[Darin590]

Hey, I read that I have enough ram to work FFXI but I'm worried that it might be slow since my computer started to slow down. I have 256 Ram. Does anyone here know how I could increase my ram? Oh and I have a Dell Dimension 8250 if that helps. If my ram isn't the thing that is making my computer slow I would love for some of you people to post some things that might help me out.

Thanks

[aerobahn]

256 will "RUN" the game but i dont hink you will enjoy it.

hmmm 8250 i think that uses RDRAM, PC1066.. yuck... go buy another stick. Unplug your system, pop open the case find the slot where youll see your current stick and just shove(gently) your new stick in next to it. Plug in, boot and enjoy:angel:

[ganhosi]

512 will be more then plenty if you want to upgrade. Remember that FFXI came out 2 years ago, not may systems had 512 back then (apart from servers, which had 512 - 1 gig). Good Luck, if I were you just wait and try it out, it's only 1 month away. Ram is so easy to upgrade, you can do it in 5 minutes. Good luck.

[aerobahn]

true i did come out a year ago, But for this game you need 7xxmb to avoid ANY swapping. 512 will avoid most but not all swapping

[Doppelganger]

i believe that the 8250 is actually the model with the intel 445E chipset, that means he's got 333mh ddr ram.im not sure, but i have the dell 8200 and i have 800mh rd, but it can support 1066ram (i don't know why it was 800 instead of 1066, but it's 180 to replace the ram, or double my ram, so i will double it). i believe that the 8200 was the first and last desktop ever to use rd by dell.

go to http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm
it will let you shut down windows parts that are gay a take up too much memory and cpu time

[aerobahn]

You could be right dopple. I have no clue about dell because i dont like them i just did a quick search at their site and it gave me that.

[ganhosi]

true i did come out a year ago, But for this game you need 7xxmb to avoid ANY swapping. 512 will avoid most but not all swapping

When you talk about swapping, are you refering to virtual memory setting in windows?
If so, what you are saying is that running the game off the hardrive will create lag? Don't you find this a bit silly? I mean the game itself is running off the hardrive. If your theory is correct, everyone in japan 2 years ago that didnt have more than 512 megs of ram in their PC was experiencing lag?
ROFL
Have any proof to back this up?

[Doppelganger]

the game will be slightly laggier due to the map (borders of loading, even if for milliseconds) size. if the maps are small, and can fit into 256 ram, with the main code, and os, and any other apps, then there would be no lag (memory is so much faster than even a 10,000 rpm drive). the other problem is that virtual memory is written at only 30mb per second (i think that is the max, i don't know this for sure). that is at least a second for loading a map then. it's not that noticable though (at most you may lose 30-50 frames).

[ganhosi]

the game will be slightly laggier due to the map (borders of loading, even if for milliseconds) size. if the maps are small, and can fit into 256 ram, with the main code, and os, and any other apps, then there would be no lag (memory is so much faster than even a 10,000 rpm drive). the other problem is that virtual memory is written at only 30mb per second (i think that is the max, i don't know this for sure). that is at least a second for loading a map then. it's not that noticable though (at most you may lose 30-50 frames).

You were refering to 256, I was refering to needing 700+ needed to avoid any swapping. I have talked to some of my japanese friends who play this game and they said that upgrading from 256 to 512 megs of ram got rid of all the lag in the game. You can also force windows to use more of your Ram memory over Virtual memory by lowering the virtual memory in windows.
I know that memory is hella faster then a hardrive, that's elementary, but I really dont feel that the game itself is laggy with alittle bit of swapping. I really dont see the importance of loading a game a second faster then your friends in your party, because you still have to wait for them to zone over before you can move on together.

[aerobahn]

Originally posted by ganhosi


When you talk about swapping, are you refering to virtual memory setting in windows?
If so, what you are saying is that running the game off the hardrive will create lag? Don't you find this a bit silly? I mean the game itself is running off the hardrive. If your theory is correct, everyone in japan 2 years ago that didnt have more than 512 megs of ram in their PC was experiencing lag?
ROFL
Have any proof to back this up?

Like i always If you know anything about computers (which i find hard to believe) You would know there is a difference between loading something directly off the harddrive and storing memory information on the hard drive. Loading times Is based on the Hard drive and specific information such as loading a new level. But any informtion that is stored on the memory for later computation,alogorithems,buffers and such are calculated directly on the memory. If the memory fills up it then Swaps off into the hard drive, the CPU then must then take/make/change stored calculations off the hard drive at an extremly slower pace HANCE THE LAG. Now like i said in my previous post that 512 will aviod *MOST swapping but it cannot avoid it all. Why? because when you have 512mb of memory NOT ALL 512 IS NOT AVAILABLE. Due to the OS needing ram. Look at windows XP it take up almost 100mb of memory leaving you with only 400 and to top it off while playing your game the OS can expand its usage cutting into you gameing resources. If you have 768 that should be more than enough, LEAVING you with a true full 512 mb of ram.

Your welcome.:angel:

[Doppelganger]

Originally posted by aerobahn
Look at windows XP it take up almost 100mb of memory leaving you with only 400 and to top it off while playing your game the OS can expand its usage cutting into you gameing resources. If you have 768 that should be more than enough, LEAVING you with a true full 512 mb of ram.

Your welcome.:angel:

if windows uses 100mb total, i laugh at that person's comp. i didn't edit a lot of stuff yet (i only turned off 2 running part, and 3 on demand parts), and i use 38.5mb ram at most when it comes to windows. however, i do use about 80-90mb of VM for windows. i need to tweek it more, but windows will never use 100mb of ram, even at factory install.

[ganhosi]

LOL, your not answering my question, my question was not whether something loading into memory was faster/slower then the hardrive. Ever heard of the strawman fallacy in elementary logic?

I work for a network hosting company, I know all about programs first loading into memory/cache and the use of virtual memory and Hardrives. I build servers everday for a living, so thanks again for useless knowledge. Please dont deviate from the topic at hand....

Ok, simple question aero, have you experience lag in FFXI using 512 megs of ram? Granted that everything else is up to recommended specs. I mean lag as in it makes the game "unplayable", as subjective as this term may be.

Thanks, would you like fries with your order?

[aerobahn]

Strawman fallacy ahaha. Look at what you wrote? tell me what i did not answer that was worth answering? You run into dead ends and try to avoid a proper rsponse? but why? it is because you are wrong or hard headed even?. Lag is lag, stuttering is what comes to everyones mind. And yes you can/will experience lag with 512mb. And read my second post you will avoid lag with 512mb to some extent but there will be initial lag when the game loads complicated background on a high rez back buffer. want pure fast loading? go with a gigabyte of ram

[Doppelganger]

Originally posted by ganhosi
LOL, your not answering my question, my question was not whether something loading into memory was faster/slower then the hardrive. Ever heard of the strawman fallacy in elementary logic?

I work for a network hosting company, I know all about programs first loading into memory/cache and the use of virtual memory and Hardrives. I build servers everday for a living, so thanks again for useless knowledge. Please dont deviate from the topic at hand....

Ok, simple question aero, have you experience lag in FFXI using 512 megs of ram? Granted that everything else is up to recommended specs. I mean lag as in it makes the game "unplayable", as subjective as this term may be.

Thanks, would you like fries with your order?

no one ever said the lag would make the game unplayable, just glitchy at times. everyone lags, even aerobahn will lag in town, visual lag and connection lag will always exist.

[aerobahn]

Ahh Visual lag is on how well the engine is built. If it is some simple hashed up engine like ultima x which can never run smooth no matter how fast you system will run. But you can ensure that its not due to your hardware. having enough resources will make the game run great having more allows you to have higher resolutions and better graphics.

Take asherons call2 I played it for two months first month with a stick 512, it was great except when there were lots of monsters or alot of players in town. But when I added 512 more i never lagged from any mass of monsters, players or both. It clearly was a well designed engine. There was some times when server side lag hit me but that was rare. You can have near flawless gameplay and with the highest level of graphics you just need the hardware. And the right ammount of ram is part of that.

Asherons call2 engine is also more taxing than FFXI. With my system overclocked to the max there was no lag. Cheers:spin: