35% system-ressources enough for gaming (Win98SE)?

MrBurns

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I have this problem: when I am browsig the internet for a longer time, this eats up my systemressources completely. After that even when I close all programs I dont need and also force Explorer to restart itself, I sometimes get system ressources under 50% (the lowest fo all of the 3 categories GDI, System, User was about 35%).

My question: is this enough for playing games? If not, does anyone know a program whichcan free system ressources (50% free would be enough, I know that). After the boot I have over 80% free ressources althought I ahve more programs running than when I do gaming.

AMD Athlon XP 2700+
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Creative GeForce 4 Ti 4800 (4600 Chip)
Chieftech Case
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Esso

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Sounds like you have something installed which is leaking a lot of memory. Most of the time it's 3rd party crap... but you should double check to make sure that you've fully updated all of windows (and for that matter double check that your other progs are up-to-date as well).

There's a lot of programs available on the net which claim the free-up resources, but from what I've tried, i'm usually left with doubt.

You also may want to check your computer for spyware... get a free, proven removal tool at <A HREF="http://www.lavasoftusa.com" target="_new">http://www.lavasoftusa.com</A> (it's called ad aware btw).

Depending on the type of game, some can be quite demanding, so if you are playing a newer, heavier game, then I'd be reluctant to play it at ~35% free. I'd hope for atleast 65%.

p.s. It's time for an O.S. upgrade =).
 
Use Mozilla Firebird as your web browser. It uses a fraction of the memory IE uses.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>
 

MrBurns

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Sounds like you have something installed which is leaking a lot of memory.

Memory is not the same as resources: the resources are a few blocks in the memory, which are 64kB or 2MB big, but the size doesnt depend on how much memory you have installed.


About upograding to Win2k/XP: I have downloaded partition magic and maybe I will try to make a second partition for WinXp and install it in dual boot, but I would prefer to continue using because Win98 is still the best system for games and I dont want to spend over 100$ for a new M$-OS.

btw, I also want to install mandrake Linux on a third partition if it is possible. Is there a boot manager, which can be used for Win98 XP and Linux when Win98 is on the primary partition (C: )?

AMD Athlon XP 2700+
Epox 8rda+
Thermaltake Volcano 7+
2x256 MB PC2700
Creative GeForce 4 Ti 4800 (4600 Chip)
Chieftech Case
WD 80GB/8MB HDD
16x48 DVD-ROM
20x10x32 Burner
 

coylter

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IT is NOT the best system for game. It crash all the time and you need to restart once every hour :/

XP almost never crash and DO NOT produce any blue screen of death.



My own beast: Athlon 2700xp+ , Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/370) , 512mb ddr400. SO MUCH faster than my father pIII 550......
 

MrBurns

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I hardly never get crashes when I play games and I also know from people, who get crashes and bluescreens in WinXP. Also most crashes in games dont come from the OS, they come from problems w/ the drivers or DirectX.

The most important thing for gaming is not how often your system crashes (if it doesnt crash every day or so), but what games run on it. If your system crashes too often you can save your games often enough and also most games have an autosave feature.

The most importanat thing is that your games run.

You can protect yourself against crashes by saving often enough, but you cant do anything if your game doesnt run w/ your OS.

AMD Athlon XP 2700+
Epox 8rda+
Thermaltake Volcano 7+
2x256 MB PC2700
Creative GeForce 4 Ti 4800 (4600 Chip)
Chieftech Case
WD 80GB/8MB HDD
16x48 DVD-ROM
20x10x32 Burner
 

coylter

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Just one thing : THERE IS NO BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH IN WIN XP
it is not in the program and win xp is MUCH more stable than win 98.

My own beast: Athlon 2700xp+ , Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/370) , 512mb ddr400. SO MUCH faster than my father pIII 550......
 

kinetic_tw

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Just one thing : THERE IS NO BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH IN WIN XP
Sure there is. It's just that WinXP is, by default, set to automatically reboot any time there's a critical error. If you turn that option off, you'll see the BSOD instead of an automatic reboot (This is good for troubleshooting).
 

coylter

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You smoke good thing.


My win xp NEVER CRASHED since 3-4 month :p



My own beast: Athlon 2700xp+ , Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/370) , 512mb ddr400. SO MUCH faster than my father pIII 550......
 

MrBurns

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That your WinXp didnt crash for 3 months means nothing. I have read from people, who have WinXp crashes every week. Some even have it every day, but w/ their system there must be something wrong. Just that your XP doesnt crash it doesnt mean, that XP doesnt crash at all.

If you want to read about people who get reboots or BSODs in XP, go to the Windows XP section of this forum:
http://forumz.tomshardware.com//modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=51

AMD Athlon XP 2700+
Epox 8rda+
Thermaltake Volcano 7+
2x256 MB PC2700
Creative GeForce 4 Ti 4800 (4600 Chip)
Chieftech Case
WD 80GB/8MB HDD
16x48 DVD-ROM
20x10x32 Burner<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by MrBurns on 11/28/03 03:02 AM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

tombance

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If you hate XP, get win 2000, IMHO thats the best.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6752830" target="_new">Yay, I Finally broke the 12k barrier!!</A>
 

MrBurns

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I dont hat XP (not more than any other Windows), I just know, that you cant get an M$-OS, that never crashes or produces BSODs.

AMD Athlon XP 2700+
Epox 8rda+
Thermaltake Volcano 7+
2x256 MB PC2700
Creative GeForce 4 Ti 4800 (4600 Chip)
Chieftech Case
WD 80GB/8MB HDD
16x48 DVD-ROM
20x10x32 Burner
 

toxicogen

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Yes well they did kinda create them didn't they?

I wonder when they will stop beeing backwards compatible for the BSOD and crashing?

If all else fails: Read The Manual
 

coylter

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But is is A lot more stable than win98

My own beast: Athlon 2700xp+ (oc: 3200xp+ with 200fsb) , Radeon 9800pro (oc: 410/370) , 512mb ddr400. SO MUCH faster than my last computer (pIII 550......)
 

allanon1965

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yea right dude, i am running an install of WIN98SE that is on its 2nd YEAR!!! since being installed! dont blow smoke up my A$$ about win XP, I ran win XP Pro for 3 months after i had to buy new hardware and software...piece of crap OS! it froze solid! several times, i had to reboot due to conflicts with hardware and software, half of the new stuff claimed to be XP compatible and it wasnt. you try to get a ms sidewinder force feedback joystick to work under winXP, which claims to support it. YOU CANT! because winxp so called driver is not compatible! to top it off, microshaft knows all about it, but wont make a compatible driver for it! I am just glad i tried it out on my gaming pc rather that my mainline pc....half of my games wont even play on winxp....WIN98SE is very stable, in my opinion the most stable they have made. but this all goes without saying that you as an enduser must keep the housekeeping up to date no matter what the OS, no OS is perfect, but winxp home or pro is a crap os, like winME in my opinion... garbage! and as he stated, resources are more than just memory....3 months on xp......come back in a year or two and tell me the same thing....if you keep it that long....

Fat, Drunk, and Stupid is no way to go through life Son.
 

toxicogen

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I'm running 2 machines here:

A thinkpad with XP (PII 363MHz 224MB)
A desktop with 98SE (PIII 500MHz 128MB)

the desktop is giving me real pains when it comes to internet, it has serious issues in keeping the line open and stable and more and more websites just don't show! The XP machine has none of these problems. I have not tried games on the laptop, and I do notice it's slower, not that I expected anything else...

I'm going to get a new laptop with XP on it and say bye bye to the rest. I'll get a machine with decent system specs so it can run games ect decently in XP.

If all else fails: Read The Manual