Re: [TCLUG:9929] Adding RAM for slow machine

[Clay Fandre <cfandre@maddog.mn-linux.org>]

Dave MacCallum wrote:
> 
> I have a Pentium 166 machine with 32 MB of RAM.  I've recently installed
> Redhat 6.1, and even though I'm running WindowMaker without Gnome, I'm
> still getting slow performance or even occasional crashes when I run
> Netscape Navigator 4.61.  (Don't even ask about StarOffice!)
> 
> Should I shell out the approximately $140 to get 64 MB of RAM?  Because of
> the way my system is configured, I'd then have 80 MB installed. I've been
> told that with this processor adding more RAM above 32 MB won't make much
> difference.  Is this true?

$140 for 64MB of ram? Where are you shopping? I just bought a 64MB
168-pim PC-100 DIMM for $65. And SIMM's are cheaper. Check out
http://www.pricewatch.com for the cheapest prices. Beware that they
usually are generic memory, but usually do come with lifetime
warranties.

I don't care what type of system you have, the more memory, the better.
Without enough memory your system will start swapping out to disk.
That's where your performance problems come into play. I'd check your
memory usage. (use free on the command line, or use gkrellm or wmmon)
and see how much swap you are using. I just bought 64MB for my P233
because I have a tendency of running too many apps at once and my swap
usage started growing. I figure with 128MB I should be OK for a few
months.

> 
> I'd also appreciate other suggestions for less "hoggish" browsers.  I've
> installed Amaya 2.2, which isn't bad, but is really more of an editor than
> a browser.  This is NOT a criticism, since that's what it sets out to
> be.

lynx.


-- 
Clay Fandre
cfandre@maddog.mn-linux.org
Twin Cities Linux Users Group
http://www.mn-linux.org