A few things I would like to know about Win2k

[BadAss 0]

A few things that bug me which make the Win2k experience seem a little weak:

 

1. How can I manually set the cache limit. I mean in an EXACT size though. Not the large system cache on or off thing. This is probably not possible, but it would be nice.

 

2. Refresh Rate support: MS should give us real options for setting this. Though I've solved it by hacking my inf.

 

3. Weak CD-Rom performance. How can I specify CD-Rom cache sizes, if possible. My CD-Rom runs a whole lot slower in Win2k than in Win98.

 

Feel free to add to this list guys.

[nova 0]

1) AFAIK that's not possible. Although, there's another setting that affects how much memory is used by the OS: if you use Win2k Server or Advanced Server (the option is not available on Professional), you can open the properties of your LAN connection, and then the properties of the "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" and then choose between 4 different settings:

 

- "Minimize memory used",

- "Balance",

- "Maximize data throughput for file sharing",

- "Maximize data throughput for network applications".

 

The "Minimize memory used" should spare a large amount of memory, and besides, it oftem remedies CD writing problems (especially buffer underruns) on Server or Advanced Server machines!

 

2) For OpenGL: you must edit the driver's .INF file, or use PowerStrip. For DirectX: run DXDIAG.EXE, go to the last tab and click the "Override" button.

 

3) Maybe you don't operate your CD-ROM drive in DMA (UDMA33) mode? Open device manager, open "Primary IDE Channel" or "Secondary IDE Channel" under "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers", go to the "Advanced Settings" tab and choose "DMA if available" as the "Transfer Mode" for the appropriate device.

 

Otherwise, I didn't notice any performance differences. And AFAIK there's no way to change any other CD-ROM performance related options!

 

nova.