At 2:07 PM -0700 5/13/02, Edward Garvey wrote: >I bought 4 128 MB SIMMS from Velocity and (following the good advice >received on this list) plugged them into my 7200/120 without any apparent >hitches. Now I'm wondering: > >1. Is there a software program I should use to "test" this memory for some >hidden infirmity?
Guru does a memory test and is free. TechTool Pro has a memory test (and much more) but is not free. > >2. I typically run Outlook Express 5.02, Internet Explorer 5.1.3, Graphic >Converter 4.3, and Word 98 concurrently. Will the performance of any of >these be markedly improved by allocating more than the default to either the >"minimum" or "preferred" memory settings? AFAIK you can increase the memory to Graphic Converter as much as you like and it will use it. Unless you work on large files especially with lots of graphics then Word won't get much use from a large memory allocation, doubling the normal amount ought to do it. Pushing Internet Explorer up to 20 or 30 Mb helps. With all of these when you first up the memory allocation it's a good idea to open the "About this Computer" window from the Apple Menu in Finder. It will show you how much memory each program is actually using. If a program is nudging up near it's limit it is a good candidate for increasing the memory allocation. > >3. Should I have virtual memory on or off? It's a toss up. Even with lots of memory, VM allows for more efficient use of it. If you aren't ever pushing the limit of your memory then you could leave it off. Also if you're HD is running tight then turning VM off will help. > >4. Should I use a RAM disk, and if so, how? Other than for specific programs which don't efficiently utilize memory it probably isn't helpful. Some people put their browser cache in a RAM disk. Some use it with Photoshop. But to really help things along you need to boost your processing power. While there are CPU upgrades for a 7200 it's probably cheaper to get a 7500/7600 motherboard and G3 daughtercard. -- Clark Martin Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting [EMAIL PROTECTED] "I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway" -- PCI-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PCI-PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/pci-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/pci-powermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
