[CUBE] Memory question

[James Norman]

Hi Mark,

On Saturday, February 7, 2004, at 01:57 PM, gooddog at interlync.com wrote:

> Thank you all for answering. Here's my situation:
>
> We've decided to keep our Cube once I realized it could answer many of 
> our needs, and turn it into an external hard drive for video/ remote 
> GUI (don't know if I'm saying this quite right) that I can network and 
> access via my 500 mhz iBook. I want to be able to use Virtual PC on a 
> fast processor (upgrade Cube to 1.2 or 1.4 ghz and pump up memory) for 
> the only Windows software I have I want to use, for a writing project.

For most office type applications Virtual PC is quite suitable, it's 
with games, in particular, that emulation programs really struggle. I'm 
trying to think what specific writing program you intend to use which 
(1) requires Windoze, and (2) can't already have a better option on the 
Mac.

>
> The plan so far: upgrade the processor, memory and hard drive (120 gb) 
> and network it using remote VNC type stuff so we can have a better 
> system for our various writing and film projects.

Go with the processor upgrade, the new PowerLogix 1.4 seems the best 
option at the moment, though I'm very happy with my Sonnet 1.2 (at 
least I'm happy on my second one, I followed Sonnet's instructions the 
first time and left the foil in place between the aluminium and copper 
heat sinks.  Ended up with a fried CPU, even with the fan (highly 
recommend the Panaflo fan kit that comes with the Sonnet); second time 
I just used a smear of thermal transfer paste.

Again, the 120Gb drive is a worthwhile investment, I have kept the 20Gb 
drive and put it in an external Firewire enclosure.

>
> What I can't figure out just yet is if I can get by with removing the 
> 32 mb memory and putting in a 512 mb next to the two 128s, bringing my 
> memory to 800 mb.  This would seem, along with the processor upgrade 
> and hard drive, to make the operation of the Virtual PC snappy and 
> crisp. Is 800 mb enough for what I'm trying to do?

Definitely ditch the 32Mb stick, 768Mb should be fine. I have 1.5Gb of 
RAM now and I can't say that there was a huge difference in Xbench 
scores between having 2 x 512Mb over 3 x 512Mb RAM, but that's not 
really tested in Xbench in the same way as fooling around with 
PhotoShop rendering.

>
> I welcome comments and suggestions.

Have fun, my Cube has become my main workhorse.

>
> Thanks.
>
> Mark
>

All the best,

Jim