Spec for PC

[kagi]

Hope some one can help with spec for new PC.
My present PC is a P400 with 512 Mb RAM WIN 98 and I have resource problem, with Metastock (EOD v6.5) layout
(10 charts) open, lotus 123, and quite a few web sites ADVFN say and others I run out of resources.
Incidentally I find Metastock surprisingly resource hungry.

For my new PC I was thinking of AMD 64 3500 S939 and 1024 Mb RAM & XP pro. Has anyone an opinion on how this would be for multi tasking. - The Metastock will be upgraded to V9 EOD

Another point about Metastock is that on my PC some things take ages, converting data for example takes over 6 minutes. In the Metastock manual system test section it says "A large amount of testing time is spent writing reports to disc. Thus you can decrease the time it takes to perform tests by using a faster hard disc"
I was wondering if a RAID 0 set up would be advantageous. There seems little additional cost here two 160 G drives cost little more than a 250 G . Has anyone any experience of RAID 0.
To have 2 monitors is it a simple as choosing a graphics card with 2 connectors?
I was originally thinking something like a P4 3000 or AMD 64 3200 S S754 but the computer man said that an AMD 64 3500 S939 was far better as it was dual channel. Is this just sales talk.?
Does anyone know what PCI Express is or what it does for you?

 

[Trader333]

This sounds more like a fragmentation issue than anything else so try defragmementing your hard drive. The spec you have mentioned for a new pc is fine. What I do is to turn off many of the processes that run automatically within Windows XP because they are not needed and they are resources hungry. As an example if you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click on the "Processes" tab I have 19 processes running where many others I know have up to 50. This has meant that my pc which is a lesser spec than many others runs quicker than many of my associates.


Paul

 

[a320]

For my new PC I was thinking of AMD 64 3500 S939 and 1024 Mb RAM & XP pro. Has anyone an opinion on how this would be for multi tasking. - The Metastock will be upgraded to V9 EOD

I've got that set up....works very well The duel channel does make difference.. also going for the new socket 939 gives good future upgrade potential....


http://www.trade2win.com/boards/showthread.php?t=12254

 

[kagi]

I've got that set up....works very well The duel channel does make difference.. also going for the new socket 939 gives good future upgrade potential....


http://www.trade2win.com/boards/showthread.php?t=12254

I will just display my ignorance and ask is the dual channel I was asking about the same as the
dual processor in the thread you referred to.?

That seems like a very good price for your PC where did you get it from?

 

[a320]

The dual channel bit just means the cpu (AMD 64 3500 ) can move data between itself & the memory at double bandwith( ie move twice as much data in the same time) compaired with the older single channel chips..

That seems like a very good price for your PC where did you get it from?

I got my spec list together & took it to my local PC specialist who put all together for £30, (didn't have the time to build it myself ..( plus in the end it was Far less stressful ... ))

I put the link up just to give an idea for what the amd system will handle in normal spec..( before it gets overclocked)....:cheesy:

Hope this helps...

CJ

 

[culion]

This sounds more like a fragmentation issue than anything else so try defragmementing your hard drive. The spec you have mentioned for a new pc is fine. What I do is to turn off many of the processes that run automatically within Windows XP because they are not needed and they are resources hungry. As an example if you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click on the "Processes" tab I have 19 processes running where many others I know have up to 50. This has meant that my pc which is a lesser spec than many others runs quicker than many of my associates.


Paul

Paul, is there a listing of unnecessary process resources published? I have often looked at the Task Manager list (I have 34 running) and have no idea what I can safely shut down. Bill

 

[kagi]

This sounds more like a fragmentation issue than anything else so try defragmementing your hard drive. The spec you have mentioned for a new pc is fine. What I do is to turn off many of the processes that run automatically within Windows XP because they are not needed and they are resources hungry. As an example if you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click on the "Processes" tab I have 19 processes running where many others I know have up to 50. This has meant that my pc which is a lesser spec than many others runs quicker than many of my associates.


Paul

Thanks but I have defragmented and I am ruthless amout restricting what programs start when you boot.
Could I ask about PCI Express is this a feature that I should try to have in my new PC or is it
something for those who play games
Dave

 

[roguetrader]

This sounds more like a fragmentation issue than anything else so try defragmementing your hard drive. The spec you have mentioned for a new pc is fine. What I do is to turn off many of the processes that run automatically within Windows XP because they are not needed and they are resources hungry. As an example if you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and click on the "Processes" tab I have 19 processes running where many others I know have up to 50. This has meant that my pc which is a lesser spec than many others runs quicker than many of my associates.


Paul

This site may be of use for anyone trying to disable processes but not sure which ones.

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm