I had 64 Mb RAM in my StarMax, with VM set to 128 Mb, and it did struggle. I now have 144 Mb, VM set to 288 Mb, and it's very happy.
I used to run a lot of programs at once and, though with 64/128 it was struggling, when I did have it with VM off, I found it soon ran out. Having VM off was pointless for me - more RAM was the only way. I was directed to some decently-priced RAM in the UK by someone here and the Mac is much happier like that. Of course, you already have 160, so this in itself is beside the point. I DID try 144 Mb with VM off recently and, surprisingly, I filled that up, too, which never happens with VM on. I'm not really sure why people complain about virtual memory - it's permanently on in UNIX/Linux and Windows, and doesn't do any harm. If your machine struggles with it on, turning it off only gives you less memory, so the answer is to buy more RAM, not cripple the machine by giving yourself less. Virtual memory does give yourself the chance to strain the machine by driving it too hard, and that's probably why some people find that it needs to be off - it will force them to stay within the Mac's happy realm of real RAM, but at a cost. The Mac OS memory management system is rather weird (I don't really know how it works, only the UNIX model) - VM seems to get around a few limitations - applications take MORE RAM when VM is inactive (have a look at what it says in the Memory section of any application's Info dialog), which is partially why you suffer when it's off. It does not really use your hard disc as memory in that sense - all programs and data in use must be in RAM, so the OS shunts data between RAM and hard disc as needed. This is why there is a long pause with heavy hard disc as you switch apps when RAM is getting low - the OS is swapping data out of memory to put some of the the other program back in. As for the problem you're having - the only time I've seen a low system memory error is, I think, when trying to load Photoshop in my 64 Mb days, when I was very low on RAM. That app someone suggested might work, though it depends on his definition of "older OS" - I have 9.1 and really doubt that counts as "older" amongst StarMax users... - Daniel. -- StarMax is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... / Buy books, CDs, videos, and more from Amazon.com \ / <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/lowendmac> \ Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> StarMax list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/starmax.html> Send list messages to: <mailto:starmax@;mail.maclaunch.com> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:starmax-off@;mail.maclaunch.com> For digest mode, email: <mailto:starmax-digest@;mail.maclaunch.com> Subscription questions: <mailto:listmom@;lowendmac.com> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/starmax%40mail.maclaunch.com/> --------------------------------------------------------------- >The Think Different Store http://www.ThinkDifferentStore.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
