NOTE - Google makes supposedly old mesasge threads stay alive forever, but this system prevents responding to such supposedly old threads, so here is a new thread which is actually responding to an old one on this system - a problem that is very much still alive, and a thread that Google also keeps alive. On to the new/old thread about SLOW WINDOWS 98 ... ========================= You can delete all [vcache] entries, or in MSCONFIG, uncheck them. Also. make sure in the [386enh] section that the MinPagingFileSize= MaxPagingFileSize= Entries are NOT "1" or something rediculous. Again, you can delete these entries (or uncheck them in MSConfig) to troubleshoot. I have seen one virus reset the system cache to "1" - a nasty trick that denies Windows ANY memory caching resources! S-l-o-w! Read on. I edit the VCache to make ChunkSize=8192 MinFileCache= AND MaxFileCache= ... the same value to prevent expansion and contraction of ANY system resources. I make this value = 1/10th of MaxPagingFileSize in [386enh] section Note that in the [386enh] section I make MaxPageingFileSize= AND MinPageingFileSize= BOTH the same and = to ~2.5x system RAM, but I do this in the System Properties, Performance, Virtual Memory, Let Me Specify section first (my 512mb RAM x 2.5 = "1280" mb for System Properties, cache or "1310720" for MSConfig, for example - each program uses a different measurement calculation expression!), then exit the System Properties and immediately start MSConfig to check the changes it just made to the [System.Ini] [386enh] section and to add my own related changes to the [Vcache] section. You can also use Sysedit to change these files by direct editing. Reboot. Note also that programs like MemKit from http://www.memokit4all.com also chance and add a calculated number. Here's that program's changes to my 512mb 333mhz Win98SE system: [386Enh] device=*vshare ebios=*ebios woafont=dosapp.fon mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd device=*dynapage device=*vcd device=*vpd device=*int13 PagingDrive=C: installed21=buffer958646707,request21,transfer148028600 MinSPs=16 PageBuffers=32 COMBoostTime=4 32BitDiskAccess=ON DMABufferSize=64 LocalLoadHigh=1 ConservativeSwapfileUsage=0 keyboard=*vkd display=*vdd,*vflatd MinPagingFileSize=1310720 MaxPagingFileSize=1310720 [vcache] ChunkSize=8192 ;Rem TShoot: WAS ;;MinFileCache=131072 MinFileCache=130938 ;Rem TShoot: WAS ;;MaxFileCache=131072 MaxFileCache=130938 mincachefile=0 maxcachefile=4096 ... I changed to mincachefile=4096 maxcachefile=4096 again to prevent ANY system resource from expanding and contracting. Whomever posted an original inquiry about a s-l-o-w computer, please let us know if you get any resuts that please you. Also, anyone else, please report back on new information regarding cache settings and performance fro Win98 and so on. Thanks! Love and hugs, Peter Blaise Monahon peterblaise@yahoo.com APC American Personal Computing - High Tech Support in Plain Language since 1969 3686 King Street, #185 Alexandria, Virginia (VA) 22302 United States (US) Voice/Message 703-845-1556 24 hours a day http://www.peterblaise.com/ http://www.geocities.com/americanpersonalcomputing/ http://www.peterblaisephotography.com/

Peter, Is there a question in your post that we might be able to help you with? And, do you have the original post number so that we can refer to it? Regards, Bryan

Hi Peter An interesting and well intentioned article, but from time to time the subtle difference in techniques for managing memory have previously been discussed. As there are different levels of understanding and experiences of how windows manages its own memory, there is a resulting large differences of opion. I tend to think memery management is situation orientated, whatever method employed. At least of all, most of us agree though, a large amount for the minimum value is a wise choice. Though setting Min and Max to the same large value, meant the page/swap file was placed in the root directory, where there is generally a quicker read/write, there are tools which can place the page/swap file in more or less the same position on the hard drive. This means you can achive the same benifit without setting Min and Max to the same value. Next -- Google cache may mean you can view the subject if google scanned it before the webpage was deleted. The cache is meant to keep us safe from bogus searches. After some time, threads that are old, will not take a new posts. This is a fair bit of time, which is good because some problems are not solve overnight or even within a month, depending on just how much expense they might incur fixing their problem. Next note on slow computers - a slow system with high disk access is more likely in the need of a good defrag. Next, there's a chance the Motherboard chipset drivers did not install properly or only the generic driver was installed.

Not to sound overly paranoid, but I really have to question the wisdom of publishing your home address and other personal info on a public forum. Why don't they make computers that will do what we think we want them to do?

What is the age of that posting? Maybe it was true in the early days of W95 when 32M of RAM was quite a lot. Often old outdated stuff gets pasted from websites. Firstly I would never put a max on my swap file. Setting a min in system.ini is a different ball game - you still reserve a block up to that value. Beware the logic of anything that says the swap file should be based on the size of your RAM, especially when arm about face. Try this: I have 64M of RAM. I make the swap file 2.5 times this, ie 160M. At a later date I increase my RAM to 512M. Do I now need 1280M of RAM? Of course not, you need more swap file if your RAM is "small". For most folk (certainly W98) you are best to let MS handle it). Derek.W

Interestingly Win2K, by default, creates and utilizes a swap (page) file that is 1.5x min and 3x max of the amount of RAM. I don't know if it will do this for a machine that has 2GB RAM though. Bryan

Bryan I have an ancient copy of Norton System Works. I carefully use selected parts of it. If you let it run the registry optimize it makes the swap file equal to the RAM. I put a stop to that lark when I increased my RAM to 512M. In the real world I hardly use any swap file (conservativeswapfile=1). Very strange some of this. Derek.W