PC RAM for PP: CS2?

[Oz_Beachside]

Hi,

Just experiencing poor performance, particularly when processing RAW, or large files, on my PC.

My PC is about 12 months old, IBM T43, standard spec, think it is 512MB RAM.

Would increasing the RAM help, if so, how much is recommended? I am particularly interested to batch process files. WOuld adding another 512MB make much difference?

Graphics card upgrade possible on IBM Laptops?

Whats your expereince re. RAM and PP?

thanks
Oz

[stubbsy]

Adding more RAM will have a noticeable impact on your Photoshop work - in fact in terms of bang for buck it's hard to beat. PSCS2 really needs AT LEAST 1 Gb to perform best. Next best speed improvment is by having the scratch disk on a different physical hard drive to the OS

[Greg B]

Oz, more RAM will help a lot.

Processing power too, but that is more difficult to increase.

I have 1 Gig on my desktop computer, and badly want 2 or better yet, 4 which will be the spec on my next comp.

[Oz_Beachside]

Next best speed improvment is by having the scratch disk on a different physical hard drive to the OS

Is scratch disk the HDD where I store my pics?

So if I move them off my laptop HDD, onto a USB external HDD, that may work better?

[Greg B]

The scratch disk is what the system uses as a temporary data storage when you run out of RAM, kind of a virtual ram on the hard disk. Obviously, significantly slower than RAM. More RAM is better than having the scratch disk arrangements kick in.

[stubbsy]

The scratch disk Greg is referring to is the page file used for virtual memory.

What I am referring to is the PHOTOSHOP scratch disk which you specify in the PSCS preferences.

Ideally BOTH should be on a different disk to the OS, but if you don't have that choice it's better to have the PSCS scratch disk on a different disk to the OS since the virtual memory space is unlikely to be used when you have enough RAM (ie 1Gb or more).

Just to make this clear:

On your C drive you have Windows installed. The Photoshop program is stored there too.

On another drive which we'll call drive D you would try to keep a fair bit of space free and you'd tell Photoshop to use Drive D as the primary scratch disk (I don't have PSCS at work so I'm not sure of the exact wording, but it's in preferences).

If Drive D has lots of space you may also like to tell Windows to use it for virtual memory by putting your Windows page file there. If you don't know how to do this, just ignore this for now.

It's then up to you where you store your images. They have no impact on the process.

One final note - Drive D in this scenario must be a physically different hard disk to drive C, not just another partition on the same disk.

[Aussie Dave]

I'd concur with Stubbsy. I don't think you'd want anything under 1Gb, but more is always better (isn't it always)

I have a P4 3Ghz running 1Gb ram and my scratch disk is on two hard drives (connected as one RAID drive). Seems to chug along quite nicely, although another gig of RAM would make it so much better again....

[Digidegs]

Hi
1 Gig will make a big difference above the 512k you have. I have just bought an extra 1Gig for my T43 IBM on Graysonline but this guy seems to have good prices and quick response. http://upgradeable.com.au/parts/UB1319.html
I still use an old IBM A21m laptop as well that runs well because of the extra Ram whilst it has on a 800mhz processor. BTW on the T43 it has 2 banks of Ram and you can mix the Ram sizes in each bank. If you have 512 on one bank you can add 256, 512 or 1G on the other. It has to be the correct type however.
Cheers
Albert

[Yi-P]

When processing ultra large images (130 MPixels) CS2 just put its knees down on your RAM and swap space...

I wish I had 2GB when processing my picture stitches...


Yes, more the better, at least 1GB if you plan to do some serious PP work

[amarkin]

Oz, more RAM will help a lot.

Processing power too, but that is more difficult to increase.

I have 1 Gig on my desktop computer, and badly want 2 or better yet, 4 which will be the spec on my next comp.

I have 1G of RAM on my computer. I close most applications when I edit images in CS2 my Athlon 2600. I think 1G just enough, 2G is required to run this monster of an application.

[Wocka]

Here at work we use Amicroe http://www.amicroe.com.au/ for our memory upgrades ( both server and laptops ). I dont' know if you need to be a business, but their prices have been fantastic for us.

Order and the RAM arrives the next day via courier.

Cheers

[fishafotos]

I have found that with photoshop it really doesn't matter how much RAm you have, that beast of a program just gobbles it all up in 2 seconds flat! I have used it on a computer (some awesome Mac) with 16gb of ram!! the guy said he had to program it so that it only had access to 8GB of it because otherwise it will take up all 16 is a heartbeat. Then again, I was working on a 100mp image which was 990mb!
That said - My laptop (only thing I own) has 512mb and it is not too far behind things with 2gb. Still going to definatley get another gig in mine, it really shows through when you are trying to do pp and soemthing else at the same time!

[Reschsmooth]

Disclaimer: I know very, very little (which means I know bugger all) about computers.

We have a laptop which is about 3 years old. Once bub is born, we are going to upgrade computers to a desktop, but would probably want to keep the laptop.

Is it easy/affordable to upgrade the RAM in a laptop, and if so, is it generally worth it for one that is 3 years old? I don't have it here so don't know how much is on it at the moment.

Cheers

P

[Oz_Beachside]

depnding on what files size images, and applications you run, it is the best bang for buck upgrade.

I have been very very happy spending $600 to upgrade my RAM from 512 to 2GB.

Performance is delightful.

[radar]

Patrick,

Is it easy/affordable to upgrade the RAM in a laptop, and if so, is it generally worth it for one that is 3 years old? I don't have it here so don't know how much is on it at the moment.

It is well worth adding memory, it can make a big difference in running applications like Photoshop.

Be aware that laptop models will have limits as to how much memory you can have in them. Look at the original specs on the manufacturer's web site as to how much max ram you can have.

cheers,

André

[zafra52]

For what is worth my PC has 1.5 GB of RAM and normally it works find with an 8MB RAW file. When I noticed it going slow is when I scan old photographs at large resolution and it generates files up to 300MB, but regardless of how much RAM you have to consider another factor. It is how fast the processor can perform the calculations, so a faster processor will be more efficient. Now that RAM is cheap I think you will benefit with at least 1.5 to 2MB of RAM, but consider the processor and how many files you have open at the same time.

[jamesw]

i have a 1.8ghz laptop with core duo processor and 1 gig of ram, onboard graphics card(bout 3 months old); and a 2.8ghz core duo desktop with a 256mb graphics card and 2gig of ram. i also have a dinosaur 2ghz p4 or p3 (cant remember, its probably a few years old) that has about 512mb memory.

the laptop is ok for post processing, although it slows occasionally. the desktop is awesome; it deals with raws like the laptop deals with jpgs (very fast). the dinosaur is extremely painful with raws but deals with jpegs and processing in photoshop reasonably.

[jamesw]

the two newer comps are on vista, old is on XP, btw.

[watchtherocks]

Have been running CS3, and CS2 for years before that, on 256MB RAM. My new 2 1GB sticks are coming next week!!

[AndyL]

Also, have a look at what processes and services are running and how much memory they are consuming. A lot of software adds itself to HKLM.../Run these days when there is no real reason for it other than to bog the system. Lightweight firewall and AV helps.

Andrew