[comp.windows.ms] Whats the best system config for Windows on a 286 ??

wignall@latcs1.lat.oz.au (Chris) (05/30/91)

Keywords:286, configuration,help
Organization: Comp Sci, La Trobe Uni, Australia
Date: Thu, 30 May 1991 07:52:00 GMT

I have a 12 Meg 286 with 2Mb of memory. I use Windows mainly with WFW, with ATM
in the background. I am interested in what people think is the best 
configuration for the best performance. That is what disk cache to use, how 
a big a disk cache to use, size of ATM font cache etc. I am asking this because
I am not really happy with the general performance.. ie scrolling speed, screen
updates etc...

Also do people think that 2Mb is enough on a 286 .. I sometimes uses programs
such as designer in conjunction with word.
	
	thanks Chris Wignall
	wignall@latcs1.lat.oz.au
 

ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Gerald Greenberg) (05/31/91)

In article <1991May30.075200.15058@latcs1.lat.oz.au> wignall@latcs1.lat.oz.au (Chris) writes:
>I have a 12 Meg 286 with 2Mb of memory. I use Windows mainly with WFW, with ATM
>in the background. I am interested in what people think is the best 
>configuration for the best performance. That is what disk cache to use, how 
>a big a disk cache to use, size of ATM font cache etc. I am asking this because
>I am not really happy with the general performance.. ie scrolling speed, screen
>updates etc...
>
>Also do people think that 2Mb is enough on a 286 .. I sometimes uses programs
>such as designer in conjunction with word.
>	
>	thanks Chris Wignall
>	wignall@latcs1.lat.oz.au
> 

I tried to post this to the net earlier in regard to a similar
question, but messed up.  Here it is again:
There's an interesting article in the April 1991 issue of
PCComputing called "Make Windows Soar on a 286".  It is
written by Doug Van Kirk and is pretty interesting.  For
example, he says as a rule of thumb, you shouldn't give more
than one third of your memory to a cache, but you should
retain 1.5 MB for Windows and Windows programs.  He gives
benchmarks for various setups, too.  I think it is worth
checking out.
--Gerry
ggreenbe@rodan.acs.syr.edu