Well... Um... Wow... No memory.
By
Arcanaville,
Posted on: 2009-11-14 18:40 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs
Upgrade to a new, larger hard drive. 37GB is pretty tiny these days, and anytime you have less than a certain amount of hard drive space left (is it 25%? 20%?) you start running into degrading performance as well. Unless you just have a ton of programs on there that you can uninstall, I doubt simply finding random stuff to delete is going to free up enough space to keep going much longer.
How old is that computer, though? I just got around to retiring my five-year-old machine, and it had a 120GB hard drive. With a hard drive as small as yours, I'd imagine it's a fairly old system and that the other system components aren't nearly ideal for playing CoH or much else these days. Is a new computer something that would be within your budget?
I think mine is about 7-9 years old by now. Unfortunately for me, most computers are out of my price range. Although, buying one of those cheap computers might still be a lot better then this one.
I think I'll save up 'til I can get one of those fancy $1200 - $2000 computers. Which should be... About a year from now. In this day and age, what would be minimum/maximum I could get for that price range?
If a whole computer is out of your range, you might consider buying just a new harddrive (provided, of course, that you have a tech-savy friend who can help you). A decent sized harddrive won't run you all that much these days...then you can keep the old one to dedicate just to your OS.
The quickest way to clean up a drive is usually to delete video files and pictures. I've often found that people who have no idea why there is so little space on their hard drive will have a couple dozen movies or a couple thousand pictures and be completely unaware just how much space that takes up.
Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!
If you don't feel a need to purchase a new rig, a few upgrades could have you running far smoother. Besides, if you do it piece by piece, you can pretty much get yourself a whole new PC over time instead of taking one huge hit on your wallet.
Here's a decent internal HDD for you, only $70... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136320
This one's an external, which are usually easier to install (just plug in the USB!)... same price... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148355
Since your computer is so old, you may want to look into upgrading your RAM and your vid card as well. Before you do that, though, make sure you either talk to a friend who is more tech savvy or read up a bit so you know which type you need to get for your motherboard. Newegg is a great place to look for parts and has outstanding delivery service but don't be afraid to shop around, as well.
Good luck!!
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Well, after a deep therapy session with myself (I am such a good therapist) I managed to convince myself to upgrade to a new computer. And, to be entirely honest, I really need it.
So I decided to ask a friend for help. He pulled up a website with a couple of options for me to browse through, and after a bit of searching, I found a few options that seem pretty nice and won't entirely break my budget. 
Why am I posting here? I need someone to break down the specs of the following computers (pros, cons, etc.) in a way that I can understand, both for future reference and to help narrow down the computer that's best for me.
MODEL: ------------------ STUDIO XPS 8000
BUNDLE SKU -------------- 328823
MONITOR ----------------- 23IN SP2309W
PROCESSOR -------------- INTEL CORE i5-750 2.66GHz
MEMORY ----------------- 6GB RAM
KEYBOARD/MOUSE -------- INCLUDED
VIDEO CARD -------------- nVidia GeForce GT220
HARD DRIVE -------------- 750GB
OPTICAL DRIVES ---------- 16X DVD-RW
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY -- NIC
SOUND CARD -------------- INTEGRATED
SPEAKERS ----------------- NOT INCLUDED
OPERATING SYSTEM ------- MS WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM
PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE - MS OFFICE HOME AND STUDENT
VIRUS SOFTWARE --------- NORTON 360 ALL-IN-ONE SECURITY
WARRANTY ---------------- 3 YR LIMITED WARRANTY
MODEL ------------------ PAVILION P6226
BUNDLE SKU -------------- 331813
MONITOR ----------------- HP 5159m 21.5IN LCD
PROCESSOR AMD -------------- ATHLON II X2 2.70GHz
MEMORY ----------------- 6GB RAM
KEYBOARD/MOUSE -------- INCLUDED
VIDEO CARD -------------- NVIDIA GeForce 9100
HARD DRIVE -------------- 750 GB
OPTICAL DRIVES ---------- DVD-RW
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY -- NIC
SOUND CARD -------------- INTEGRATED
SPEAKERS ----------------- INTEGRATED
OPERATING SYSTEM ------- MS WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM
PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE - MS WORKS 9.0
VIRUS SOFTWARE --------- NORTON 360 ALL-IN-ONE SECURITY
WARRANTY ---------------- 2 YR LIMITED WARRANTY
MODEL ------------------ STUDIO SLIM
BUNDLE SKU -------------- 328825
MONITOR ----------------- DELL SX2210 22IN
PROCESSOR -------------- INTEL CORE 2 QUAD Q8300 2.5GHz
MEMORY ----------------- 4GB RAM
KEYBOARD/MOUSE -------- INCLUDED
VIDEO CARD -------------- ATI RADEON 4350
HARD DRIVE -------------- 640GB
OPTICAL DRIVES ---------- DVD-RW
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY -- NIC
SOUND CARD -------------- INTEGRATED
SPEAKERS ----------------- NOT INCLUDED
OPERATING SYSTEM ------- MS WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM
PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE - MS WORKS 9.0
VIRUS SOFTWARE --------- NORTON 360 ALL-IN-ONE SECURITY
WARRANTY ---------------- 2 YR LIMITED WARRANTY
Please and thank you!
Of the three the best is the Studio XPS 8000. It has both the best CPU of the three and the best graphics. The graphics card is still weak compared to $100-150 video cards that are available at NewEgg but it's much better than the HD 4350 and no comparison to the integrated 9100.
Next, by CPU/Video card performance would be the Studio Slim EXCEPT the fact it's a "slim" form factor meaning it can't take normal height cards. This is severely limit upgrading the video card or the power supply (to support a more powerful video card).
That leaves the Pavilion P6226 which is a perfectly fine basic dual core system for school or business. What it's not good for out of the box is gaming. With only a 250 watt PSU and no actual video card you will have to do surgery just to get beyond playing Zombie Vs Plants, Starcraft or Diablo II.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Quote:
What do you think I did with this computer? |
Originally Posted by Father Xmas
With only a 250 watt PSU and no actual video card you will have to do surgery just to get beyond playing Zombie Vs Plants, Starcraft or Diablo II.
|
Thanks for the help!
40GB heh time to upgrade mate. Thats the common size of the hard drive people were using about 10 years ago.
Friends don't let friends buy an ncsoft controlled project.
Ditch the Norton AV and go with Freeware like AVG or AVast!. Norton is a RAM Hog and will slow down your performance.
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Quote:
FYI I just got my new Dell last week (finally: although the delay was not on this PC but the one I ordered prior which had out of stock issues with some parts) which is similar to this PC (I boosted the RAM, CPU and disk):|
Originally Posted by Fire Lilly
MODEL: ------------------ STUDIO XPS 8000
BUNDLE SKU -------------- 328823 MONITOR ----------------- 23IN SP2309W PROCESSOR -------------- INTEL CORE i5-750 2.66GHz MEMORY ----------------- 6GB RAM KEYBOARD/MOUSE -------- INCLUDED VIDEO CARD -------------- nVidia GeForce GT220 HARD DRIVE -------------- 750GB OPTICAL DRIVES ---------- 16X DVD-RW INTERNET CONNECTIVITY -- NIC SOUND CARD -------------- INTEGRATED SPEAKERS ----------------- NOT INCLUDED OPERATING SYSTEM ------- MS WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE - MS OFFICE HOME AND STUDENT VIRUS SOFTWARE --------- NORTON 360 ALL-IN-ONE SECURITY WARRANTY ---------------- 3 YR LIMITED WARRANTY |
XPS 8000
Core I7-860 2.8 Ghz
8 GB RAM
1 TB HD
Windows 7 Ultimate
ATI 4350
So far, I'm liking it. It certainly kicks my old system to the curb (which was an Athlon x2). I got it with the ATI 4350 because I intended to upgrade the card later anyway, but I hadn't made up my mind at the time I put in the order. I'm going to use it as my backup card once I upgrade.
Fun fact: I can actually launch City of Heroes under VMware on this system (with VMware 7) although I only get 5 frames per second (at about 1200x800). I think I could get more if I turned down the detail sliders, but bringing up the options menu seems to freeze the game client. Oh well.
Turning up every single detail to maximum (except of course AA due to ATI) I'm getting about 15-20 frames per second natively under Win7, the limiting factor being that 4350 card (my CPU usage barely moves and of course I'm not swapping).
Not bad for $1150: I can run my old PC as a VMware session in this machine at the same time I use it natively without noticing the extra load - I basically moved most of my data to the new PC, then did a VMware import on what was left of my old system so I wouldn't have to worry about programs that wouldn't run under Win7 and I didn't have to mess around with reinstalling everything under XP mode for now. In fact, at one point I had City of Heroes running natively under Win7 while it was also running under VMware so I could compare the two (its too bad opengl isn't accelerated under VMware).
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It really is a shame because with just one set of directions you could order Father Xmas' 600 dollar rig and spend almost half the money for about the same performance.
Directions like this.
There are so many sites and videos on Youtube to help. If your friend is tech savvy, he can help. Putting together a computer is just adult Legos (easier, actually... Legos can go anywhere, almost; computer parts cant). I taught myself through trial and error, and I'm pretty dumb. >.> Just ask around.
To help clear diskspace, use crap cleaner ( www.ccleaner.com ).
It does a better job thatthe inbuilt MS one, and is freeware.
Then check if you have any DVD burning programs that have left lots of movies sitting on your HD.
I don't suffer from altitis, I enjoy every minute of it.
Thank you Devs & Community people for a great game.
So sad to be ending ):
Quote:
When I priced the parts, my system ended up being about the same price overall. The trivial amount I would have saved buying each component separately ultimately wasn't worth it in my opinion.|
Originally Posted by RadDidIt
It really is a shame because with just one set of directions you could order Father Xmas' 600 dollar rig and spend almost half the money for about the same performance.
|
There was a time when you could save 50% or even more by assembling your own PC, but for most price/performance points those days are gone. You can still save between 10% and 25% at times, but its usually only worth it if you are really interested in assembling your own system and troubleshooting any problems that might arise.
I do think if you are or are interested in one day being in the IT field, its worth it to attempt to assemble your own computer at least once or twice. Its less about saving money and more about getting educated about the issues involved. It can't hurt to know what every part in your computer does.
I am curious to know, however, what you were specifically thinking of. It sounds like either you have a way to assemble something like the XPS 8000 listed above for about $300, or conversely you have a way to assemble a computer for about $600 that has double the performance (and I'm assuming you were not factoring in a monitor in that price point). I'd be interested to see the system spec either way.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
and I'm assuming you were not factoring in a monitor in that price point). I'd be interested to see the system spec either way.
|
Mmmm, got me on that one. No monitor.
To be honest, after price checking some things....
How to say this...?
Arcanaville is absolutely right.
(Again. >.>)
Edit: I built my rig slowly over a period of about 12 months. I could take a quick system snapshot, but sufficed to say its worth several thousand dollars from Dell/Alienware.
Core i7 3.33
8GB 800mhz (was getting some weird errors with 1333mhz *shrug*)
Nvidia 295 Galaxy (No need for SLI with this beast)
80GB SSD
500GB 7200 HDD
Win 7 64-bit
The most awesomest fan and heatsink system ever.
Built it for a total of about 1100, mostly due to sales, business contacts, friend contacts, and refurbished stuff.
Quote:
Way out at the edge of performance you can still save a lot of money by building instead of buying complete systems, and that config is way out there. Although to be honest, I couldn't build that system for $1100 US without stealing half the parts off the back of a truck. I might be able to do it for $2k, but that was outside my price range.|
Originally Posted by RadDidIt
Edit: I built my rig slowly over a period of about 12 months. I could take a quick system snapshot, but sufficed to say its worth several thousand dollars from Dell/Alienware.
Core i7 3.33 8GB 800mhz (was getting some weird errors with 1333mhz *shrug*) Nvidia 295 Galaxy (No need for SLI with this beast) 80GB SSD 500GB 7200 HDD Win 7 64-bit The most awesomest fan and heatsink system ever. Built it for a total of about 1100, mostly due to sales, business contacts, friend contacts, and refurbished stuff. |
At least you're ready for Ultra Mode. Just out of curiosity, what sort of screensize/framerate does CoX give you at maximum detail settings?
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Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Way out at the edge of performance you can still save a lot of money by building instead of buying complete systems, and that config is way out there. Although to be honest, I couldn't build that system for $1100 US without stealing half the parts off the back of a truck. I might be able to do it for $2k, but that was outside my price range.
At least you're ready for Ultra Mode. Just out of curiosity, what sort of screensize/framerate does CoX give you at maximum detail settings? |
Gorgeous. <----
Sad to report that I've never played past 1920x1080, BUT...
With everything at max, at 1920x1080 on a Nvidia 295, I never drop below 29 FPS. Ever. Period. One time, ONE time, during a RWZ Raid I tried to stress my system by keeping the entire raid and most of RWZ on my screen. 28.60 FPS.
To be honest, right now this very instant, I'm playing via an HDMI cable on a 48" Samsung LCD... from my laptop. My Gateway FX has a 9800M, and its flawless.
(If you need a gaming laptop, get a Gateway FX. It's like $950-999 and is WORTH it.)
Will switch that out for the rig I posted here in this forum 2 days ago.
Yea, my DIY lists don't include useful little accessories like a keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitor or even an OS. Partially because similar DIY parts lists from other web sites exclude these parts and partially choice of mouse, keyboard, number and quality of speakers and OS (XP, Vista, this was before Win 7) are matters of personal preference. I could even extend this to choice of case but I figured I better list something to hold the rest of the parts, something plain but with adequate air cooling.
As for what Arcanaville bought, she's right, there isn't much of a premium on Dell systems over part costs, as long as you don't customize much. Dell as well as most other companies with online configuration will nail you for around the full NewEgg cost for swap outs like memory and graphics. So unless you are a serious technophobe, just buy the parts separately at NewEgg and swap them in yourself. You will end up with spares as well as having a better selection to chose from.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
Quote:
This.|
Originally Posted by Father Xmas
You will end up with spares as well as having a better selection to chose from.
|
Whole reason I have that barebone Shuttle on the way is because I have all these spare parts from the last upgrade.
Quote:
Correct. Building your own isn't about saving money (or not directly). It's about knowing what's in the system, planning the system out, and having complete control over the system and what goes into it.|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
When I priced the parts, my system ended up being about the same price overall. The trivial amount I would have saved buying each component separately ultimately wasn't worth it in my opinion.
There was a time when you could save 50% or even more by assembling your own PC, but for most price/performance points those days are gone. You can still save between 10% and 25% at times, but its usually only worth it if you are really interested in assembling your own system and troubleshooting any problems that might arise. I do think if you are or are interested in one day being in the IT field, its worth it to attempt to assemble your own computer at least once or twice. Its less about saving money and more about getting educated about the issues involved. It can't hurt to know what every part in your computer does. |
This allows people to better tailor their systems to the tasks at hand, and make tradeoffs to maximize performance.
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
Quote:
Okay, also, your current system is dangerously low on free disk space.|
Originally Posted by Fire Lilly
Capacity: 37.2 Gb
Free Space: 106 Mb |
As noted, some of the people have suggested installing system cleaners.
This may or may not work with how little space you have.
One thing you can do to free up some disk space, though it's not recommended, is to go into the Windows Folder and delete all the uninstall files for the Windows System Patches.
- Go into C:\Windows
- Click on Tools
- Click on Folder Options
- Click on the View Tab
- Check "Show hidden files and folders"
- UNcheck Hide Protected Operating System Files
- Click OK.
You can delete pretty much ALL of them. Make sure to clear the Recycle Bin afterwards.
The reason it's "not recommended" is that the time may come that you have to uninstall one of them to make something else work. If you do this, you're boned.
HOWEVER, realistically when was the last time you actually uninstalled a Windows Update?
Anyhow, you can free up at least a couple hundred megabytes (if this machine has been running a long time, you could conceivably free up over a gig.
Then, once you're done, you want to go back to the list of steps above and reverse them (to hide the protected system files again).
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
There are several other things I'd suggest clearing out first.
Internet caches and
anything in Windows\temp that predates your last reboot.
These two can often result in a lot of space being cleared.
Try a search for *.log, *.tmp, *.~*
These are mostly safe to delete. - If you don't know what a log file is storing you're not likely to be checking its contents. The other two are temp files so just as with windows/temp if it predates your last reboot it should be safe to get rid of.
Check any saved games for any others you play - these can quickly add up.
Music, Movies, Pictures or indeed any documents you don't use any more - write them to a CD or DVD and delete.
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Quote:
I'd recommend external USB hard drive over burning to CDs. You can get drives with three times the capacity of the OPs entire computer for about $70 or less, all the files will still be available to use, and when you buy a new computer you can use it to transfer all your files to the new system, and still keep the drive for external storage or to move things to different locations.
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Originally Posted by Gaia
Music, Movies, Pictures or indeed any documents you don't use any more - write them to a CD or DVD and delete.
|
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Quote:
CCleaner is great for this.|
Originally Posted by Gaia
There are several other things I'd suggest clearing out first.
Internet caches and anything in Windows\temp that predates your last reboot. These two can often result in a lot of space being cleared. Try a search for *.log, *.tmp, *.~* These are mostly safe to delete. - If you don't know what a log file is storing you're not likely to be checking its contents. The other two are temp files so just as with windows/temp if it predates your last reboot it should be safe to get rid of. Check any saved games for any others you play - these can quickly add up. Music, Movies, Pictures or indeed any documents you don't use any more - write them to a CD or DVD and delete. |
To get an idea the type of files you have an excess of I suggest WinDirStat or SpaceMonger.
Father Xmas - Level 50 Ice/Ice Tanker - Victory
$725 and $1350 parts lists --- My guide to computer components
Tempus unum hominem manet
My computer has been bothering me for weeks that I've been running low on space. "Blah, blah, blah... Click here to let me erase random unused stuff on your computer without your final approval." So today, I decided to start diving into my computer in the endeavor to delete any unnecessary items from my hard drive. Manual.
Mind you, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm not computer savvy at all, but that doesn't mean I trust my computer either.
Digging through this, that and some more of this, I do manage to delete a couple of things that I hope weren't that necessary to my computer's survival. Well, I'm still getting warning messages, so I decide to do another dive... This time, I click 'properties' on my computer's local disk. For those of you as unsavvy as I, that's the hard drive.
Right in front of me, it lists how much total space I have on my hard drive, how much is used, and how much is left. I'm thinking, "Oh! This is SO much easier then guessing!" ... So I stare for a few moments before I realize just what I'm looking at.
Capacity: 37.2 Gb
Free Space: 106 Mb
I'm pretty certain that it'll only be four or five more patches before I'm locked out of City of Heroes. Which... Kind of sucks... Anyways, now I'm at home looking for the next step. Any ideas?