Thanks guys. It all comes down to cost really, as the P.C. is now getting a bit out of date. More memory seems to be the cheapest option. I thought that graphics cards came with a certain amount of in-built memory but can't seem to find any data on that. I suppose if I updated the graphics card the CPU would then struggle to keep up? More RAM methinks.
One last question then: When video clips are played, the buffering is presumably writing segments to RAM?

Harry

It's not so much a question of buffering although that does have to be stored somewhere. A second of full screen video on your monitor would only occupy 75MB, but the amount of processing that has to be done to display that video.

Your 384MB of RAM is close to the minimum that XP will use without any programs running. Once the amount of free RAM drops below around 30%, Windows will swap some of the RAM to disk. This is around 200 times slower than RAM and although Windows tries to jugle it around, this users CPU power and is still slow. As soon as you run a proccessor intensive program such as video playback then it can't keep up.

If you want to check it, right click the taskbar - slect Task Manager - select the Performance tab. This will show you the amount of RAM available and the CPU load.

Thanks for your help once again. Looks like I am going to have to upgrade my graphics card as the motherboard has only 3 slots for the old fashioned SDRAM sticks and is unlikely (so I am advised) to recognise anything bigger than 128 MB. At 30 per stick, it is not economical to upgrade the RAM, even if it does recognise it. Graphics cards come with fairly big memory now & seem to be around 30/40 for something reasonable.
What seemed so simple, turns out to be much more complicated, but as my P.C. is now 9 years old, I am informed it is becoming obsolete! They seem to change the slots for plug in boards just to annoy us!

Memory on the graphics card is not an alternative to memory on the motherboard. They fulfill two different functions. I would guess that it's the main memory on the motherboard which is your problem. As Optimist says 384Mb is far too little these days.

You could look up the manual for the motherboard on the manufacturer's website to see the maximum memory it will take (it is likely to be 3 x 256Mb). After 9 years it might be more cost effective to buy a new pc though.

The bottom line is it's not worth spending loads of money on a system which only has limited RAM, small hardDrive (8GB) & obsolete slots.
ISA changed to PCI, to AGP1 then AGP2 & now PCI Express. Most plug in boards now seem to have PCI Express which is not compatible to any previous slot.
Have now found an old Voodoo3 graphics card which has improved things a little, but as you say, a new P.C. is probably the way forward.

Harry

It does sound as though you may be better with a new PC. If you're on a budget, you could pick up a new box (mius the O/S, monitor etc) for 150.

If you do decide to increase the RAM, my experience is that even old boards will take at least 256MB per slot but you may have to update the BIOS.

I have just upgraded my PC memory from 2GB to 4GB. Do I need to change any settings to get maximum benefit from the additional memory.

I am running Windows XP

I think it was Opti who explained to me about increasing pagefile size accordingly so as to correspond with physical memory, Jeffie. It should be a previous post on this thread, but it'll be quite a way back.

I have just done mine, sadly only from 384mb to 768mb, but the bios should find and read the new memory. The bootup screen will show what it is reading.
One thing I did find out though, is that when upgrading the memory you should check to see if the motherboard was designed to take it. Stamped on the motherboard is the manufacturer's name & the model number. On the manufacturer's website there will be a facility to input the info & check to see what upgrades are advised. RAM is definitely checkable as speed & type are not always interchangeable.

Harry
it has picked up the memory and is recognising it ok. I ran the crucial scan and bought their recommended memory.

I just wondered if I need to change virtual memory or anything else to get the most benefit

Windows XP can't use all of the 4GB because some virtual memory space is needed to map system devices. Look in task manager to see how much total physical memory you have available. The maximum is just over 3Gb I think, but there may also be a BIOS setting to do with obtaining extra memory in this situation. You would have to look at the motherboard manual but it may be called something to do with device mapping.

Physical memory is showing as 3143648, available 2460000, cache 84000

So XP is only seeing just over 3Gb, that is a limitation to do with 32-bit XP. There might be a BIOS option that might help, but to be honest you don't seem to need the extra memory. You are using less than 1GB (3143648 less 2460000) at least with the programs loaded at the time.

Help--I have recently treated myself to a Dell laptop and wireless router. I had problems connecting even when right next to the main computer/router paid to have it set up for me and after a week had to pay again as it started playing up again showing limited access and wouldn't connect. The chap said it was too advanced for my weak broadband as I'm a long way from the station and therefore lucky to get b/band so he adjusted the settings and said it should now be fine---it was for three days! now I'm back to a laptop I can't use. I know nothing about computers but is there a booster kit I can get?

There is no booster kit but improving the house telephone wiring often helps matters a lot if you have telephone extension sockets. If you have a new style BT telephone socket, remove the face plate and plug the router directly into the test socket underneath. If that makes a difference then matters can be improved.

As regards virtual memory, the rule of thumb used to be (in the days when RAM and disks where a lot smaller) that the virtual memory or swap file should be 2.5 to 3 times the installed RAM.

If you have 3GB+ of RAM that would be ridiculous, I'm not even sure that Windows can use any of it if it is already up to it's maximum installed.

What is worth doing is to set the min and max page file sizes to be the same. That way, when it starts to use it, at least it won't waste time adjusting the file size. On 3 GB RAM try 1GB page file, possibly 1.5 GB for 768 MB RAM. You will be reaching for the off switch before those levels are reached.

opto
Where do I set the page sizes

Right click My Computer - Select Properties - Select Advanced Tab - Click Settings button in Performance box - Select Advanced Tab - Click Change button in Virtual Memory box.

I forgot to mention, If you have a second physical hard drive (as opposed to a second partition on your main HDD) then put your page file on that disk.

OPTO
They are set to initial size 3067MB, Maximum size 4092MB. You suggest setting to 1000MB?

With the intention of speeding up my machine, I'm interested in doing this page file thingy too, Optimist.

If you were to put the page file on a separate disc drive, (ie, other than on drive C or on a partition) then what if the PC should go wrong or you forget that you've done this thing?

I'm thinking, if my computer goes wrong 6 months to a year down the line, well, I'll take it in to be repaired. But I'll forget I've done this for sure! And the repairer wouldn't think to find out if my PC has a missing page file on Drive C or not, would he?

I think that to put the page file on a second drive, that's even external to the PC itself, might be a bit too far advanced for me to do because of my own crap memory. I reckon I need a memory page file, sorta kinda, myself.

:-)