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Benchmark Testing Software

post #1 of 13
2/27/03 at 5:22pm
Thread Starter 
I was tweaking my system to get a bit more speed out of it and wondered if there are any programs out there that do benchmark speed tests to see if my tweaking is making any difference (biggest difference was of course going from 256 megs to 768 and setting my page file to 1.5 times the total RAM). I actually turned the paging file off but have since turned it back.I have been using http://www.pcpitstop.com/ to give me some ideas on what to check.

Other things I have tried is changing the services to only those that I need.

I have also changed the performance settings from Adjust for better performance to, the setting that lets windows determine what is best (don't know why it seems faster after making that change when it SHOULD be slower).

Has anyone noticed a performace boost using memory managers such as RAM Idle Pro? I am using the eval copy but wondering if it is doing anything now that I have added 512 mb.

I love my Sager. I have recommended it many people and always get questions about it wondering who makes it.

Thanks for the great forum.

Here is the vitals...

Sager 5650 P 4 M 1.6 ghz 728mb ram ATI Radeon 7500.

OS NameMicrosoft Windows XP Professional
Version5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
OS ManufacturerMicrosoft Corporation
System NameSHAWNLAPTOP
System Manufacturersag168168
System ModelSheeks - Northwood/Brookdale Customer Reference Board
System TypeX86-based PC
Processorx86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~1595 Mhz
BIOS Version/DatePhoenix Technologies LTD SHE845M0.86C.0013.D.0204161531, 1/1/1992
SMBIOS Version2.31
Windows DirectoryC:\WINDOWS
System DirectoryC:\WINDOWS\System32
Boot Device\Device\HarddiskVolume1
LocaleUnited States
Hardware Abstraction LayerVersion = "5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)"
User NameSHAWNLAPTOP\Shawn
Time ZoneEastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory768.00 MB
Available Physical Memory558.14 MB
Total Virtual Memory2.58 GB
Available Virtual Memory2.24 GB
Page File Space1.83 GB
Page FileC:\pagefile.sys
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post #2 of 13
2/27/03 at 5:39pm

Page file placement

I would move the pagefile to another drive. A system specialist told me that placing the pagefile among the system files can slow down the system.

Also turn off System restore (XP) and Auto Updates etc. for slight boosts in performance.

Clean out your registry and defrag your hard drive regularly.

Use a third party system tool like Norton or Mcafee.

Cheers!!
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post #3 of 13
2/27/03 at 5:42pm
Thread Starter 
How much is my page file even being used if I have 500 plus megs or RAM free at all times? Just a bit confused I guess. Thanks for your post. Maybe I will create a partition on the drive and put it there being that I do not physically have another drive to use. Would that work?
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post #4 of 13
2/27/03 at 5:46pm

You have only one partition??

I mean...you havent partitioned your HDD??

This is the very first thing that can slow down your performance. I would make one partition for system files, one for the pagefile and other general data, one for games, one for media and so on.

Keep the system partition down to 7GB - depends on what volume HDD you have.

also - if its an old system - backup all your data, re-install XP Pro and the latest drivers, SP1 update for XP etc. Make the partitions at this time.

This will give you the best performance - organize your data.
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post #5 of 13
2/27/03 at 5:49pm
Thread Starter 
Holy Schnikeez !! I better partition.

Just noticed that shutting off Themes and then setting the perfromance to adjust for best performance made a huge difference.

How do I move the page file after I partition? How much space to I leave for XP on the partition. Sorry, I am really new to this tweaking thing. Thanks for your input.
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post #6 of 13
2/27/03 at 6:06pm

Go here

Read this thread I posted a couple of weeks back. I try to update it regularly but this week I have mid terms wait till the weekend for some fantastic stuff...

Click here : http://sagerforums.com/forums/showth...&threadid=1541

You should reinstall os :-

1] Backup your data
2] Format your HDD and make partitions
3] Install OS in the smallest partition
4] Install all OS updates from Windows website
5] Install drivers in the order recommended
6] Check for newer drivers for your model and install these by following the instructions
7] Restore all your data from your backups (CD, Firewire disk whatever)
Thats the way to go
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post #7 of 13
2/27/03 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone else out there partition to this extent? Just polling.
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post #8 of 13
2/27/03 at 6:50pm
I disagree with gs on this point. I believe that you should have two partitions on your hard drive... one for pure data (no installation files or installed programs) and one for the OS+installed programs. Multiple partitions are in different parts of the hard drive and require more time to access when moving back and forth. Not to mention that when you reload an OS, you MUST reload all programs that you installed anyway, so it is to your benefit to remove those programs in addition to the OS. There is a reason why Windows defaults program installations to a directory in the windows partition called Program Files. However, this is all preference; each to his/her own.

As far as defrag and registry cleaning, I agree. Use third party software (my personal choice would be Norton Systemworks 2k3 and System Mechanic by iolo. Systemworks for defrag (use the utility called Speeddisk) and System Mechanic for optimizations like registry cleaning, startup programs, and pagefile use. You can minimize pagefile use through System Mechanic (thus using more RAM that would have been free otherwise). It's a nice lil program. Best of luck to you!
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post #9 of 13
3/3/03 at 10:21am
I may have come in to this conversation a bit late but nevertheless, here is my knowledge on the subject.

When it comes to partitioning your hard drive, make one partition for your OS and installed software. Make another for everything else (backups/games etc) This is all personal preference of course, make 200 partitions of you would like

With regards to the swap file (pagefile), it is true that you should move this file off the same partition as the system files, BUT it makes absolutely NO difference if the swap file is moved on to a partition on the same physical disk. For optimum performance this file MUST be moved onto a different physical disk. The reason being that partitioning a hard drive makes it look like 2 hard drives for the user, but the actual disk is still the same. When the OS is writing to the swap file/reading from it, and utilizing system files, it is the same hard drive and the same heads on that drive looking for the information. Otherwise if you have seperate hard disks, one set of heads look for the system files while another completely different set of heads look for information in the swap file.

Just my knowledge on the subject. Hope it helps.

Regards
Ian
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post #10 of 13
3/3/03 at 11:26am
Here's a question NiX:

Suppose I had a 5660 w/ the fixed internal HD and a FireWire/USB 2.0 external. Say I set the pagefile onto the external, so it would be the optimal setup (One looking for system files while the other does the swap).

What would happen if I booted up but forgot to attach the external? Would XP see no swap file and kill itself?
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post #11 of 13
3/3/03 at 1:25pm
XP would not kill itself, it would continue to work as normal, just without a swap file. I infact have the same setup (external firewire drive with said swapfile on it). I havent really noticed much of a difference when running with a swapfile and without. Having 512MB RAM, there should be no reason why windows would want to access "memory" stored on a slower medium (hard drive) but it does. *shrug* thats Microsoft for ya.
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post #12 of 13
3/3/03 at 8:00pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, I thought of just shutting off the swap file and not usiing one but I had a crash once and I figured I better keep on in place.

Thanks for all the info...I kind of thought the swap file might not make much of a difference if it is on the same physica drive.
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post #13 of 13
3/12/03 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally posted by rush
Anyone else out there partition to this extent? Just polling.
No, I have two partitions. I think gsferrari has an obbsession with organizing his stuff. (no offense meant) You can observe this by his extensive partition system, and the way he wants the forums organized. By the way, I agree with the forum organizing deal.
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