hi! i have a really slow pc (500MHz, 512MB, 16MB vcard)… so i’d like to maximize the speed for blendering… how do i optimize my winxp to allocate most resources to blender? particularly, which services needs to be turned off?
i don’t use a network, don’t connect to the internet through my pc. assume i’m using an optimized blender.
thanks for any help!
EDIT: forgot, my ram is only 256mb, (two 64mb, one 128mb stick)
Move it over and install Ubuntu Linux. I did that on my Laptop and got huge speed boosts over my tweaked XP. That way, I can still do XP related items when necessary and Linux for Blender. Works like a charm.
If you only blend on that PC, then install the XP from scratch, then add required drivers and blender. In case you use the PC for more things, but it isn’t connected to network, get rid of any antivirus, and other anti software. Try a little searching: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=needed+windows+processes&btnG=Search
I know, these aren’t services, but that is what you need.
But linux works faster with blender than XP (from my experience). You have plenty of RAM compared to the processor (if it can be compared 
).
Hi,
Before you fall of the partition cliff as a lemming, please check this out:
You can install Ubuntu,Kubuntu, and a variety of other linux flavors without the risk of corrupting your windows partition.
If later you decide you do not need linux, just go to add and remove programs in windows and safely uninstall it.
hope that helps 
As far as speeding up your service pack 2 system, first and formost run and anti-spyware application and kill all the spyware on your system…
Run a Virus scan and destroy any viruses you may have.
Check the page file and make sure it is sufficient for the amount of ram you have .
If you have 2 hard drives move the pagefile over, and only leave the bare minimum on the drive with windows on it (incase the second hard disk fails). Make sure you set a custom pagefile size, so it dose not constantly keep re-sizing it.
For faster boot times, do not install custom fonts to your c:\windows\fonts folder.Instead only install custom fonts that you currently need, then uninstall them afterwards.
Set a schedule for a nightly virus/spyware scan, and a nightly scandisk, then a defrag on all drives.
DONT use Microsoft internet explorer for casual web browsing, rather use Mozilla,firefox,opera,or K-meleon. to avoid getting spyware.
If you do not search much on your hard disks, just disable the indexing services, this will free up HUGE ammounts of ram (but will make local searches a bit slower)
To speed up explorer for file browsing,
Uncheck the Automatically search for network folders and printers check box , in the explorer folder options.
DONT USE DESKTOP WALLPAPER, only a solid color.
There are many many other little tricks, many involve disabling services that you do not use.
Have fun!
You have plenty of RAM compared to the processor (if it can be compared
).
sorry, made a mistake, my ram is only 256mb… and quickly runnin out of disk space… am using 3 hardisks now (plus 1 cdrom drive).
To speed up explorer for file browsing,
Uncheck the Automatically search for network folders and printers check box , in the explorer folder options.
i’ll do this…
wubi sounds good mmph
found a document at one time which told some services which can be turned-off to reduce windows resource usage… from a page file usage of more than 300MB it was brought down to less than 200MB…
i’m more inclined to look for another hardisk (i’ll have to remove 1 of mine), and install ubuntu there… though i’ll miss the hibernate feature. booting up with Linux is what i don’t like, it takes too much time on my pc compared with resuming from hibernation in windows.
thanks…
wow!
256 megs???
If you want a serious speed boost, go up to 1 gigabyte, your system will hardly ever use the pagefile/swapfile… This will make things a lot faster for you right away.(it will eliminate every time you see the pause, and the hard disk blinking, it will also decrease loading times for you applications, and also will lower your boot/startup time)
When one of my RAMs failed I had to work with 256MB for half a year, it sucked, everything was slow. Now I got 756MB and it runs like butter
You could customize your own Windows XP disc with http://www.nliteos.com/index.html if you really want to optimize, since you don’t use any network on the computer it’s possible to remove alot from the Windows installation. A little more work than just stop some services though…
that’s exactly what i used before myn.pheos! thanks for the link! what i followed then was a print of that page.
256 megs???
If you want a serious speed boost, go up to 1 gigabyte, your system will hardly ever use the pagefile/swapfile…
my board supports only up to 750mb, as far as i can remember. and i only have 3DIMM (SDRAM) slots, already full as of this time. … worst is, i have no enough money to buy a new RAM, what more a new PC… 