Some Notes on the Machines

This is given by the indomitable Liz Landry, as the Microsoft recommendation for workstations of all kinds.

Initial size: RAM x 1.5
Maximum size: RAM x 3

Start reading here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff556232.aspx

and try /3GB and/or /PAE (search for it in the above) if you’re on XP or 2003. If you’re on Vista or 7, go here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff542202.aspx

and try PAE and very possibly IncreaseUserVA.

I have found very good performance of 32-bit Windows as virtual guest, in a VirtualBox environment hosted on 32-bit Fedora 14 Linux, using the PAE kernel on Linux and /PAE (or BCDEdit /SET PAE) in the virtual. If you use PAE in the kernel, do make sure to use PAE in the virtual, or there will be an extra and expensive memory processing step required at all times. This is to be done even if the virtual is configured with smallish RAM, e.g., 1G.

Here is a place to download CachemanXP 2.0:

http://majorgeeks.com/Cacheman_XP_d4102.html

The following article has lots of valuable info:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815372

A very good article is here:

http://forums.techarena.in/small-business-server/866950.htm

Cleanmem is extremely simple in design, but shockingly good in result.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/CleanMem_d5993.html

It’s helping a whole lot on this 2G-RAM Windows 7 box, and reportedly does very well with low-RAM situations too.  Windows 2000 and newer.