is 512 mb ram necessary to run windows xp smoothly?

Answer 1

I have 256MB and Windows XP seems to run just fine. It probably has more to do with how many applications you are trying to run at one time, and how memory-intensive they are. Try making your swap file larger.

Answer 2

You won't believe how much faster the overall performance will be with 1gb of memory. It is amazing. You can open your computer with 128 and run a program or two but it will be pretty slow. With 256 a couple programs and it will be a little faster but still slow. With 512 you will notice you can open many more programs and run much more memory intrusive programs and be much faster. With 1GB you will be rocking. You will have the oppurtunity to run anything you want. Open multiple programs and surf the web at the same time even while downloading things and have enough speed the your computer will be a great tool and not some piece of crap. No computer I have ever worked with runs smoothly with 128 or 256. It may seem smoothly if you have never used anything else and you don't know any better.
I would not build a computer with less than 1GB. For the little difference in price why would you?

Answer 3

It's a must to run in smoothly. If you run any large applications or games then at least 1 gig is necessary. The more ram, the better it runs. I'm especially amazed at Dell computers. They ship computers out every day with 256 megs of shared ram, meaning that some of the ram is shared with on board video cards (at least 64 megs). XP requires a minimum of 256 megs to run. This means all those Dell computers are 64 megs short of being able to run properly.

Answer 4

Yes, it is. 512MB is the minimum you want to run with XP, unless you only web surf. For instance, right now, I'm using 422 MB of RAM, and I don't have any other applications open, except Internet Explorer (though I do have 8 of them open).

If I check my memory usage as soon as my computer boots, I'm using more than 256 MB. So, even for just web browsing, you really want to have at least 512 MB. If you don't, you're using your hard drive as memory, which is not only pathetically slow, it's also wearing out your hard drive prematurely.

Answer 5

XP with SP2 is different that XP. It needs more RAM. So if you update Windows and don't update you computer and then you think it runs fine with 128 or 256.. well then contact me because I have some beach front property in Nebraska for sale.

512 is the absolute minimum to run XP with SP2 and hopefully you don't have intergrated video.

Answer 6

More the ram u add to ur system more ur system runs smoothly.
win xp can be run with 128 mb of ram, but adding more ram gives ur better performance. if u use heavy softwares and play games it will be better to add ram from 256-512mb.But u can also add ram more than 512 mb.

Answer 7

opposite to the previous answer. RAM will make a distinction in the performance of XP in case you in basic terms have 512MB. To instruct my aspect - Open job manager and flow to the performance TAB and word how a lot PF utilization is. IF the decision in PF utilization (in MB) is everywhere on the fringe of the decision entire in actual reminiscence, including extra RAM will very much advance your performance. IF PF is larger - the replace report is operating extra time and extra RAM will defentaly make a distinction. by the way PF utilization is the amout of reminiscence the computer is at present making use of. attempt truning off some courses and watch this decision flow down. one extra by the way - VISTA and XP will in basic terms understand a touch over 3gb of ram. no favor to position in any more desirable than 3gb.

Answer 8

It's not necessary. XP will run with less RAM. But the more RAM you install, the better your programs will run.

Answer 9

no not a necessary but very useful to make ur computer run faster than normaly in 256 mb ram

Answer 10

Not necessary. Windows XP can work on 128MB as well. The more RAM is reqd. according to the work to be done on system.

Answer 11

Let's put this in easy to understand words...Look at your ram as a bucket of water...and have a barrel to fill.(programs)
Now, if you only carry one bucket at a time to the barrel it's going to take longer to fill the barrel (512mbs of ram)
But, if you carry 2 buckets at a time and fill the barrel, it will only take half the time! (1GB of Ram)
And 256 is only carrying a half a bucket of water at a time...
Which way would you like your barrel to be filled???
This has to do with SPEED of your computer too...