DMA and system resources

[saimyc]

will enabling DMA for your HD's lower your system resources??

[Imperion1]

If it does, it isn't by much.

DMA - Direct Memory Access, is used to improve the performance on Harddrives and cd-rom (DVD-roms).
But, enabling DMA shouldn't cause any problems with system resources. I've never had or heard of it causing problems here.

What causes most system resource problems tend to do with constant use of the computer without a reboot. And a lot of programs running in the background.

You're running an OS older than Windows 2000, correct?

[saimyc]

yes I'm running win98se

AMD 1800+
512 ddr pc2100 (2x256)
K7S5A v.1
WD 40gig 7200rpm 2mb cache
Maxtor 80gig 7200rpm 8mb cache
DVD-ROM
CD burner
SB live 5.1
Georce2 64mb mx/mx 400
Linksys 10/100 nic

Although I do suspect music match jukebox of being the resource hog
I've tried running with and without it
all I keep running is norton AV, Zone Alarm, MBM
2 instances of I.E.6 and musicmatch had me at 38% free resouces

[Imperion1]

Keep Norton AV and MBM from auto loading on boot up, then reboot and see what your resources are. If its still low, then do the same for music match.

[saimyc]

MBM and musicmatch don't load on start up, I launch MBM after a reboot, and musicmatch when I'm going to use it ( very often )

I usually go days without a reboot, but even after a reboot music match is hogging the resources, I only noticed recently because I ran SANDRA and it said I did not have DMA enabled, so I enabled it and looked for improvements, thats when I noticed my system resources were very low, with 2 instances of I.E.6 and music match

I've tried all kinds of combinations, of apps and programs, and come up with music match hogging it, may not be the only thing but a major culprit.

I'm going to defrag , and disk clean up, to see if that helps

[saimyc]

screen shot of mem load

[Imperion1]

98 was really never good at releasing memory or resources.
What does your startup look like?

But, so far, Music Match is taking up quite a bit. You also have some other programs that really don't need to be running at the same time.
For example, Norton AV. Do you really need it running all the time? I can see having it run when you're checking your email or downloaded files. But not having it run because its there.

[Imperion1]

I just took another look at your pic. You have alot of stuff running at the same time. This will take up quite a bit of resources. Especially when you have to IE windows open. Have to remember, its windows 98. 2k and XP won't have the same resource problems. I'm not telling you to upgrade, but thats about the only way you'll be able to not have resource problems.

[saimyc]

yes I think you're right, but here's a screen shot of my start up,
couldn't fit it al, but the only thing toward the bottom is zone alarm. ensonque mixer, I take it out of start up and it keeps coming back
But remember I have no problems, I just noticed it because I was checking other things after enabling DMA for my HD's

I do tend to turn off many things when I'm going run something like Photoshop and Ifanview at the same time, never heard of that norton tip before, hmm.......turn it off unless on line....hmm....nah, Zone alram maybe, since I'm behind a router