RAM, Performance & File Maintenance.
You will see an improvement in the Performance of XP with 512Mb, or more, of system RAM, and you need a good amount of RAM to run automatic background defragmentation, anti-virus scanners and anti-spyware scanners seamlessly so that they don't disturb the system when you are working with it. 1024 MB is not an uncommon starting level these days for professional use.
Defragmentation of Paging files, Master File Tables, and the Padding of Master File Tables, for systems running on NTFS, is vital for good performance. FRAG-SHIELD is part of Diskeeper 10 Professional and will do this job perfectly for you.
The RAM in a computer can be shared by the Video system, this is termed Inclusive Video RAM. So you can buy a computer with 512Mb of RAM (total) where 128MB is used by the video system and 'only' have 384MB available for the main system. Adding another 512MB module overcomes this problem. (Fitting a separate video card will also improve performance.)
It is better to purchase a computer which does not share the main memory with the video system (Exclusive) so that you can have 512MB (or more) system memory plus the - additional - Video memory on the video card itself. So always ask if the video memory is inclusive (shared) or exclusive (not shared) with the main memory.
A common example is: 256MB main memory less 64MB video memory = 192MB of system memory. Not enough to get really good performance from XP when multi-tasking.
It is usually better to fit RAM in equal sized modules, 2 x 512MB, 3 x 256MB, 4 x 1024MB and so on, depending on your use of the computer, the type and number of programs you are using, and the allowable maximum for the mainboard. With some mainboards this doesn't matter, as long as the RAM modules are compatible and of the correct type.
If the mainboard has different coloured slots use two of the same colour first of all and then fit more RAM in the other two if you need to. Check your mainboard manual for the correct procedure.
Use
EVEREST HOME EDITION DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM to check the computer's mainboard details.
Example of partitioning an 80Gb drive: (Maxtor Diamondmax 7,200 rev/min with an 8MB drive-cache.)
What you do is up to you of course and if you have two physical drives Master & Slave, then so much the better.
80GB (Decimal size) = 80,000,000,000 Bytes , divide by 1024 three times to give the Binary sizing:
78125000 KB
76293·95 MB
74·51 GB
(10·0GB = 10,000,000,000 Bytes (÷ 1024) = 9765625 KB (÷ 1024) = 9536·74 MB (÷ 1024) = 9·313 GB)
Drive C: 10240 MB (10·0GB) Operating System & Programming. (Drive Image Backup to CDRs or Data DVDs)
Drive D: 10240 MB (10·0GB) (My) Documents & Email Folders.
(Copy Backups to CDRs or Data DVDs)
Drive E: 20480 MB (20·0GB) Music only.
(Drive Image Backup, otherwise original Audio CDs)
Drive F: Remaining Drive Space. Archive, Video, etc.
(Archive Copy Backup to CDRs and/or Data DVDs)
IMAGE FOR WINDOWS
All drives are partitioned & FULL formatted, directly from the Windows XP CD, to NTFS.
The installation uses Diskeeper 10 Professional, with Frag-Shield, to defragment the paging file and Master File Tables and to pad the Master File Tables when necessary.
When installing just make the Primary partition using the Windows XP CD and format it. When you have completed the installation you can use XP's Disk Management to make an Extended partition in the remaining unallocated space and put up to three Logical partitions within the Extended partition.
You can then FULL format them one at a time. (Note: Quick formatting is - only - for deleting files from a FULL formatted partition. To prepare a Primary or Logical partition for use you should always use FULL formatting.)
Defragmenting the paging file and Master File Tables does improve performance, as does running on - 4096 bytes in each allocation unit - clusters, which is the default size for NTFS systems. You can check this by typing - cmd - in the Run window to open a Command window, and then typing - chkdsk - at the prompt.
Delpart.exe can be used to delete partitions which cannot be deleted otherwise. (See: Bootdisks.)
To save you having to alter your BIOS settings use this bootdisk
BOOT SEQUENCE REDIRECTORIt works with old and new BIOS's automatically redirecting the boot sequence to the CD-ROM drive.
System used in the above example...
Intel PIII 1000MHz with 3 x 256 MB SDRAM
XP Professional SP2 US English
Dual Language Dual Boot Variant...
Dual boot XP Professional SP2 US English on drive C: and XP Professional SP2 FR French on drive D: The My Documents and Email Folders are moved to drive E: and drive images are made of the C: and the D: drive.
Support Software...
AVG Anti-Virus, AdAware SE, SpyBot SD, SpywareBlaster, Erunt, Ntregopt, User Profile Hive Cleanup Service, CCLeaner, EmpTemp, TweakUI, XP Support Tools. (You should be able to find the installer for these on the XP CD.)
Diskeeper 10 Professional & TuneUp UtilitiesStartup time - 60 seconds. Shutdown time - 10 seconds. Most applications open in under 2 seconds.
