Jeremy - I'd be surprised if you saw much, if any, difference unless you're running very complex add-ons simultaneously (Ultimate Traffic, PMDG 747, ASV, etc). Remember, adding more system memory will NEVER increase the absolute framerate. You may get some increase in the average framerate (but not dramatic), the textures may load a little faster, and the smoothness may increase a little. But to go from 768MB of PC2700 to 1GB of PC3200 just isn't going to make all that big a difference. And to go to 2GB is really overkill as FS200 won't use it. Will the AI7 run the PC3200 without increasing the FSB (OCing)? If not, then there will be no improvement in memory speed at all. I have 2GB of Corsair TWINX CXM3700 in this machine (only because I edit a lot of video, not because of FS2004) and 512MB of old PC800 RAMBUS in my "other computer". And I don't think anyone can see a difference in FS2004 performance which can be solely attributed to the memory difference.Doug I save the money and buy a couple of new add-ons.

Allcott opined: "But only if you can force FS to use it, and I don't think we've ever seen any evidence that you can. Feel free to post it if you have it, though." I agree that you can't force an individual application to use only physical system memory, but it's easy to force all applications to do so. Just totally remove the pagefile option. All it takes is a reboot and whatever thrashing about, real or imaginary, there may have been due to accessing pagefile.sys is no more. This is how I often run FS2004 (I just have to remember to restore pagefile.sys before editing the video files though). Does it make a difference? Not on this machine, but it eliminates one of the excuses folks make for the poor coding of FS2004 itself :-).Doug

Thanks Doug! I really do need to upgrade my RAM, though. See, I'm kinda borrowing it from a friend...Anyway, I'm going with the 1GB 3200 mostly in anticipation of new tech, and somewhat because I like the sound of it.One gig of Ram.Ah.And yes, it will run PC3200 without increasing the FSB.Right now I have a P4 2.4GHz (not prescott) with HT, I have it OCd to 2.825GHz, and it runs really stable. I have a Thermaltake Spark 7 on it now, but I am getting a Zalman CNPS7700-CU for it shortly. My video is a PNY GeForce 6600GT 128MB, AGP8x to fit my board ;), and it's OCd from 500 core/900 mem to 550 core/1.00GHz mem, on the factory fan with Arctic Silver. I plan to pop a VF700-CU on there with RAM heatsinks and (hopefully) a new HS for the HSI. The factory one looks pretty weak, and I've read the HSI gets pretty hot.Anyway, I think finally upgrading my RAM to some quality stuff will allow my system to be more flexible for another year or so of service. My next compy will probably be another compy alonside this one, with 64bit power.Just because I like the way it sounds.64 BitAh.;)Thanks again!Oh and stop fighting guys!! :D-JeremyThe Ozark DogfighterHappy Flying!

Jeremy said sheepishly: "Pretend I'm inherently clueless to techno-anything when answering please..." Sounds to me like you're plenty clued into to "techno-anything" :-) . The Corsair is a really good choice, stable stuff and a lifetime warranty. Can't ask for more than that. My next one will be 64-bit also. But that's a year away and who knows, they may have 65-bit by then.Doug

LOLjust as I take a bite of ice cream (maybe the last of the seaon), I read that "may have 65 Bit by then". Now, I am briskly rubbing my monitor with some alcohol wipes, trying to type, and watching the kids look at me like I just lost my marbles while I giggle uncontrollably.Well, I try to keep on top of the computer jargon so my bench racing scores keep getting bigger, and most of it I do know what I'm talking about. Today, however, has been "one of those days", when I may inadvertently type something entirely incomprehesible and spend the rest of the day explaing what in hades I meant.I'm glad to have gotten a bit of help today! Again, you have my thanks. May I add you to my buddy list? I think i will! Thanks again Doug!65 Bit, heheheheNo kids, daddy's okay, he just...it's just...nevermind.-JeremyThe Ozark DogfighterHappy Flying!

>Percentage-wise the need to relocate data can account for a>good proportion of disk file read/write access. You have>reduced your E: drive access? Then why did you INCREASE the>Virtual Memory space? If you are trying to force RAM to be>used then you should REDUCE it. You're contradicting yourself>now. No, you are not paying attention again. I did REDUCE it, Allcott. I'll say it again, I reduced VM to 2mb min/max, and voila, LESS WRITE TO THE ONE PAGE FILE in my system, verified by perfmon. I also was careful to state I had no idea what the practical implications of this was.>Oh,and Noel, I did try your experiment. I/O stays the same, hard >drive chatter (i.e. disk access) remains entirely dependant on the >scenery in the sim, not the settings ion the OS. I tried without a >pagefile too. After rebooting due to the `insufficient memory` error >I conclude it doesn't work.Gee, funny, it worked fine on my machine. Drive E: access was zero when VM min/max was set at 2mb, and disk access was as described when using 3070mb VM--steady between about .38mb and 1mb per second written to my pagefile [visible as write bytes/sec Drive E: in perfmon]. Mine won't work either when I limit addressable ram to 1GB, but I am guessing that may only be in the case of the burdensome PMDG 747-400, as I had very little physical ram left after longer hauls, which is why I bought the extra ram in the first place. You must only have a GB installed eh Allcott?And guess what Allcott, Perfmon has much better hearing than Allcott! While Allcott can only hear relatively heavy sustained disk activity, Perfmon can sense even the tiniest lil accesses! Amazin'!>If you're wrong on that, what are you right about?I think it's you Allcott, that is wrong. Wrong on noting what the entire point of the post was. What I reported was exactly what happened: reduce VM to 2mb, and voila, you have LESS PHYSICAL RAM left at the end of the long flight [implying more physical ram is being used], and clearly less write activity to the drive containing the page file. Is it possible disk write activity can induce some stuttering? I don't know, perhaps in certain systems.>So what's to explain? You haven't influenced the sim, only the operating system. Congratulations Allcott, now you are addressing my point. Question, do demands on the entire system have the potential to influence sim performance? Seems quite possible to me. Hey, even Doug seems to believe this. Hmmm . . . and he seems quite rational!>You do not understand computers. That's OK. I'm glad your hot tip works for you. Just don't try and tell us why. And we do take careful note of who began this nonsenseWow. Attack & insult mode once again. When you say "tell us why", I hope you aren't assuming you speak for all people here. I'm sure "us" can see what you are up to. I think "they" can spot where the first insults began, Allcott. My "hot tip" Allcott, was a description of an experiment I played with to help me decide if the additional ram was worth the $130. I am inclinded at this point to keep the additional ram, but the net effect [in reducing write to disk operations] I don't believe will make a significant difference insofar as FS9 is concerned on this particular machine. It has given me additional capability in GigaStudio and resolved another quirk interaction between Outlook and GigaStudio, so for this I will keep the additional ram.My best guess is that the issue here is that you were not the person who descibed this creative use of perfmon to prove a point, and that troubles you, because your entire ego appears to depend on a sense of technosuperiority you use to justify your existance. Or it could be you just don't read carefully. Next time, maybe slow down and pay close attention and you won't need to go technopsychotic just to maintain your own integrity.>You may be right, but this is not the appropriate forum, and if the >poster can't even post in the correct forum, think about what taking >his advice might do to YOUR system?What the heck are you referring to? What advice? I reported an experiment I did--that's it! Are you saying my description of using MAXMEM to limit 2GB to 1GB was advice? See how you miss the point, and use it to start the bashing, and recruiting of others to join into your sorry attack? Allcott, you're scaring me. A narcissist maybe? How old are you Allcott?>Instead, he attempts to vindicate his findings in the most >misleading garbage I've read in these forums in recent months, and >that's not clever. Especially as the techno-vomit might encourage >people to make changes that, some way down the line, long after >they've forgotten doing it, lead to critical system errors or >instability.Woah! Maybe some lithium and maybe some Zyprexa could help. Thank God they have you to protect them Allcott! Long live Allcott! There, feel better?!Feel free to go ahead and finish with a final insult if it helps keep your world from flying apart. I think all relevant details of my original post have been elucidated, and I hope it serves others who might be seeking any additional insight into the areas the post involved. Now, GOOD BYE ALLCOTT. And to the "others" -- thanks for your comments and sharing. Over and out.Noel