Installing extra RAM

Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Answered in win98.gen_discussion
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Endulini" wrote in message ...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Answered in win98.gen_discussion
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Endulini" wrote in message ...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the 512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the 512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Have a look he
http://snipurl.com/om0b

Full Link:
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...1d54aeaa0fffab
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"NG User" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the 512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Have a look he
http://snipurl.com/om0b

Full Link:
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...1d54aeaa0fffab
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"NG User" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the 512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Very good and accurate description of memory limitations and usage.
However, there is no explanation given for the relationship between
FileCache and available memory. I've noticed that applications and large
files open slightly faster the first time around and most definately faster
the second and third time around with my system using 1GB of RAM versus my
old setup of 512MB. Further more, neither setup causes Windows to use the
Virtual SwapFile ( which is to date still at 0KB ).


"glee" wrote in message
...
Have a look he
http://snipurl.com/om0b

Full Link:

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...1d54aeaa0fffab
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"NG User" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know
of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two
systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be
true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will
most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which
make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer
is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the
512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous
error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is
installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get
the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

Very good and accurate description of memory limitations and usage.
However, there is no explanation given for the relationship between
FileCache and available memory. I've noticed that applications and large
files open slightly faster the first time around and most definately faster
the second and third time around with my system using 1GB of RAM versus my
old setup of 512MB. Further more, neither setup causes Windows to use the
Virtual SwapFile ( which is to date still at 0KB ).


"glee" wrote in message
...
Have a look he
http://snipurl.com/om0b

Full Link:

http://groups.google.com/group/micro...1d54aeaa0fffab
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"NG User" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure what "Workarounds" you're talking about...since I only know
of
one! That is to put an entry in the system.ini file under the vcache
heading which should be MaxFileCache=512000

As far as I know, no other settings are required. Since I have two
systems
running Windows 98SE with more then 512MB in each, I know this to be
true.

As long as you don't ask Mr. Gates about memory requirements, you will
most
definately see an increase in system performance with more then
512MB....that is if you are working with files or applications which
make
use of it. That is to say that if all you're doing with your computer
is
surf the web and wordprocessing, then there is no need for more the
512MB of
memory.

HTH...


"Endulini" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I'm looking to increase my memory and have come across the infamous
error
that means Windows 98SE throws a wobbly when more than 512MB is
installed.
I've read the work-arounds but can anyone explain, do you still get
the
benefit from having more than 512MB RAM? In my limited understand they
seem
to be fooling/forcing the PC to accept that it has no more than 512MB
installed therefore is there any point in having more?

Thanks.

"NG User" wrote:

Very good and accurate description of memory limitations and usage.
However, there is no explanation given for the relationship between
FileCache and available memory. I've noticed that applications and large
files open slightly faster the first time around and most definately faster
the second and third time around with my system using 1GB of RAM versus my
old setup of 512MB. Further more, neither setup causes Windows to use the
Virtual SwapFile ( which is to date still at 0KB ).


Windows will always attempt to find some use, anything that might
possibly be of benefit, for every bit of the installed RAM. This
includes maintaining a large disk cache of recently accessed files so
that when (and it often is "when" and not "if") those files are needed
again the contents are already in RAM and do not have to be reloaded
from disk.

The reason why it is necessary to limit the size of the disk cache to
not more than 512 mb on systems with huge amounts of RAM is that
Windows will otherwise allocate more than 512 mb of RAM for this if
the RAM is available. However, under the segmented memory model used
in Windows 95/98/Me the 4 gb total x86 32 bit address space is
subdivided into 3 sections:
2 gb for application programs and user data files
1 gb for operating system files
1 gb for "system arena" including support function such as the AGP
video arpeture and the disk cache.

If more than 512 mb of this total 1 gb of address space is committed
to disk cache then it is possible that other users of this address
space will find that there are no available addresses within that
range that are not already in use. Result = crash.

Hope this is the explanation you were looking for.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."