new box a dual core with 2GB Ram on the floor and here's how--it's
easy to make a P4 box with 1GB RAM and about 2GHx that is years old smoke
with Vista and most games, with a decent video card and I've done it on
several of them using these:
Speed PC and Control CPU Tips/Steps
SPEED AND CPU:
_______________
1) Trim processes you don't need in TM. Google them or "search engine of
your choice them" if you have to.
2) Go to
services.msc in run box and turn off services not needed and there are some.
SERVICE CONFIGURATION REFERENCES*
*Vista Services*
Part One
http://www.tweakvista.com/article38662.aspx
Part Two
http://www.tweakvista.com/article38664.aspx
Windows Vista Services Tweak Guide v1.0
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=87443
3) Run System File Checker.
SFC:
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html
In Vista run it from an elevated command prompt. Right click command on
start and run as administrator.
4) Run 3 or so spyware scans Windows Defender, , Adaware, and Spybot
5) Probably the most important for speed consistently and efficient resource
use DEFRAG with
www.raxco.com or
www.diskeeeper.com with 15% free space on
drive if DK and or >5% if Raxco's Perfect Disk.
http://groups.msn.com/windowsxpcentral/spyware.msnw
Download Adaware and
Spybot from here.
GOOD Overall Review for Defending Your PC:
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
MSFT Defense Site MSFT Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.mspx
Protect Your PC from MSFT Security:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx
MSFT Windows Defender
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
MSFT MSRT: (Malicious Software Removal Tool)
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
MSFT "Windows One Care" in Wings (AV and Spyware Scans)
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/may05/05-13WindowsOneCarePR.mspx
6) Unck items from msconfig start tab you don't need starting and some
won't start--peoiple who think just uncking for many are naive because there
are 12 places things can be started including several reg keys like Run Once
keys and there are serveral.
7) Turn off Messaging service--it's a security vulnerability and it slows
you
8) Defrag very often every other day actually.
9) Turn off indexing.
10) Clear TIF and %temp% files (delete) and go to safe mode to get as many
as u can.
10) Do troubleshooting with msconfig.
11) Do Clean boot with msconfig utility and search for the directions here:
Vista RTM Tweak Guide (Tweaks to Improve Performances)
http://www.google.com/search?source...,GGLJ:2006-47,GGLJ:en&q=vista+rtm+tweak+guide
1) Task Manager lists the services on the services tab in Vista.
2) Type services.msc in run box and using the list of services, click the
service and you'll get a description of services.
3) There is a list here of the default services and a description>>click
"default settings for services" in the left pane.
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...afb8-43ce-b39d-50e6d5b89bf81033.mspx?mfr=true
4) To view service dependencies
1.
Open Services.
2.
In the details pane, right-click the service that you want to view
dependencies for, and then click Properties.
3.
Click the Dependencies tab.
4.
To view services that are associated dependencies of the selected service,
in the list on the Dependencies tab, click the plus sign next to the
service.
Many of the services but not all in Vista are the same as in XP, so in that
context:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/services.htm
Also see the extremely helpful site:
Black Viper's Service List
http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm
Black Viper's Site (Many of the same services in Vista)
http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm
http://www.z123.org/techsupport/xpservices.htm
http://www.geocities.com/ziyadhosein/xpserv1.htm
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
This will be helpful
http://web.archive.org/web/20041128084144/www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
______________________________________________________________________________________________
How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/
Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/
How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434
How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/
How to Disable a Service or Device that Prevents Windows from Starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310602/
Also ck out these references:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,5155,00.asp
http://www.speedupyourcomputer.windowsreinstall.com/index.htm
and
http://www.extremetech.com/search_r...=how+to+speed+windows+xp&filterapp=&site=4P.S.
Defragging with a decent defrag every day will make a huge dent inefficient
resource/CPU use.
Perfect Disk has a 5 month full functionality trial on now for Windows
Vista. It can be found at
www.raxco.com
Good luck,
CH
