Need Help with RAM

[LuvataciousSkull]

OK, I've recently have started to have problems with my PC when it comes to running Photoshop and any other program at all. I've checked my settings in Photoshop and, despite having 4GB of RAM and turning down the percentage of RAM Photoshop down to about 30%, the entire computer is running slow. I've been looking high and low on how what would be considered "Standard" for Photoshop, so does anyone have any ideas?

Is my collection of brushes and fonts causing this as well?

[AdamR]

Turning the percentage down tells Photoshop to use less. If Photoshop is all you use, try putting it up to ~70%.

If you are using very complex brushes then you will always get lag time with them. No way around it.

These might help:
http://www.shutterbug.net/techniques/digital_darkroom/0406faster/
http://blogs.adobe.com/scottbyer/2006/03/reap_what_you_m.html

[GriNGo]

If you have too many fonts enabled at the same time, your computer will get slow, guaranteed. Try using font manager software, that lets you enable or disable fonts based on your current needs.

[Mat Kaminski]

Well another possible side effect can be bad virtual memory management.

Now, I'm not going to reccomend messing with these settings unless you know what you are doing, but here's how you get to the manager.

1) Right-click My Computer on Desktop.
2) Go to Properties.
3) If using XP, go to advanced tab.
4) You should see a box entitled Performance. Click the Settings button.
5) Go to Advanced again and there will be a Virtual Memory setting. Click change.
6) Another box should pop up.

*** IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DON'T MESS WITH THIS SETTING AS IT CAN SERIOUSLY EFF UP YOUR COMPUTER!!! ***

Click the drive where Photoshop is installed to (In my case C:\).

7) Click the Custom button. Make sure you know how much RAM you have in your computer. Now for the settings:

Initial size (MB): (since I have 2gb ram, my settings are set to the same amount of RAM I have in my computer.) So in my case 2046 is here.

Maximum size (MB): (again, since I have 2gb RAM, I merely double this setting). So in my case 4092 is the setting here.



That should possibly help with the problem. But like I said already...

BE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT ARE YOU DOING! :0

Hopefully this will fix your problem.

Let me know how it goes if you decide to try this.

[BANNED_For_POOPY_PANTS]

Might be something else altogether.

How long has this been going on? What are the rest of the specs of your system? Motherboard/core? Which anti-virus/spyware programs are you running?

4Gb's should be more than enough to run PS adequately.. and even with those heavy fonts and brushes, I would imagine 4GB of RAM should be able to handle the load.

[Mat Kaminski]

Might also be something with Vista and Photoshop, if you're running Vista?

[AdamR]

Might also be something with Vista and Photoshop, if you're running Vista?

Vista's got nothing to do with it.

Best bet is to give us the fulls specs of your computer. Start > Run > type in "dxdiag" if you are unsure. Alternatively, for a more in depth look, you can download and install the free software SiSoft Sandra Lite (which is a great tool for a detailed overview of your computer, temperature checks, etc etc) and get back with us.

- Adam