2gig mem and NO virtual memory ?

[Surf]

Hi boys,

My rig is an XP2000+ with Asus A7V8-X motherboard which has a VIA KT400A chipset. Three memory slots, only one is allowed with a 1gig DDR400 max memory, two slots can be populated with DDR333. Nowadays it's much easier to buy a DD400 than the slower model.

2 questions:

Can the DDR400's speed be reduced to the DDR333? I think it can...?

Am I living dangerously if I use 2gig mem setup and turn OFF the virtual memory, setting it to zero? The idea is to have as little hard drive access as possible.

I'm not into games or anything intensive other than encoding being the most cpu strained...

TIA

[UofC]

1) yes ddr 400 can work as ddr 333.

2) yes, no page file is an almost certain failure. You can run with out one but it requires allot of work to configure. Some applications will not run with out a page file. In short it is not worth the time.

The amd 64 or intel core22 will manage the ram better and utilize it more efficiently.

[Blue_MiSfit]

yeah.. windows is really designed to have a page file at all times. Virtual memory is a good thing, even if you have scads of RAM.

I need to get 2GB in my next box.. :)

[foxyshadis]

Windows NT and newer only swap under memory pressure anyway. So when you're only using 700 on games and stuff, you should never get swapping. (And even with no page file, you still get swapping of exe/dll files when the limit's close and/or they haven't been touched in a while.)

[UofC]

Windows NT and newer only swap under memory pressure anyway.

Not 100% true. Allot of programs still use the page file regardless of ram. More advanced memory controllers help. I found the AMD 64 CPU to be very good at managing the memory. They still leave parts in the page file.

If you want better speeds set the page file to a static size. 2-3GB is good. If you have hard drives on separate controllers set a page file for each.

An XP2000+ does not manage memory so well (from my experiences). I was not able to use the full 1GB on my XP CPU.

I am hoping vista will make better use of ram.

[Eretria-chan]

Windows tends to swap out ram to the page file when inactive. You'll notice when trying to bring up a memory heavy program when inactive for some time. It usually holds true when you launch something else memory heavy. Windows will swap out the heavy memory program that is inactive.
This happens even if you have 2 GB. Noticed it myself...
Then there's the memory mapped files. The docs say they are placed in the swap file? I don't know... I tried to run a day without virtual memory and I was able to manage, but I can't say how good it was or if there was a performance boost/loss.

[joelancer]

You wont gain any performance from Disabling Paging files. As already stated, some programs require/use/or benefit from Pagining files.

Just because paging files are there and being used.. doesnt mean its being used for anything intense or performance impairing(may just be background process's and stuff).

If you want better speeds set the page file to a static size. 2-3GB is good. If you have hard drives on separate controllers set a page file for each.
yes, setting a static size is preferable, but 2-3 GBs? who the hell needs that much page files?

just set it to 1024mb min/max.

also note - setting pagine files to a seperate partition will not help at all, unless you set them onto a Seperate Physical HDD.

[Eretria-chan]

It is preferable to set it to the maximum amount the page file grows to. Open all your memory heavy programs and play around. Then look at the page file size and set it to such.

[gameplaya15143]

I have 512MB of ram, and a 5400RPM hard drive (laptop by the way). I have windows' pagefile disabled completely. The speed increase is noticable when you don't have a super fast hard drive. I have been running without it for so long that if I turn it back on, I notice the performance loss in a matter of minutes.

It is very few and far between that I run out of memory. In my experience, I highly recomend shutting it off. If you run out of memory, then turn it back on, but start small (ie, 64MB, then 96MB, etc.).

The way I see it, if you need virtual memory, you don't have enough ram. I can play doom3 without the pagefile. So I must disagree with anyone that thinks the windows pagefile is actually necessary.

[UofC]

No worries. In cases like this it really depends on what you are doing.

But 512mb is very low for a non-page file system. I personally would use that up with word, a browser, and email open.

[Surf]

restating: buying 2gig and NO pagefile/virtual memory :D

It seems doable based on Gameplaya's experience....

My current 512mb setup, by the time windoze finished loading I'm out of half the memory! In spite of unloading a lot of junk just before a heavy duty tv capture.

[CWR03]

I have 512MB of ram, and a 5400RPM hard drive (laptop by the way). I have windows' pagefile disabled completely.
With what operating system?

[UofC]

I think he said Windoes 98 because windows xp uses 256MB just to run. Add AV, firewall, favorit spy apps and you are well over 512MB just on startup.

[joelancer]

no, definatly do not base any decissions you make on gameplaya's post. his post is very missleading. he doesnt mention what OS hes using, or the specs of his machine.

besides the fact since he's using a laptop, he's using integrated GFX, witch is very slow... so hes running DOom3 on Low anyway.
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just listen to the others, including myself, who have tested Paging files on Windows XP, and a system capable of running games/programs at the proper settings, on a Desktop.

I have tested in the past paging files enabled and Disabled, running games near Max setting 1024 to 1600x resolution, with geforce 6series AGP/PCI-E cards on Intel P4/AMD XP/ and AMD64 CPUs.... Disabling paging files does nothing performance wise... and gaming performance is actually minnescualy better with Paging enabled, by like .5 or 1fps improvement.

not to mention 2GBs is totally useless wiht a old XP2000. 1GB is more then good enough... i personally just use 1GB with my A64 3700+ /6800GS gaming rig. and i run everything at 1600x with either 2xAA or 0xAA depending on the game(Farcry/hl2/Doom3). (excluding BF2/Oblivion <- i havnt tryed those yet, but common sence says i probably wouldnt beable to run them at that res.)
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To sum everything up ->

1) yes you can disable Paging files but it wont show any improvement.

2) 2GBs is a waist of money with your system, just stay with 1G and paging enabled.

3) listen to anyone except gameplaya