Atomic Systems

Hi there
I hope i got this post in the right place.
I wanted to ask anyone if they have done what i done.
My new pc with a 80gb hard drive, 2.6 processors, 256 mb 3D graphics card and 1gb of memory, Windows XP home with SP2.
I installed a 40gb hard drive(inside) not USB2 hard drives, easy to put in and get working on XP.
I then reinstalled msts and all the add ons on the 40 gb hard drive came to about 19 gb.
Since i done this msts has been running more smoother and no crashs at all i am amazed with the change and speed of it all now and much better frame rate.
My whole pc is running much faster now as well.
Has any one else tried this.
I Would like to here from any one who has.
I hope this has been of help to any one as well.
MARTIN
BIRMINGHAM
PS. did you know windows XP installed with service pack 2 takes up about 300 mb of memory?

By coincidence, my MSTS installation is on drive D, like Martin's.

But I can't offer any evidence to confirm or deny if this is a better configuration than everything on one drive....but theoretically, having the windows swap file, etc on a separate drive must be slightly more efficient.

Me again
My msts is on drive F and the main hard drive is C
two cd/dvd drives in as well
I forgot to put this in with the 1st post
MARTIN

Yep
Near enough got the same setup with a slightly slower processor (don't know how I managed with a 233Mhz one!). MSTS on seperate 40gig HD although I am beginning to get worried about how much space is left. Only a few places on Thames-Mersey where the frame rates drop but loads up those places much quicker when driving at night! (tongue in cheek!)

DOC

Different setups on different machines - originally on C: drive of first machine, then moved to NEW drive D: (like original poster) - laptop has it on D: and new desktop has it on C: - it doesn't matter, and of course you can have multiple MSTS copies on one machine if you wish

Ive recently installed another hard drive.
I only had a 20GB one before and MSTS was choppy to say the least. Ive recently installed a 120gb hard drive, with anything MSTS related installed onto it, this includes, TSM trainstore, RR, shape viewer etc, all whats left on the 20GB HD is the operating system, wife's stuff, email, IE etc.
I noticed a considerable change in the performance of MSTS. The frame rates havent seemed to gone up any, but there is no stutter now or long periods of freezing as tiles get dropped/loaded.
Cost me £40 to buy a new HD and was well worth the money.
I run Windows ME, 512MB DDRam, 128mb DDR graphics and 2.4GHz celeron. With everything all on one HD with no other items on the HD its like its been fitted with a turbo.

Hi again
there is some think esle i do to speed up things a bit
On windows XP go windows\programs\accessorier\system tools\ DISK DEFRAGMENTER and run that on both hard drives this will bring all the file into one place,
When you down load XP has a habit of putting files all ofter the place.
Run defragmenter and this brings all your files into one place and does make msts run a bit faster
Every little bit helps
MARTIN
PS. i got the downloaded version of thames-mersey on,i will be intrested to see what happerns when i get the disk version

Hi again.
There is a down loaded at http://www.acelogix.com click on the link below called RAM Optimizer it claims to free up your memory so you have as much mermory free as possible.
I Been using the free version on my pc (see my ofter above)
and it has worked for me and speeded up msts.
Try it and lets me know ehat you think
Every little helps
MARTIN

http://www.acelogix.com/download.html

SORRY
One or two spelling mistakes in my post.
MARTIN

No need to apologise Martin, you can just click the edit button on your post and correct them if you so wish, but many just dont bother.

I have Windows on C and then all my games and programs on E. The difference when having MSTS on a different disk is inn most cases un-noticable, so it doesnt really matter.

However, having two HDDs is the best way of having a system.
C: - Windows/Office/AntiVirus
HDD 2 - Everything else.
This way, if a virus infects windows, you only need to re-install that, keeping most configs and things, although you have to take a copy of the registry and stuff from My Documents - but then again, my "My Documents" is on my second HDD anyway, there are programs which you can use to change the locations.
Pete

Thanks for that peter
Martin

HI ALL AGAIN
Im thinking of going mad this xmas and upgrading my 1GB memory to 2GB of memory.
Any ideas where to get two, 1GB memory cards from i only have 2 slots on my mother board for memory and that the max i can put in my pc
I know 1gb cards cost a lot of dosh but where the best place to go?
MARTIN
Every little bit helps

I have used novatech in the past they seem to be well priced the web address is http://www.novatech.co.uk hope that helps.

Thanks for that i will have a look
MARTIN
Every little bit helps

Hmmmmm, maybe try http://www.crucial.com/uk/index.asp It's the stuff that I use