Digital BW, The Print

Austin Franklin wrote:

 >I also don't know if all versions of Windows can address that much memory.
 >I know I have 2G on a Win2k Professional computer, and it seems to 
"see" all
 >of it, so with W2kP 2G is not an issue...
 >
 >
No more than 512mB AFAIK on a Win9x box... There are workarounds to this
limit, but they are not foolproof.. They wouldn't work on my system...
  However NT based systems 2K and XP have no problem..

 >And, BTW, I wouldn't recommend spending the money on a Xeon.  It only has
 >larger cache, and that probably doesn't help with PS.
 >
 >
 >
Agreed... Dual  PIIIs (the fastest ones your dual m-board can handle)
are much more cost effective...

You've REALLY got to properly set your WINDOWS  AND  PShop memory...

Windows (we are speaking NT here) should be set to use a FIXED size
page/swapfile in a multiple of 2-3 times your system RAM (for large
amounts of ram -- over 1gB -- under 1 gB I recommend 3-4 times system
ram)... You need that to go on a separate disk if possible (7200 or
10,000 rpm min with fast seek times..), if not use at least a separate
partition.

DO NOT USE NTFS FOR THE SWAP/PAGE FILE -- IT INCREASES SYSTEM OVERHEAD..

For swap/page partitions use FAT32 over 2gB and FAT under 2gB partition
size (FAT does better with small numbers of  large files, but has a 2039
mB max partition size..)..  Keep as few disks NTFS as possible -- the
security features eat performance so don't use it on a standalone or
small office machine at all....

With large amounts of RAM you need to tweak Windows to run processes in
  RAM instead of swapping them out.. There are tweak pages around the net
that explain the registry changes... I don't want to give them here, as
I don't want to hear about people messing up their registry..

Try starting here:
http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/memory-win2k/2kmem-3.shtml

You also need to give PShop it's own scratch disk(s) on separate
drive(s) or partition(s)... Same rule as for the swapfile... Use your
fast disks for this..

Keep the swap/page and scratch disk(s)/partition(s)  defragmented and
clean..  I recommend Executive Software's Diskkeeper (don't believe
those who say NT doesn't need disk defragging)..

The scratch disk(s) should have free space equaling 5-6 times  your
typical large image size..  (The size as shown by PShop when you are
working on  an image -- not the saved size).. I use  2gB of scratch
space on a 7200 rpm drive and have my data drive set as the third
scratch partition in case I run out of space..

Again USE FAT for these disks..

NEVER have a pagefile, swapfile. or scratch disk on your boot drive if
you can avoid it..

Since with large RAM numbers, a lower percentage of RAM is taken up by
system resources, you can give PShop a higher % of available RAM.. (From
the PShop prefs)

Make sure your RAM and swap/page disks are NOT being checked for virii
  or protected by Norton Protection (Undelete software).. It'll slow them
way down..

You can alter the "priority" of PShop from the task manager OR you can
change it's default priority in the registry (I don't recommend the
latter unless you intend to lower it's priority)..  Yes, you can change
the priority while PShop is running (if you find you want more or less
cpu cycles devoted to it)..

PShop was designed to use its own memory management because Windoze
could not address enough RAM or efficiently swap the amount of data
necessary..  Of course, that was then, this is now -- it needs its
memory model redone now...

Make sure Ultra DMA capable disks are actually using it... Check them in
device manager..

Another thing..  When PShop crashes or locks up it will often leave
behind a scratch file --  ~PS*.tmp.  You need to periodically check your
scratch disk(s) for these buggers and delete them if they are there when
PShop is NOT running.

If you are doing RAID striping, the actual file systems you may be able
to use, FAT, FAT32, NTFS, etc.. may be predetermined -- I don't need to
hear about that...

One final thing, even with AGP video boards... Unless you do a lot of 
gaming or 3d work keep them set to maximize performance..  Turn off 3d 
menus and shadows, in Windoze, etc..  That stuff just slows down the 
system..

Keith




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