Using Windows 2000 with only 256M of RAM?

[Toni]

Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup laptop that has

Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.



Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly browsing the

web to do work & read my email.



I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish eats fish food.

I'm limited to IE6.



I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display to 16-bit

colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.



Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows to effectively

use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?



Thanks!!!

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

"Toni" wrote in message

news:#cts3Cp$KHA.1068@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup

> laptop that has Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.

>

> Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly

> browsing the web to do work & read my email.

>

> I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish

> eats fish food. I'm limited to IE6.

>

> I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display

> to 16-bit colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.

>

> Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows

> to effectively use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

>

> Thanks!!!



256 MBytes is oodles for Win2000. I ran my machine for years on 128 MBytes.



If you have a router then you do not really need a software firewall.

Routers are a hardware firewall that will protect you very effectively

against intruders.

 

[Buffalo]

Toni wrote:

> Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a

> backup laptop that has Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of

> RAM.

>

> Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am

> mainly browsing the web to do work & read my email.

>

> I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a

> goldfish eats fish food. I'm limited to IE6.

>

> I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the

> display to 16-bit colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses

> 42M of RAM.

>

> Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim

> Windows to effectively use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?

>

> Thanks!!!

I just checked the memory usage of FF3.6.3 and IE6.0.2800.1106 while viewing

the weather channel.

FF went up to 80MB and IE6 went up to 60MB.

Perhaps different URL s use more or less of each one.

Perhaps if you bring up Task Manager and take a look you can see what FF is

using for you (if you already haven't done it).

Buffalo

 

[John John - MVP]

Toni wrote:

> Due to an issue with my main laptop, I have to temporarily use a backup laptop that has

> Windows 2000 Pro with a limit of only 256M of RAM.

>

> Windows 2000 Pro is VERY stable with absolutely no glitches. I am mainly browsing the

> web to do work & read my email.

>

> I learned very quickly I can't use Firefox - it eats RAM like a goldfish eats fish food.

> I'm limited to IE6.

>

> I've turned off all the fancy GUI bells & whistles and reduced the display to 16-bit

> colors. I use Agnitum Outpost firewall which uses 42M of RAM.

>

> Anyone care to share with me any hints or trick on how I can slim Windows to effectively

> use this laptop with that small amount of RAM?



I agree with Pegasus, 256MB of RAM is not a small amount for Windows

2000. I ran with 512MB and had lots to spare, the only reason I had

512MB is because I do large spreadsheets and handle large folder

structures with as many as 200,000 files.



As much as I love Firefox it has always been a memory hog, maybe you

should consider another Mozilla browser in lieu of Firefox.



John

 

[Toni]

"Buffalo" wrote...

>> Thanks!!!

> I just checked the memory usage of FF3.6.3 and IE6.0.2800.1106 while viewing

> the weather channel.

> FF went up to 80MB and IE6 went up to 60MB.

> Perhaps different URL s use more or less of each one.

> Perhaps if you bring up Task Manager and take a look you can see what FF is

> using for you (if you already haven't done it).

> Buffalo



I know how to check memory usage.



FF caches fives pages per tab history in RAM. A busy professional with multiple open

tabs and actively browsing all of them can quickly see RAM usage explode.

 

[Buffalo]

Toni wrote:

> "Buffalo" wrote...

>>> Thanks!!!

>> I just checked the memory usage of FF3.6.3 and IE6.0.2800.1106 while

>> viewing the weather channel.

>> FF went up to 80MB and IE6 went up to 60MB.

>> Perhaps different URL s use more or less of each one.

>> Perhaps if you bring up Task Manager and take a look you can see

>> what FF is using for you (if you already haven't done it).

>> Buffalo

>

> I know how to check memory usage.

>

> FF caches fives pages per tab history in RAM. A busy professional

> with multiple open tabs and actively browsing all of them can quickly

> see RAM usage explode.

Fair enough.

Buffalo