Max performace settings (swap/cache) with 256/512 mb ram?

What are the optimal swap and cache settings given a pc with either
256 or 215 mb ram with a Celeron 2.6 Ghz CPU?

What about other stuff like himem.sys, emm386 (and it's various
settings), smartdrv, buffers=, files=, etc?

98 Guy wrote:

What are the optimal swap and cache settings given a pc with either
256 or 215 mb ram with a Celeron 2.6 Ghz CPU?

What about other stuff like himem.sys, emm386 (and it's various
settings), smartdrv, buffers=, files=, etc?

Correction: 256 or 512 mb ram.

The default Windows settings, unless you experience problems.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
98 Guy wrote:

What are the optimal swap and cache settings given a pc with either
256 or 215 mb ram with a Celeron 2.6 Ghz CPU?

What about other stuff like himem.sys, emm386 (and it's various
settings), smartdrv, buffers=, files=, etc?

Correction: 256 or 512 mb ram.

"Richard G. Harper" wrote:

The default Windows settings, unless you experience problems.

I find it hard to believe that the default settings are the most
efficient when you have 256 or 512 mb ram.

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of ram
and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram, there
must be optimizations that can be made over the default settings.

98 Guy wrote:

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of
ram and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram,
there must be optimizations that can be made over the default
settings.

For example, if I have 512 mb of ram, why do I want *ANY* swap file?

Don't I instead want to increase my vcache size?

Because some programs will not run without a swap file. There is no need to
tinker with it--there is no performance hit unless actual paging occurs and
for most users with 512 mb, the swap file will not be used even though it
exists. The performance tweaks that have existed for years are really
somewhat useless as they were developed when computers were under powered
(ram and CPU).

There are some tweaks required when 768 mb or more of ram is being used.
Here's some info on ram you might find helpful:

768 mb or more of ram:

"Out of Memory" Errors with Large Amounts of RAM Installed 253912
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=253912

This article contains instructions which basically say: add this line in
system.ini, under [vcache]: MaxFileCache=512000
***************************

1 gb or more of ram:

Error Message: Insufficient Memory to Initialize Windows 184447
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=184447
***************************

1.5 gb or more of ram:

Computer May Reboot Continuously with More Than 1.5 GB of RAM 304943
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304943

--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
98 Guy wrote:

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of
ram and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram,
there must be optimizations that can be made over the default
settings.

For example, if I have 512 mb of ram, why do I want *ANY* swap file?

Don't I instead want to increase my vcache size?

Because Windows is a VM system. Very dynamic.

"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
98 Guy wrote:

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of
ram and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram,
there must be optimizations that can be made over the default
settings.

For example, if I have 512 mb of ram, why do I want *ANY* swap file?

Don't I instead want to increase my vcache size?

Because Windows is a VM system. Very dynamic.

"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
98 Guy wrote:

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of
ram and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram,
there must be optimizations that can be made over the default
settings.

For example, if I have 512 mb of ram, why do I want *ANY* swap file?

Don't I instead want to increase my vcache size?

"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
"Richard G. Harper" wrote:

The default Windows settings, unless you experience problems.

I find it hard to believe that the default settings are the most
efficient when you have 256 or 512 mb ram.

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of ram
and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram, there
must be optimizations that can be made over the default settings.

Here are some very informative and useful links:
These are from a post by Jim Eschelman:

" I have a series of optimization articles that
might be a good start. May I recommend these?

Computer Health
http://aumha.org/win4/a/health.htm

Win98 & Win ME Memory Management
http://aumha.org/win4/a/memmgmt.htm

Startup Program Loading
http://aumha.org/win4/a/loads.htm

Partition Planning
http://aumha.org/win4/a/parts.htm

Do You Have Parasites?
http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm

System Resources FAQ
http://aumha.org/win4/a/resource.htm


--
Jim Eshelman
MS-MVP, Windows Shell/User
http://aumha.org/
http://WinSupportCenter.com/ "

I hope these links help clear things up for you.
Buffalo

Windows uses a virtual memory system that adjusts to the amount of memory
present and the use of the system. When more memory is available it will
use it in preference to the swapfile/pagefile. It will cache more data from
the hard drive (VCACHE) to speed hard drive performance.

But if you load a large program or a large data set, Windows will
re-allocate memory from VCACHE to the system pool, and if necessary, use
swapfile/pagefile to expand physical memory.

All this is done automatically, and works best if left alone.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User]
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"98 Guy" wrote in message ...
"Richard G. Harper" wrote:

The default Windows settings, unless you experience problems.

I find it hard to believe that the default settings are the most
efficient when you have 256 or 512 mb ram.

I say this because when 98 came out, the typical pc had 16mb of ram
and 32 or 64 mb of ram was seen as the outer limits.

So my perception is that given 10 to 20 times the amount of ram, there
must be optimizations that can be made over the default settings.