I want to run my games faster.

[Yoda Power]

I often get a message saying my virtual memory has been reached (it's in Danish, so I'm not sure that is the 100% correct translation). I also want run my games faster. In many of my civ games it just loads forever between turns in the modern age even on standard maps.

I'm the kind of guy with no understanding of computers whatsoever..

What do I need to do? Buy more Ram? Something else?

 

[Speedo]

The best course of action depends on what your system looks like now. You may be able to upgrade and get a good bit more life out of what you have now, or it might be time to scrap it for something new.

Would be helpful if you posted your system specs. Also, what brand is your current PC, ie. HP, Dell, etc? What kinds of games to you mainly run?

 

[Yoda Power]

AMD Athlon XP 1600+
1.40GHz
256 MB Ram

I really just want to run Civ 3 and 4.

 

[Reno]

AMD Athlon XP 1600+
1.40GHz
256 MB Ram

I really just want to run Civ 3 and 4.

Your biggest hinderance is the lack of RAM, you should get more RAM memory, you should at the very least get Ram until you have 512 ram in your computer, that should be enough to run Civ3 without problems, but Civ4 is a completely different story.

 

[Yoda Power]

but Civ4 is a completely different story.

Nah not really..

I'll probably upgrade to 512 soon then.

 

[Chairman Meow]

If you're using a virus scanner, it might help if you turn it off while you're playing Civ. Your system specs are more than enough for Civ3.

 

[Yoda Power]

Well, I'm never scanning while playing

 

[Reno]

Nah not really..

512 ram is enough for Civ4 yes, but you need a decent 3d card.

 

[Yoda Power]

512 ram is enough for Civ4 yes, but you need a decent 3d card.

The one I have now is fine

 

[Reno]

The one I have now is fine

And it would be?

 

[Yoda Power]

And it would be?

I don't remember. How do I check that?

 

[Speedo]

Well, I'm never scanning while playing

Most antivirus programs have a type of real-time scan feature. They're constantly scanning files that are loaded while you're playing a game or etc. Turning it off can increase performance.

 

[Yoda Power]

Most antivirus programs have a type of real-time scan feature. They're constantly scanning files that are loaded while you're playing a game or etc. Turning it off can increase performance.

Interesting, thanks

 

[Reno]

I don't remember. How do I check that?

I don't know most of the technical names for those in English, so i'll make a picture for it.

As you can see my laptop has one of the crappiest 3d cards ever.

First you go to the start menu, click the My Computer with the right mouse button. There should be settings button in the drop down menu that follows.

Next in the new box that opens you go to the what ever one call's that tab in English. (I'll edit the name in if i figure it out)

In the first paragraph inside the tab, there is a button inside wich is listed every single card that your machine contains. Click on the button.

After that you should pretty much be able to find you 3 card.

 

[Yoda Power]

Ok I guess I have an Asus Radeon A9200SE then.

 

[Comraddict]

Ok I guess I have an Asus Radeon A9200SE then.

that should do. thought you need more than 512MB RAM. pause between moves is due to slow CPU.

 

[Yoda Power]

that should do. thought you need more than 512MB RAM. pause between moves is due to slow CPU.

So even if I double my ram it is still not enough? Surely it must have some improvement on what I'm experiencing now?

 

[Cedric Greene]

So even if I double my ram it is still not enough? Surely it must have some improvement on what I'm experiencing now?

You would certainly see an improvement however 512mb should be the minimum at which you run Windows XP, assuming thats what you have. Though I know someone running it with 168mb of ram, I noticed a big improvement when I upgraded from 512mb to 1gb and now it flies with 2gb.

 

[Yoda Power]

I do run XP with 256 with no problems. It's just my two games that are slow.

 

[Comraddict]

well 256Mb is not enough to run windows PLUS games. RAM is cheap. You are not in 3rd world country, you can afford it. Buy some (a lot) more and you will not regret it. 256MB is enough for web browsing and word processing.