jaapv@accucx.cc.ruu.nl (Jaap Verhage) (12/12/90)
I've got a strange little problem - to me, that is. A while ago, I ftp'ed some of the RAM refresh rate-twiddling programs from Simtel. The idea is that by refreshing your RAM chips less often than the standard rate for your PC, you cut down on CPU overhead, thus increasing the speed at which the thing operates - seemingly, at least. Don't expect anything gorgeous - if speed increases by anything like 5 % or a bit more, that's it. Still, every little bit helps, and I like fooling around, so I tried. The Landmark test for CPU speed showed my work-based Olivetti M28, a 8-MHz AT, to start running at 8.5 MHz; my home-based Laser AT went from 11.6 to 12.5 MHz. Wow! You can imagine I noticed this *instantly* in running applications :-). But. The Laser's 5.25" HD diskettedrive came up with horrendously long seek times on disks! The Olivetti had no problems at all. Seek times on the Laser's diskettes grew as I cranked up the speed of the CPU by lowering the RAM refresh rates. Now what *is* this? May be stuff for a nice little discussion. If you don't think so, but do have suggestions, email me and I'll summarize. Thanks for your time and trouble. -- Regards, Jaap. Jaap Verhage, Academic Computer Centre, State University at Utrecht, Holland. jaapv@cc.ruu.nl +<-*|*->+ I claim *every*thing and speak for myself