[JBRONCFAN]

Probably the most common thread I am reading has to do with the speed or lack thereof of someone's computer. Here is a cut 'n paste of a cool tweak I found somewhere. When you restart Windows, your system resources should be at or very close to 90% and you should notice a positive difference in your computer's speed.

90% Fix



Go to start->run and type in MSCONFIG and click ok; click on <selective startup> UNCHECK process config.sys & process autoexec.bat & loard startup items; click on win.ini TAB, click on the (+) next to windows and UNCHECK the "run=" & "load=" lines; click on startup TAB, place CHECKS in scan registry & system tray (note: if system has winmodem or antivirus software, be sure to check that too); Click apply then OK (reboot)

Go to start->; run and type in SYSTEM.INI and click ok; scroll down till you see the catagory [VCACHE]; type under it:
MinFileCache=(vcache size)
MaxFileCach=(vcache size)
ChunkSize=512
<---space--->
click on file->save then exit system.ini

Right-click My Computer->properties and click on performance, click file system and change typical role of this machine from Desktop Computer to Network Server, click on apply-> OK, click virtual memory click on <let me specify myown virtual memory settings> change minimum from 0 to (swap size); change maximum from what it is to (swap sice) click ok, click close (reboot). You're done.



Memory table based on toal system RAM

RAM Size VCache Size Swap Size
16 4096 32
32 8192 64
64 16384 128
96 24576 192
128 32768 256
256 65536 512

(Calculate RAM/4 = VCache; RAM X 2 = Swap)


Difference for Windows ME

The procedure is the same as in Windows 98, except when editing MSCONFIG< on startup TAB, place CHECKS in scan registry, system tray, pc health, and state manager.

*note* it says to uncheck startup items which is up to you but, I need a few things to run at start up so I just trimmed all but a few programs Windows needs to run and Zonealarm and that's it.

[JBRONCFAN]

*note* it says to uncheck startup items which I didn't do because Windows needs a few things loaded but I just trimmed it down alot to what I needed and that's it. Also, if you are weary about editing your vcache settings, I recommend downloading from CNET "cacheman" for free, it's easier to do thru that. Also, I recommend from CNET to download the free trial version of Memturbo. RAM organizing program but this one actually works, believe me, I've tried them all. It ain't a miracle worker but, it was the only program I noticed a nominal difference.

[Linkmaster]

Hi JBRONCFAN,
Welcome to TSG. I use Cacheman for my VCache. It works pretty good. It also helps keep Windows from draining my resources when I open Word or Excel! I love it!!!

[WhitPhil]

Setting parameters for VCache on a Win98 system is a sure way to impede performance, not improve it.

Cacheman, and the guidelines above, are pretty good for Windows 95, which had a problem releasing VCache when required.
This area was rewritten on Win98 and is not a problem.
As well, if you constrain VCache and then always run with free memory, this is a complete waste. Give it to VCache.

I'm not sure what "resources" are being drained when you open Word and Excel, but if it's free memory that you see disappearing, that's exactly what should be happening. The programs are loading to VCache for faster execution.

As well, the guideline to set the Swapfile to twice ram is from the dark ages and is no longer in vogue.
Setting a MAX on the swapfile to start with can cause performance issues, and can result in out of memory errors. There are no benefits to setting this parameter. If you really want to control the swapsize, run SYSMON while you run your normal applications. Note the swap in use, add a few MBs for safety, and then set the MIN parameter, leaving the MAX empty.
This results in a contiguous swapfile that can be expanded if necessary.

[REEBUS91]

I'M WIN.ME AND HAD LOW RESOURCES AND WAS TOLD BY TECH SUPPORT TO ELIMINATE ALL BUT NECESSARY START UPS AND I DID ALL AT ONCE LIKE HE SAID AND I "CRASHED". AFTER 3 HOURS ON THE PHONE I SPOKE W/ A "SENIOR TECH WHO SAID HE'D SEEN THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WHEN YOU DROP ALL START UPS @ ONCE.

[Dark Star]

REEBUS91,

You mentioned:

"I'M WIN.ME AND HAD LOW RESOURCES AND WAS TOLD BY TECH SUPPORT TO ELIMINATE ALL BUT NECESSARY START UPS AND I DID ALL AT ONCE LIKE HE SAID AND I "CRASHED".

''Eliminate all but necessary''...............
This means do not eliminate 'explorer' or 'systray'

"And I did all at once like he said"
I think he said "all but necessary" not "all at once"

Just pointing out that you did not do as you were told to do.

DS

[Bryan]

DarkStart, I think they meant they did it using Msconfig not Alt/Ctrl/Del. Explorer is not something that's available to disable when you run Msconfig. And Systray doesn't really matter. You can disable it without any negative effects. It only stops the Sound icon from appearing in the system tray.

As far as dropping all at once, ninety nine percent of the time you'll be fine but the other one percent have problems. It really depends on what you have running at startup. Windows ME is particularly tricky. If you disable all, then your disabling things that are part of the ME operating system like PCHealth and StateMgr, not to mention something very important like ScanRegistry. Anyway, with Windows ME I suggest as a bare minimum, you leave these enabled

PC Health
StateMgr
ScanRegistry

The other obvious things to leave enabled are your antivirus program, firewall and any mouseware.

[Dark Star]

Bryan,

Thanks, you make a good point about the difference between using Ctrl/Alt/Del and Msconfig when dropping items from startup.

I find it interesting that when using Ctrl/Alt/Del the first highlighted entry (by default) to option out and End Task on is Explorer of all things.
Also you mentioned the obvious things you should not drop from startup, and yes, that darn mouseware does come in handy doesn't it?

I was pointing out the discrepancy in the statement made, your point is well taken.

Why everyone is so bent on having to have this 90% resources at all times is beyond me. I see it this way, your system resources are there to be used as needed, so if you start with 84% and you have the items you need ie: mouseware, firewall, antivirus etc. and you then use IE for an hour, well yes your system resources will have dropped off a little, but even if they dropped to 70% it is not as if your system is on the brink of crashing.
This machine has lived it's life pretty much ON 24/7, I reboot the thing just to be sure the reg gets a fresh backup every once in a while or I just manually back the reg. scandisk and defrag once a week and I do not use resource hogs like screensavers (your monitor will not 'burn in' like in the days of old).

One last thing, you don't need Systray on startup is right, however the speaker icon does not use ane appreciable ammount of resources anyway and it must be less than 1% because I see no difference here in % available with or without it.

While I'm on a roll here, whenever you check on your resources under system information go to view and click on refresh, this will about one time in three deliver an additional one or two % to whatever your resources were at prior to that, I suppose that is one way you can boost your resources.

DS

[phrozenmayhem]

In addition to what the first guy said, please leave "load power proflie and task monitor" also loaded.

[pedroguy]

My 2 cents from the Left Coast.
I'm running w98se on a p2 with 192m ram.Besides standard stuff in startup,I have stillimage monitor for the scanner,anti-virus and winfax pro started.Pretty basic stuff,and I start with 78% resources,and the system seems to work just fine.I have not messed around with v-cache.
I don't game or grafic,but do surf alot.
Generally at weeks end I will be about 52% and still working good.
If I let it drop into the 40's I start to see some performance degredation.
I have never seen it in the 90's,but I assume to get there,I would be running only explorer and systray.