How much RAM would Vista use?

darealtulip

Does any one know how much RAM Windows Vista uses without any applications installed?

What would max RAM be with Skype, MSN and Explorer?

cpu-dude

darealtulip wrote: »

Does any one know how much RAM Windows Vista uses without any applications installed?

What would max RAM be with Skype, MSN and Explorer?

Vista really needs 2GB to perform well with multiple tasks realistically.

The reason for this is, even when applications are minimized, they still use the same amount of RAM.

This issue is no longer a problem in Windows 7 - which only needs 1GB of RAM ;-)

darealtulip

cpu-dude wrote: »

Vista really needs 2GB to perform well with multiple tasks realistically.

The reason for this is, even when applications are minimized, they still use the same amount of RAM.

This issue is no longer a problem in Windows 7 - which only needs 1GB of RAM ;-)

Thanks for that, I have a netbook which can have 1,5 gb RAM (it has 1gb at the mo) so I could install W7 on that or is the processor not good enough?

It's a Acer aspire one A150.

Alanstrainor

darealtulip wrote: »

Thanks for that, I have a netbook which can have 1,5 gb RAM (it has 1gb at the mo) so I could install W7 on that or is the processor not good enough?

It's a Acer aspire one A150.

The processor should be fine to install windows 7 on your acer. I wouldn't be expecting stellar performance but it'll be grand. Windows 7 will run on pretty much anything these days.

Voodu Child

darealtulip wrote: »

Does any one know how much RAM Windows Vista uses without any applications installed?

What would max RAM be with Skype, MSN and Explorer?

Depends on whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. 32-bit uses less. On a clean install with no startup programs (and maybe a few services turned off), I usually see Vista 32-bit use 700MB-800MB give or take. I am using 1GB on the nose right now, that's with a rake of broswer tabs open, my mail client and doing some audio transcoding and a few other bits and pieces.

I would put 1.5GB as a recommended minimum for Vista, but 2GB as a more comfortable target for the average user.

It is normal for apps to use the same amount of memory minimised, there would be no point otherwise.

darealtulip

Alanstrainor wrote: »

The processor should be fine to install windows 7 on your acer. I wouldn't be expecting stellar performance but it'll be grand. Windows 7 will run on pretty much anything these days.

Thanks, don't expect any great performance of that wee thing. It's more that I find vista and windows 7 easier for my home network (have Vista on the other comps) then XP

Voodu Child wrote: »

Depends on whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. 32-bit uses less. On a clean install with no startup programs (and maybe a few services turned off), I usually see Vista 32-bit use 700MB-800MB give or take. I am using 1GB on the nose right now, that's with a rake of broswer tabs open, my mail client and doing some audio transcoding and a few other bits and pieces.

I would put 1.5GB as a recommended minimum for Vista, but 2GB as a more comfortable target for the average user.

It is normal for apps to use the same amount of memory minimised, there would be no point otherwise.

Don't think the mobo takes more then 1,5gb but if somebody knows it can take more let me know since more is better!!

Where can I check what memory it will take? Without screwing it open, it's my wifes and she only want it open when I put it in. Any more sugestions for making it faster?

Thanks for the fast reply's!!

Biffo The Bare

Just one thing to realise, Vista Home Premium can only address 3GB of RAM, no more. If you see a PC in PC-World with Vista home premium and 4GB of RAM, the last 1GB is doing nothing.

Blazer

Biffo The Bare wrote: »

Just one thing to realise, Vista Home Premium can only address 3GB of RAM, no more. If you see a PC in PC-World with Vista home premium and 4GB of RAM, the last 1GB is doing nothing.

That's because it's the 32bit version.
The 64bit version of Home premium will see the full 4GB of ram and above.

Voodu Child

Biffo The Bare wrote: »

Just one thing to realise, Vista Home Premium can only address 3GB of RAM, no more. If you see a PC in PC-World with Vista home premium and 4GB of RAM, the last 1GB is doing nothing.

As mentioned, the 32-bit has this limitation, not the 64-bit. Hopefully 64-bit OSs will become the predominant moving forward.

Also, its not a simple '3GB' figure. It depends on how much memory address space needs to be reserved for other hardware (such as video cards etc). It could be 3.5GB or more in some cases, or of course much less if you are using powerful high-end GPUs, especially SLI'd etc.

darealtulip

thanks again guys!!! I have installed windows 7 and everything works perfectly!!! had a small problem with the driver from the touch pad but got one from a vista based one and it works aswell now.

thanks again, without you all I would have thought windows 7 needed the same specs at vista!!

lucky-colm

Don't think the mobo takes more then 1,5gb but if somebody knows it can take more let me know since more is better!!


YOU COULD BOOST YOUR SYSTEM WITH A USB MEMORY STICK

kaimera

My box generally idles around 20% of total ram so ~2gb or thereabouts.

After initial boot it's only using about ~1gb.

4 games started and minimised and it barely hit 4.5 gb used but crysis alone was using 1.6gb a few minutes ago.

x64 with 12gb ddr3.