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pleaseHelpme!
05-11-2001, 10:42 PM
I don't really know much about computers and I was hoping you could help me out. I have an old pentium 166 that I use mainly for printing stuff of the internet, and playing games that it can handle(age of empires etc).
The only problem is(other than its an old crapper, with 16mb RAM) that it is running at slower speeds than a pentium 90 when playing games etc.
Can you help?
Thanks.

Reid
05-12-2001, 01:53 AM
What operating system are you running? Even without knowing that, I think adding some RAM would be a good place to start. Check prices; cost is not much of an issue now.

I happened to find this Symantec link (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/552ba2f7636bedf088256818006f78bf/58e531e3147045ee882566fb00276be2?OpenDocument) that has some information about configuring Windows 95/98 for optimal use of resources. You may want to take a look there.

I run EndItAll (http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,0011NB,.html) to "lighten the load" when more performance is needed.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME



[This message has been edited by Reid (edited 05-12-2001).]

pleaseHelpme!
05-12-2001, 05:19 AM
I have thought about getting another 32mb, but I don't really need it for what I am using the computer for.I am either going to get a new computer(amd t-bird 1Gig..) or the x-box when it comes out(either one of these will sort out the games problem http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif)

I am using 95 so I will check it out.
Thanks for the help.

pleaseHelpme!
05-18-2001, 02:42 AM
That helped a little, I gained about 3fps, but I am still about 20fps below where it should be!
Do you know anything else that will help me?
It could be something obvious-like I said, I don't know much about this stuff. Any help would be great.

wolfmann1
05-18-2001, 01:18 PM
That helped a little, I gained about 3fps, but I am still about 20fps below where it should be!

What video card are you using? Are all your drivers updated? What benchmarking utility are you using...etc?

If you have 168pin DIMM slot, then a ram upgrade to 64mb should be relatively painless. Even a 32mb version. If you have SIMMs, however, on 64-bit memory buses they have to be installed in pairs, and they're not cheap...I've found SIMMS on average are almost twice the price of an equivalent DIMM, but do some shopping. See if you can pick up an old computer for cheap, and then just rape it of its parts...like the ram sticks.

A 486 or Pentium 75 may not be worth much more than $25-50 on the street, but the sum of its components can be golden. Especially old SIMMs, hard drives, even the fan off its processor can be used in other projects.



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http://www.geocities.com/wolfmannjack/wolfmannpc.jpg

Ghost_Hacker
05-18-2001, 08:11 PM
Try updating your sound card's drivers or use a diffrent sound setting in your games (if you can). On old computers turning the sound off caused FPS to increase. Of course most games aren't worth playing without sound.


Hope this helps http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!"