limit amount of memory SL uses

I'm trying to optimize my system. I just threw in a honking big new HDD and got a very good graphics card. however Im lagging a lot because I think Windows was using *way* too much virtual memory.

I'm limited 512mb. I disabled the Windows paging file (turned off virtual memory basically) so that everything is running within my 512.

Now, SL loads and logs in, but the memory usage quickly shoots threw the room. Soon as my available memory is used, SL crashes.

Is there a way that I can manually set the amount of memory the SL client is using to around 300mb?

Thanks,
Geuis

I'd recommend more RAM. 512MB is a bare minimum these days -- most apps won't run in anything less, and SL is relatively high-maintenance.

Windows also ignores you when you turn off the paging file.

yes I know that I should get more memory. If you want to write me a check for the money, I'll be glad to place an order.

However, my question still stands, is there simply a way to force SL to use no more than X amount of RAM?

Don't know if it is still true, but it used to be that SL's memory consumption was proportional to the amount of video ram...something like 2.5 times the video ram. If that is still true, then you might be able to reduce SL's memory consumption by reducing the amount of video ram you are using in the SL preferences.

Why are you trying to disable Paging File? Not a good idea...

Yeah, why on earth did you disable the page file. That will just force the use of non-paged VM. Talk about slow! Don't mess with the VM settings. Go back in there and put the check back on "Let windows manage my setting" or what ever it says. Your computer will be faster and SL will stop crashing.

Geuis, it is a misconception that there are two things working on your PC side by side, the bad Windows wasting your memory, and SL, your precious application SL uses Windows to run on your computer, it is the fundament, and if you limit the memory, one of them will crash first, and you will never know which one. I have seen SL using 800MB RAM and swapping between RAM and virtual memory permanently - on a PC with 1GB RAM. You will need at least 1GB RAM, better 2. 512 won't work reliably. There is no simple way to reduce the amount of memory SL uses, except a redesign by the Lindens.
Horst

aye, I agree with you. to be snarky, I did turn off all the "make Windows pretty" crap. It looks like Win 2000! haha

sometimes i wish SL would use all my pile of ram instead of this stupid cache (4gb ram yay)

Kyrah, the advantage of the cache is that its contents don't have to be downloaded again via network, after you had your computer turned off, because the cache is not volatile. Its main function is not to save RAM. The idea behind is that loading stuff from a hard drive is faster than any network. This concept is not new, it works perfectly, and web browsers like Firefox demonstrate that. Unfortunately, the SL cache design is still far from being perfect. Even if set to 1GB, things that haven't changed in the meantime are still loaded partially from the network, and partially from the cache, leaving the cache in a corrupt state after playing for a while. If you have a fast network, reduce the cache to its minimum size and clear it from time to time. But I don't think that this will speed up SL.
Horst

I'm pretty sure that Kyrah understands the point. It is also true that loading stuff from RAM is faster than any hard drive. If you have the RAM, it would be nice to be able to use it. It is also a little brain dead to have a disk cache that is smaller than the amount of RAM.

Windows XP 32-Bit is limited to 3GB of RAM.

Windows XP uses "Protected Mode Memory" which means it divides your RAM in half. The lower half for JUST the system, the upper half for applications.

SO: on a system with 4GB of ram, SL will have 1.5GB to play with, not counting any other applications running.

On a 1GB system, only 512MB will be available to SL, beyond with it'll start paging to the HDD.

Supposedly Vista 32-Bit will be able to access all 4GB. (64-bit hits its limit in the multi-terrabyte range). And I've heard mumblings that it will be more flexible with its protected mode, allowing more of your RAM to be accessed by applications.

Just something to think about when planning how much RAM to have in your system.

Windows divides the *address space* into two parts. This has nothing to do with "giving half the memory to the system" or anything like that, it simply means that no individual program can access more than 2GB of memory directly, whether that's real memory or virtual memory.