{OZ}

My PS is set to use 80% RAM and I really have a performance increase. I set it to 50% and it swaps to disk like crazy.

hmm... so I am thinking it has got to do a lot with the OS you are using..

so here is my configuration

I run Windows XP pro, 512 ram and have 6 gigs free space on my drive and I only run PS when I'm working with it. nothing else. I open other programs like internet explorer rarely but i close the progs when I dont need them and the operating system doesn't seem to suffer a bit...

well, we have different situations here..

OZ

lindaw

I am running W2K, Pent III 500mghz, 785 ram, and I have major swapping issues. PS is installed on D, scratch disks on E and F, memory for PS is set at 60%. If I am working on anything that has several layers in PS my entire system slows way down[doh] I can't seem to find that "happy medium" so PS and Windows will play nice together.

Erik

Linda,
I run Win2000Pro on a PIII 800, 512 Apacer Ram and my scratch files approximately like you. (I also have a GeforceII MX32MBVideo card).
This 5OOMhz/800MHz won't make the difference.

So there must be something else.

Please try this: On the bottom of your document you will see some numbers. At the right of these you have a popup. Choose Document sizes.

If you don't scale or crop the image, the left number shouldn't change a lot because it gives you the size of your image when it would be flattened.
The number on the right tells you how much ram is being used by the image, all layers included. So keep an eye on this one and see what amount of memory each layer uses.

It may also depend on how many apps you have running in the background (virus scanner, firewall, ...and the whole bunch of Microsoft leeches)

lindaw

Yeah it is set on document size and the numbers on the bottom left are 66.67% and 1.38m/7.33m. I do have McAfee's running and usuall my email open. When I am trying to work a tut I could have as many as 6 browser windows open[confused]

vogonpoet

Lindaw: Just a quickie but I noticed you mentioned that your view was at 66.7%

Often this can cause untrue displays (distortions) when working so it is better to view at 50% or 100%. Can help in the long run especially when you go to print and things don't look the same as the original!

You should always give your graphic a once over at 100% even if you have to scroll around if you have a large resolution document.

Hope that helps

lindaw

[oops] Doh!!!! Now that makes a difference. Geeze....[righton] Do have patience with the newbie....

Erik

In Win2K you can get an idea of what is happening with your system's memory when you press Ctrl+Alt+Del and choose task management. The three windows there tell you what's active, what processes use and have used how much of the processor's calculating power and how your processor

Erik

In Win2K you can get an idea of what is happening with your system's memory when you press Ctrl+Alt+Del and choose task management. The three windows there tell you what's active, what processes use and have used how much of the processor's calculating power and how your processor and Ram are doing.

unfortunately, my version of Win is in my native language, Flemish, and it is difficult to find the exact names and expressions of each and every setting and window.

But if you're only using 7MB of Ram with all your layers included, I'd try to limit PS's share of memory to say 100MB instead of the 450MB you give it now. Don't forget that no one problem writes in lines like we do, but scatters its data around on the available ram, and that it takes longer to search on 450- than on 100 MB.

We will find it!

derf

This is my first post.
But I really like this forum.

sfm

glad you could join us Derf and look forward to seeing some of your creations
sfm