Mirrored or double drive--current thinking?

[bobafetthotmail]

So to be sure--I can add an application's exe filesize + its database and get a very good value for the RAM it will use OR I need to add x% to the preceding total that for some reason the OS will add for the total of each open application?

So once I subtract 2.5GB (overhead) from 8GB=5.5GB and subtract the total used by all open applications and data is there not an additional % of total RAM that the Win7/64 OS will want (or should be free for optimal performance) to keep as sort of free, transactional (for want of the correct word) RAM that would also need to be deducted?

If you don't run any program, there is no difference in performance between 2 GB and a very large number of GB. All the ram beyond what is needed by Windows 7 (and integrated graphics) will affect only program performance.

As for ram requirements for each program, it isn't so easy to figure out as stuff in RAM is data the processor works on, not exactly what you have on the hard drive (that is usually compressed and encrypted somehow for the program to load faster). Most programs state a ram requirement you can use to estimate things.
Some are memory hogs due to bugs (like say firefox), and gobble up all ram if you leave them open too much time.

The limit is 4 GB of total RAM for 32 bit systems.

Good luck on making it use the full 4 GB. Most win 7 x86 systems are stuck between 3.1 and 3.6 Gb of usable memory of 4 GB total, it's what they call 3 GB barrier.

 

[markg2]

Thanks for all the help so far. Here are my final questions and clarifications before I place the order for the Lenovo tower:


1) I had opted for Integrated Graphics (with your agreement) since my wife doesn't not do actual graphics work (web design, image processing, etc) or gaming. However, for $85 I'm wondering if I'm being penny wise and pound-foolish. We keep our computers for 5-6 years and who knows what she might want to do with the machine 3 or 4 years from now. Is there some metric of software activity that would better describe the price/performance tipping point from integrated graphics to specialized?
[add $85.00] AMD Radeon HD7350 512M (DVI+DP) Full Height
[add $100.00] AMD Radeon HD7450 1GB (DVI+DP) Full Height

2) The Lenovo warranty price sweet spot is 4 years next day onsite for ~$99. Below is the price increase for a 5 year contract (the adds are not to the ~99 but reset from zero):
[add $135.00] 5YR Onsite Next Business Day + Keep Your Drive
[add $159.00] 5YR Onsite Next Business Day


It’s been my understanding that if memory or the motherboard goes sideways it is generally in the first 1-2 years vs. a drive that likely would or could go most probably in the latter years. Given the expense of the primary SSD drive and the incremental cost of ~$35 from year 4 to 5, what do you think about the 4 vs. 5 year warranty?


Thanks,
Mark

 

[bigmck]

I have never bought a warranty. My computer has always been outdated before it breaks. == On the integrated graphics, you can always have a graphics card added at a later date if one is needed.

 

[markg2]

Thanks--didn't realize you could add graphics with existing integrated.

Mark

 

[whs]

Thanks--didn't realize you could add graphics with existing integrated.

Mark

Yeah, that's easy. Just have to make a little change in the BIOS when you are done. Piece of cake.

 

[markg2]

I always image to 2 drives - 1 internal and 1 external.

If you're using Acronis for example, how do you tell same to alternate image destinations or automatically duplicate the image destined for (for example) an internal drive to the external drive?

Mark

 

[whs]

I always image to 2 drives - 1 internal and 1 external.

If you're using Acronis for example, how do you tell same to alternate image destinations or automatically duplicate the image destined for (for example) an internal drive to the external drive?

Mark

No idea for Acronis. I use Macrium and there you can schedule the different XML definition files independently.