Here's how you know if you need more Mem (XP)

[TheBlueRaja]

http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/memor.../xpmem-4.shtml

Go here and follow the instructions, but also in the General tab for your log files properties, Select memory from Performance Object dropdown, then in the list below scroll up and select Available MBytes.

The run your system for a while and load up you most intensive apps that you use often (usually games). When your done, stop the logging in the same place and look at the file you created - it will look something like this...

"(PDH-CSV 4.0) (GMT Daylight Time)(-60)","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Memory\Available MBytes","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Paging File(\??\C:\pagefile.sys)\% Usage","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Paging File(\??\C:\pagefile.sys)\% Usage Peak"
"04/20/2004 17:55:24.078","280","17.132059733072914","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:55:39.078","288","17.456563313802086","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:55:54.078","291","17.892964680989586","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:56:09.093","291","17.88787841796875","25.575256 34765625"
"04/20/2004 17:56:24.093","292","17.920430501302086","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:56:39.093","292","17.917887369791664","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:56:54.093","292","17.917378743489586","25.57525 634765625"
"04/20/2004 17:57:09.093","290","17.912801106770836","25.57525 634765625"

The first part of the first line of the second section you see in my file (highlighted above) is date / time, the second part is Available MBytes ("280"), the third is current pagefile usage in percentage ("17.xxx") and the forth is MAXimum pagefile usage over the last 15 seconds in percentage. This will change depending on what counters you add/use, but basically the first section describes the layout of the file. (see below)

""(PDH-CSV 4.0) (GMT Daylight Time)(-60)","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Memory\Available MBytes","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Paging File(\??\C:\pagefile.sys)\% Usage","\\NONE-xxxxxxxxxx\Paging File(\??\C:\pagefile.sys)\% Usage Peak""

Try it - it helped me to discover that when playing Far Cry the reason i was getting choppy frame rates was because i was running out of RAM. It looks complicated but its not.

"04/20/2004 19:05:09.093","29","32.149759928385421","32.160441 080729171"

Yikes only 29Meg left! This is after i used this to find out that selecting High Res Textures used ALL my systems memory, and that the choppiness was because the Page file on my Hard Disk was being constantly accessed instead.

[TheBlueRaja]

Also, if you press CTRL-ALT-DEL and select Task Manager, then click the processes Tab, you can see exactly what is using all you memory (at this time).

The problem is that if you run a game, you cant see how much mem its taking because your in the game, unless your ALT-TAB back to the desktop, but then your now 100% about what is actually happening.

[Defiant]

Here's how you know if you need more Mem (XP)

Well I'd never put XP on a machine with less than 256MB of ram myself anyway. If your a gamer I'd go for 512. If your really heavy then 1GB.

Anything else well the system is just taking the mickey and your wasting your machine spec's

[TheBlueRaja]

True, but i already have 512Mb, i have a fast processor and a fast gfx card, yet i got low frame rates.

Now i know why.

[downquark1]

I have 512 at the mo, but in a few months I hope to upgrade to 1gb because I intend to buy a MMORPG this year and they generally take a lot of memory.

[TheBlueRaja]

1GB seems to be becoming the "Norm" now for high-end gaming.

[MadGamer]

Yep i have 1GB of memory

[kronas]

Originally Posted by theblueraja

1GB seems to be becoming the "Norm" now for high-end gaming.

i dont game much, but it still makes a diffarence running other applications speed wise, i need more then the 1GB i have now, simply to see if i can boost application and OS loading speeds more.........

[DrAwesome]

Originally Posted by WNA

Yep i have 1GB of memory

Plus lots of virtual memory i hope?

[Defiant]

Originally Posted by theblueraja

1GB seems to be becoming the "Norm" now for high-end gaming.

Yep some of these new games coming out are just unreal feck the spec scare me like Farcry (HIGH setting)

[downquark1]

Originally Posted by kronas

i dont game much, but it still makes a diffarence running other applications speed wise, i need more then the 1GB i have now, simply to see if i can boost application and OS loading speeds more.........

What size is your pagefile? You can see it on the performance panel on ctrl+alt+del

after boot mine is about 95-102 mb

[Defiant]

This may be a good time too ask. I have two 256 MB ram, cards but wont 1024MB. Now if I buy new I dont wont to through away the old ones. Do any of these shops do a swap so to speak because I only have 2 DDR slots

[TheBlueRaja]

I have everything on Very High or Ultra except textures which is on Medium, and it works fine. But as soon as i use High or Very High res textures it slows to a crawl.

[Defiant]

Originally Posted by downquark1

What size is your pagefile? You can see it on the performance panel on ctrl+alt+del

after boot mine is about 95-102 mb

Perhaps he's got onboard GFX. ATI and Nvidia gtu fix these problems

[TheBlueRaja]

Defiant, I would think not as its not in their best interest.

I would suggest flogging the 2 256Mb sticks on Ebay and then buying 2 new sticks of 512k or 1 of 1GB.