Computer Speed

[lopburi3]

KSC: I'm able to read in History the pages of this forum while I'm offline.

Think we are missing something here as you can not read offline what you do not have available. Are you perhaps using a KSC proxy server and are connected to it while you read? In that case you could read any pages on the server but if the server did not have it you would get the message to connect to internet.

If you are paying for the KSC connection I would bypass the proxy server and connect directly to the internet. Never found them useful in the past as most of what I wanted would be outdated or unavailable on them. The internet is just too big these days to expect to be able to store a meaningful amount of data on a local server.

If you are unable to use KSC in this manner try buying an MWeb unlimited account package and use that for awhile (or any of the dozen alternatives). Don't believe you would want to return.

[skycop51]

The Problem is or could be that your OS is ME. That sys. has a hard time once you fill up the cache, it can not unload it normally. so that alone slows you down too.

Bill

[Thetyim]

IT,

Thank you very much for your PM and all your advice.

My computer has a new lease of life now and is running much faster.

Good advise is difficult to get in Thailand so please stay with this forum.

Thank you

[Guest IT Manager]

Thanks for that Thetyim. It was a pleasure to be able to help.

IT

[francois]

hi' all

well, a lot of advices, but as I read, a lot of cheap-advice too, (user-advices) ...

did anyone think about windows\temp?

windows\recent folders that have to be emptied regularly?

also, I read advice about RAM , sure good advice! let's add, under 256mb, no salvation!

the core of the windows system use most of it!

win98 cannot manage RAM properly!

winME is a catastrophy! should never gone out! a real buggy one

win2000, is better in RAM management, but still cannot unload what was previously loded into RAM before.

winXP had done some progress on the memory management, but still, if you don't look closer ... you will waste around 40% of your memory!

how is that? ... winXp by default keep the system core in memory!

and also keep dll's used previouly in memory too!

useless to talk about left-behind old-registry keys!

in order to improve system speed, you have to go inside the registry to correct some keys ... it's not a simple thing to do, as any single thing you do has no way back, unless you backup your registry before, or at least make a copy of the key you are going to change!

X-Setup is one the best prog to tweak win!

if you want to use it, first download the plug-ins available, then run it, using the wizards, this way is safe, and quite clear.

if you want I can give you some ways to tweak win in any version

I also run winXP, with on the second disk Linux, which is better in many ways, but still, need good knowledge of computing, we can't say yet, Linux can be used by anyone from beginners to advanced programmers

your internet speed can be faster if you go inside the registry to correct some keys and adds some others

anyway, change your video-card is not as bad option

adding some more RAM too, let's go for this first

then, we can talk technical problems.

and change your OS, win98SE is alright, need some little applications to make it run properly, but most of them are free.

anyway, if you want more precise things, just send me an email with your hardware configuration, I'll tell you what to do.

anyone asking for help is always welcome

I'll do my best

.. for offline, go to internet-options and enabled "pages available offline" ....

but anyway, as it hs been said, and it obvious, you nedd to have seen these pages online first!

[rabkk]

X-Setup is one the best prog to tweak win!

if you want to use it, first download the plug-ins available, then run it, using the wizards, this way is safe, and quite clear.

if you want I can give you some ways to tweak win in any version

I mentioned this program on my first post; too many warnings and it was too difficult for me to understand what to do...

[francois]

too many warnings and it was too difficult for me to understand what to do...

you are right, many warning to catch you before to do something that could harm your system, "are you sure?" is the main style

but, I have to say, all program have a read-me text, some bigger than others, but

they deserve to be read first.

it's common in windows world to avoid this reading which result in malfunctions,

missunderstanding or for some a nice crash

READ the How-To's, they are here to help you in your first steps with your program.

do it it's rewarding

[GATOR420]

From what I understand from this thread is that the person with the problem has Win98SE, and 64MB of RAM, by the sounds of it, the video card is probably sharing 4MB of that memory. So, usuable memory for the system is less than 60MB. This in itself is an issue, but that's not what the problem is.

The problem appears to be pages that are not appearing when in offline mode. The ideal way to save pages in offline mode is to save the page as a favorite, select the option to "make available offline". Once you do that, the customize button will be available, and you will be given the option as to how many links down from the main page it should save pages. One should be careful not to go too far down, otherwise you'll be downloading hundreds of webpages from sites you really don't care about. You do not have to have previously viewed the pages on the downlinks to have them downloaded.

I don't think you need to rebuild the computer to do the above. The addition of RAM would be nice, but as stated previously, Win98, and anything with the Win98 kernel cannot manage RAM effectively. This includes WinME. If you did decide to upgrade the RAM, Windows XP should be the operating system of choice.

francois, your suggestion of cleaning out the windows temp files has never helped anything except an installation that has failed and has left behind temp files in the temp directory and when you try to reinstall, it fails again for that reason. This only relates to 3rd party software and failed installations. This has absolutely nothing to do with anything about the speed of the computer (unless the disk is so full because of the size of the temp folder), or offline pages. You will never find a solution to a problem on Microsoft's Knowledge Base where the answer is to "Clean out the temp directory."

Windows XP keeps is core system running in memory by default to do one thing, improve core system speed! Why in the world, if you have the RAM, would you not want that? Previously used dlls in memory so that if I use them again, I don't have to spend time waiting on the operating system to load them? Great! Again, why would you not want that? You think you are improving your system speed by keeping it out of memory? Surely you jest.

There are very few "tweaks" that you can do perform software wise to improve system speed noticeably. There are physical hardware limitations. Now, unless someone wants to walk this person through overclocking the processor or purchasing a CPU upgrade, that's about that only true way to improve his system speed. A memory and operating system upgrade would help the system resources be used more effectively.

The speed at which Internet pages load is obviously commonly perceived as CPU speed. Once again more than likely restrained by physical limitation, e.g. 56k modem and dial up. Only improving the physical connection will make this better, e.g. getting DSL, Cable (preferred), or Satellite. There are no software solutions/tweaks for this. That would be like saying, "If you wash your car, it will go faster."

[francois]

You will never find a solution to a problem on Microsoft's Knowledge Base where the answer is to "Clean out the temp directory."

I never believed what microsoft say in anyway, do you?

a small disk can be filles up with temp files ... so why does it run better once you empty this?

The speed at which Internet pages load is obviously commonly perceived as CPU speed. Once again more than likely restrained by physical limitation, e.g. 56k modem and dial up. Only improving the physical connection will make this better, e.g. getting DSL, Cable (preferred), or Satellite. There are no software solutions/tweaks for this. That would be like saying, "If you wash your car, it will go faster."

do you believe this? really nothing to do ...

go, and read my last post about internet speed ...

I can even give you the way for ADSL if you want

wash your car and drive ....

clean your disk and it feels better

it's a long time that I did not read a so straight info

but you look so tecky, I won't go against you ... I'm only a "geek"

[francois]

win 98 and memory ...

quite everyone know that win98 has some difficulty to manage memory.

this is due to the bottle-neck of ram managing

so, you need to free some sometime, you might look for a small software that could do the job ...

do it yourself

open notepad, assuming you have 256mb or more, you might want to free 30% of it, type in : FreeMem=Space(128000000) , and save it not as a text but as a vbs file, extension .vbs ( visual basic file).

configure your antivirus to accept this script.

when you will double click on it, this will free 128mb of ram.

never free more than 50% of your ram!

with 128mb ram, you might want to to free 50mb sometime ...

FreeMem=space(50000000)

here you are, win98 feels better.

[GATOR420]

You will never find a solution to a problem on Microsoft's Knowledge Base where the answer is to "Clean out the temp directory."

I never believed what microsoft say in anyway, do you?

a small disk can be filles up with temp files ... so why does it run better once you empty this? 

I believe what Microsoft says when it comes to fixing their software. They have a business to run and it's in their best interest to have it work!

The fact that you have a perception that your operating system runs better after you've cleaned out the temp directory is the placebo effect. You have performed an action, so therefore you believe there will be an effect. The effect truely only being that you probably reclaimed some wasted disk space. Just because you delete files off of your computer, no matter what directory, does not increase your system speed.

The speed at which Internet pages load is obviously commonly perceived as CPU speed. Once again more than likely restrained by physical limitation, e.g. 56k modem and dial up. Only improving the physical connection will make this better, e.g. getting DSL, Cable (preferred), or Satellite. There are no software solutions/tweaks for this. That would be like saying, "If you wash your car, it will go faster."

do you believe this? really nothing to do ... 

go, and read my last post about internet speed ...

I can even give you the way for ADSL if you want 

If there were no routers between you and the data you were accessing, then yes, adjusting your MTU settings might make a difference. However, because 100% of us are all accessing data/websites that are behind routers (often times several), the maximum MTU is defined by the smallest MTU setting on any router in the link. Thus, if your MTU is set to receive at 1496, but the smallest MTU setting on any one router between you and the data you want is 700, your resulting MTU setting is 700. Why? Because that's the best that router can do.

wash your car and drive  ....

clean your disk and it feels better 

it's a long time that I did not read a so straight info 

but you look so tecky, I won't go against you ... I'm only a "geek" 

You can go against me if you like, everyone has their own way of "fixing" a problem. Even if their problems and fixes and perceived and not actual. I just state facts. "Up to you" as they say...

[lopburi3]

There are no software solutions/tweaks for this. That would be like saying, "If you wash your car, it will go faster."

As a matter of fact your car will go faster. And there is software to compress web pages 'prior' to transmission that will decrease the download time required. INET currently runs it as an option. In my experience it did not handle file download well but it did get web pages displayed faster.

[GATOR420]

As a matter of fact your car will go faster. And there is software to compress web pages 'prior' to transmission that will decrease the download time required. INET currently runs it as an option. In my experience it did not handle file download well but it did get web pages displayed faster.

Prior to transmission? The only thing transmitting would be the server, and that would only improve client web browsing (and only for that particular site), but not overall client computer performance. What I have said earlier is the only way to truely improve computer performance.

-G

[lopburi3]

I don't believe in snake oil either and believe most such programs are just that. But I have used this system and it is faster (or it sure fooled me).

But as I said the download of files got hosed, at least in the preview version. Following is quote from INET:

Inet-Speedy - What is VIPS

VIPS (Versatile Internet Proxy System) ACCELERATOR is a unique service and technology developed by I-Channel which uses high performance computers, proprietary data compression technology and complex mathematical algorithms to accelerate your internet access up to 300%. Web surfers using our VIPS service will see up to 3X times improvement in browsing speeds without changing their internet access accounts.

VIPS is like no other technology today, it speed up most of the HTTP based web content like HTML,JavaScript, Flash, GIF,Animation, and Jpeg etc.

How does VIPS Work?

VIPS is an acceleration proxy solution which installed the TOP ISPs advanced Data Center. Based on VIPS' Content Accelerator technology, VIPS reduces the amount of HTTP traffic and speeds delivery of HTML pages and their components.

 

VIPS has multi-layer technology :

Packet Optimization

This layer applies packet optimization algorithms to the HTTP packet flow. The algorithms are adapted to the different objects and components of the page. The original format is retained. This pre-processing creates more consistent data that make compression more efficient.

Persistent Flow Technology

VIPS takes full advantage of the latest HTTP protocol features to manage transactions by keeping a persistent TCP/IP connection and batching transactions as they are sent to end users.

Advanced Real time Data Compression

The VIPS server compresses content in realtime and sends it to users' browsers. VIPS applies the highest levels of compression according to data type and content parameters. Proprietary Patent pending compressor techniques provide intelligent reduction of content file size with no visible loss of content.

Advanced Cache Memory

This layer caches portions of previous work to avoid repetition. The complex operating system and modules delivers faster content without having to wait for long distance internet delays and latencies.

Our proven systems and advanced technology operates by using our proprietary technology to optimize data channels and reduce bandwidth usage of your internet link, transporting it to the destination client machine and then processing it again before displaying the data at the destination. This is technology is totally developed in Singapore by some of Singapore’s best computer and multimedia scientist with proven track record in advanced multimedia product design both software and hardware solutions.

[HEXtaB]

Firstly, I agree with you that MS are professionals and always the people to turn to first.

But sorry GATOR420, in my extensive experience - clearing an excessivly large Windows temp directory always has a measurable positive effect on performance. I cannot, however, explain why this occurs, but I can state categorically that the peformance increase is real and not a placebo effect as you suggest.

As you correctly state, deleting or adding files to the filesystem per-se "shouldn't" effect overall performance, but who knows what the OS and applications are doing with them behind the scenes. It is the interaction between the OS and the filesystem that effects performance, the reason why page-swapping is slow and a bloated registry can slow your machine down.

Computers, or more correctly operating systems, are no longer as predictable as they used to be. What seems "common-sense" sometimes doesn't hold true.

For example, if I delete my internet cache, the perceived (& accurate) throughput of my web-surfing is degraded until I get back a significant stock of the common resources into the cache.

Most files in an average user's temp directory are orphans - results of a system/software crash, power-cut or other "illegal" shutdown. I believe that Windows somehow tries to maintain its temp files, especially from failed/cancelled installations, and gets tied in knots when these orphaned files grow beyond an "acceptable" number.

I'll give you a real life example. I had a client who had a computer with 256 Mb Ram, 20 Gb hard drive (about 9 Gb Free) who complained that windows took literally 5 or 6 minutes to boot into a usable state. After investigation, I found firstly that she was telling the truth and secondly that her temp directory contained about 8,000 files, consuming almost 300 Mb of disk space. I cleared it and the computer booted in around 20 seconds. Placebo?

There could be a whole host of reasons why deleting certain files can improve the response from the computer. Varying from the obvious disk-space & swap-file related, thru the internet cache database, to the sublime and inexplicable.

HEXtaC

[Guest IT Manager]

Gator & Hex don't fight..it isn't nice:

Summary of input:

If you have a machine that has 4 years of Win98 aboard- format it (backup what you need first, call gator for instructions)

If you look in the temporary internet files and there are a lot - delete them.

Check the temp folder - delete what isn't needed, which is most of it.

Empty recycle bin regularly.

Empty deleted emails if you use a proper system. If you use web-mail, no problem.

If you use Win 98 or Win ME, don't. Stop it. Get a computer, not an anchor.

If you love Linux, call Francois.

If you love Win 2K, call me,

If you love Win XP, get a life, (or call a doctor).

(The above is a joke Mr Gates, Sir. )

Format now and then

Back up at least weekly. Don't wait until you wish you had. Do it today.

If you don't have one, you need a CD Burner. About 1700 baht now. No excuse on cost.

If you are old and infirm, call Mr Vietnam. He won't know what to do but at least he won't be lonely. CD Burning is simple and cheap and more or less permanent.

(hence the reference to Mr V).

If you think I am over the top, you should see my wife in action. Doctorate in IT.. (not Khao San Road)

Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye will find.

IT

[TizMe]

Back up at least weekly. Don't wait until you wish you had. Do it today.

If you don't have one, you need a CD Burner. About 1700 baht now. No excuse on cost.

Definately backup, backup, and then backup again.

I find a better alternative to CD is a spare hard drive in a removable rack. Its much faster than a CD and more reliable. Also much higher capacity than CD.

I have two drives that I swap every week. both are old drives that have come out of old PCs that are no onger in use. The racks are dirt cheep. Just make sure that you get one with a cooling fan installed to compensate for the loss of air flow around HDD.

[francois]

yop, right very right ... and very very right

backup, backup, backup !!!

even with any free-unix sytem ...free-bsd, Linux, backup is the only word we know to avoid catastrophy!

this is, will be and has ever been THE one and only solution

[francois]

a simple trick to improve system speed ....

as a Linux user, I have a partition for the swap files ...

and thinking about this, I tried to do so on windows machines ...

I does work fine, and the result is after a few hours of work, the system does not slow down at all ...!

so, here is it : from win 98, 2K, XP the solution is very similar.

you'll have to create a partition of at least 1048mb to be recognized by windows.

why 1048mb and not less ... hum hum, ask mr gates

and why 1048 and not 1024 ... it's matter of how disk manufacturers counts and softwares do it ...

so, 1048mb will be 1gb, and it looks like that windows accepts this as a partition, if less, you might have problem to make recognized this partition as one!

once done, you'll have to change the drive letter that contains the swap files, named pagefiles also.

in win98, go to control panel, system, xxx performance, virtual memory, that should be as default let windows manage ..., check the radio-button, let me configure/or manage swap file ... set-it up to the new partition created before, this will relocate the swap-files on this new partition.

under 512mb of RAM set it as 1.5 x RAM (128x1,5=192)

from 512mb the size can be the same than the RAM.

for win2K, should be close to be same ... for details, ask IT .. thanks

for winXP, same procedure, create the new partition.

then go to control panel/system/advanced/performance/in the performance options/ advanced menu, look at virtual memory, and click on change, you will see that winXP, set-it on the disk C:\ with a large (too large) amount of mb ...

begin to uncheck and erase the existing settings, and then set the new partiton as the default swap files on the this new partition, same rule then above.

you will feel a real difference in the way the system behaves!

this is also a good thing to do to avoid too much fragmentation of the main disk, as the swap are often solicited.

last advice, set the new partition as close to C:\ as possible if possible ...

this means if this can be the D:\ partition this would be nice.

if your system contains more than 3/4 partitions, take care to backup before!

using partion magic, you'll have to move data and partitions, and/or resize some,

if you have such configuration, do one action at a time! (it's important!)

this will avoid a quite certain mess-up

also, with WInXP, the page files can remain on the C:\ disk, once you'' have done all, and reboot.

go back to C:\, look for the pagefile.sys after being sure that they have been moved to the new partition (D:\ ..) meaning that you find pagefile.sys in the D:\

along with Recycler and System Volume Information, they are all system files and hidden, so be sure that you can see them, from explorer/tools|menu, be sure that hidden and system files are not check, win should warn you about system files, answer yes.

check it good, and once sure, delete the old ones on C:\ !

you will find then, in the same menu of before in control panel, system/advanced/performance/in the performance options/ advanced menu, look at virtual memory, you should see "total amount the number you have set just before, check that it is on the partition you setup before, if yes, then smile

your system is going to run smoother !

also for WinXp user ...

did you hear about prefetch files?

this is an heavy stuff to carry!

it's situated in the windows directory, empty this folder regularly ( every 2 days or so..)

you may creatre a shorcut on the desktop to do so easily and often.

the first time you will empty it, you will be surprised if not schocked by the amount of files in there ...

they all go to the recycle bin, delete them for good, the bin will tell you how many of them, ofthen more than 50/60 ...

do it also before defrag!

if you think your com is getting slow, do this first ...

[francois]

hi' all

I forgot to mention that, if you setup the pagefile yourself, always put the same amount in the max field and in the min field

IE; max=192

min=192

forgot to say, but it's mainly important!

sorry for this delay ...busy week-end

francois

[TizMe]

they all go to the recycle bin, delete them for good, the bin will tell you how many of them, ofthen more than 50/60 ...

If you hold down the "shift" key when you delete them it will not put them into the recycle.

[francois]

If you hold down the "shift" key when you delete them it will not put them into the recycle.

sure right, that was just to have a chance to see the first time you delete these

junks, how many you have in store

did you count the first time you did this?

I did ... LOL ... 214!

when you know that they are almost useless, (this mean you run with enough RAM, like 512mb or more..), this is really a waste, and more than this, it seems that it slows the machine down a lot ... why?, I don't have a clue about this!

[Godot]

In my experience, having the OS and the swapfile on different partitions, can actually slow the system down. The reason is simply that the drive head has to travel further to access the file. There are also realignment issues if the head has to travel accross partitions. Personally, I would place the OS and swap on the first, program files on the second, and archived files on the third partition. Also, you should be very careful changing the partitions if you are not that experienced. Better to do a complete restore, in my opinion.

Then again, trying to make your computer "better" is much like trying to raise a kid. They're all different, with different software (post-birth experiences) and different hardware (genes). And, they do not always act the way to want them to...

[francois]

In my experience, having the OS and the swapfile on different partitions, can actually slow the system down. The reason is simply that the drive head has to travel further to access the file. There are also realignment issues if the head has to travel accross partitions. Personally, I would place the OS and swap on the first, program files on the second, and archived files on the third partition. Also, you should be very careful changing the partitions if you are not that experienced. Better to do a complete restore, in my opinion.

Then again, trying to make your computer "better" is much like trying to raise a kid. They're all different, with different software (post-birth experiences) and different hardware (genes). And, they do not always act the way to want them to...

swap on different partition does not slow down the system, this was true a few years ago with old com, old disk, slow cpu, and so on ... and win 95

access time to swap is important, set them up to another partition accellerate this time since the disk-head doesn't have to browse the entire "first partition"!

this reduce fragmentation of the first partiton (usely the OS one), less fragmentation, less reducing speed, and less need to defrag often!

setup the program files on another partition, is a choice that does not affect the speed in anyway, it's just somehow more convenient, but don't forget to setup the program files access path in the registry!

and last, only one more partition?, why so kinio?

why not one for grafics, one for audio ...etc?

but, still it's a personal choice