windows xp 256 RAM

[Willem]

Originally posted by Orcrist
You young whippersnappers I remember when 64 Kilo-bytes was smoking, but I'm sure someone can trump that with: 64 KB? You bastards, we had 8 KB and were grateful... etc. blah blah blah.

I just did.

Actually I was wrong, my first computer was a Texas Instrument jobbie that, yes did have 8 kb I believe. However it was gift from my brother and only lasted about a week on me so I don't really count it.

[Kool-Aid Man]

I first played the original Civilization on a Macintosh LC with 2 MB of RAM. With that, I was able to see only 1/3 of the map. When I upgraded to 4 MB, finally I could make the map fit my screen. If I had only had 256 MB in it hahaha.

[tulkas12]

P4 1.8 ghz
256 ram
128 mb vid (invidia)
OS:XP

I can play it ok....I takes forever to laod a game as I get later in the game and the downtime between turns gets longer as the hours go by... but it plays...I'm looking at getting a new PC as well, but it'll be a few months.. just goinmg to have to get used to the idea of playing hockey while I load up the next turn lmao...

[Willem]

Originally posted by tulkas12
P4 1.8 ghz
256 ram
128 mb vid (invidia)
OS:XP

I can play it ok....I takes forever to laod a game as I get later in the game and the downtime between turns gets longer as the hours go by... but it plays...I'm looking at getting a new PC as well, but it'll be a few months.. just goinmg to have to get used to the idea of playing hockey while I load up the next turn lmao...

Just get yourself some more RAM, it's not that expensive and not difficult to install. It will make a big difference. And it won't be a wasted expense since you can always take it out and put it in the new computer you're planning to buy. 256 isn't nearly enough for any system that runs XP, you should have at minimum 512 with 1 gig or more preferred.

[Sabre2th]

Originally posted by tulkas12
P4 1.8 ghz
256 ram
128 mb vid (invidia)
OS:XP

I can play it ok....I takes forever to laod a game as I get later in the game and the downtime between turns gets longer as the hours go by... but it plays...I'm looking at getting a new PC as well, but it'll be a few months.. just goinmg to have to get used to the idea of playing hockey while I load up the next turn lmao...

With the exception of your RAM, your specs are not bad. Upgrading to 512mb or a gig will give you a SIGNIFICANT increase in performance. (WinXP alone uses up a lot of memory). RAM is very cheap these days, so definitely look into that first if Civ is your main reason for upgrading

Edit: Oops...kinda slow with that post

[tulkas12]

Yea I know its light on ram, but I can't install any ram I might buy in the meantime into the new pc because its some obscure crap from 4 years ago. It was high end at the time, just not enough. I am well aware that XP is using almost all of it too...

I was just trying to give a little hope to the lower end guys out there.

[Mirkwood]

cheers tulkas12 my pc won't take anymore RAM than 384 and i was just interested to know if a lower spec machine could at least run the game.

I am going to buy a new pc but was going to wait for the Jan sales in the UK...my wife will be appeased and i can get away with it being a birthday pressie...

I just wanted to know i could play it after a fashion until then as my desire to play it is massive given what i have read and seen...

Though i am conscious of the large grumblings elsewhere on these boards from those with crap intel graphics probs and those with lower end machines like mine..

U give me some hope...

does anyone know the reason why my machine would not be able to take any more RAM

specs are

pentium 4 1.5 gb
geoforce 2
win xp
30 gb hard drive
384 ram

cheers anyway::

[Rogerdude]

How do you now "it won't take". Who told you?

Your pc - PIV (actuallly its motherboard, well, actually the chipset) can address at least 2048 MB of RAM. That's a fact for every motherboard out there, starting at least with PII.
You just got to change the modules in its slots with larger ones.
384 MB means you probably a have 3*128 or 1*256+1*128 combination.
Get rid of one of those 128s and replace it with a 512.

[thedohman]

Originally posted by Willem


You're lucky, everything about your system is on the lower end. Do yourself a favour and get more RAM. With XP you should have at least 512, 1 gig would be even better. XP alone uses up more than 256 meg, so anything you run has to use Virtual Memory, which is very slow compared to RAM. You'll notice a huge improvement overall with 1 gig, and I don't mean just Civ 4.

I know. But I have a very small budget. I can't update my hardware without wearing an eyepatch and gettinga parrot on my shoulder. The last game I bought was C3 Conquests.... soon after it came out. That's my budget, yearly $50. Mabe next year I can get more memory.

[Willem]

Originally posted by thedohman


I know. But I have a very small budget. I can't update my hardware without wearing an eyepatch and gettinga parrot on my shoulder. The last game I bought was C3 Conquests.... soon after it came out. That's my budget, yearly $50. Mabe next year I can get more memory.

RAM these days is pretty cheap, especially in the US. If you shop around you just be able to find a 512 card for $50.

[Mirkwood]

Well i got it today via play.com and have been able to load it up and play a few turns in my lunch hour and so far so good it plays and quite well even spok and the movies...i anticipate that by the mid game i will have massive slow down lol !!!!

[Mirkwood]

I am now upto the industrial age about 1880 and there are lots of stuff on the map etc but it is surprisingly
stable and not too slow...!

I know things may get slower but so far i have had no graphics probs and no problem playing i even have the animations running and have to say its great and am really pleased my old machine is coping.

To recap i am playing only on a small map my specs are

Pentium 4 1.5gb
Geoforce2
384 RAM
windows xp

[Timmer]

I'm in the same boat of needing more RAM to
play well in the later stages of the game.

My question is this : Is it easy to install RAM
yourself ?

I've already managed to install a new video card
by shovi... errr carefully placing it in the AGP slot.

That was my first time actually opening a computer
and putting something in there. Before, I just
assumed magic pixies made it work

So I'm a noob when it comes to this.

Is installing RAM as easy ?

[alva]

Just as hard as installing a graphic card.

Put the case on it's side and take out the AGP card to give you some room to manouver.
Also, if you're inserting two, add one, start up, turn it off and insert the other one (don't even have to insert to graphic card to test it).

[Timmer]

Originally posted by alva
Just as hard as installing a graphic card.

Put the case on it's side and take out the AGP card to give you some room to manouver.
Also, if you're inserting two, add one, start up, turn it off and insert the other one (don't even have to insert to graphic card to test it).

Thanks !

Off to the computer store this weekend !
They must think by now I'm a total geek.

2 weeks ago : "I need a joystick just to play 20-year-old
amiga games" (downloaded an emulator)

1 week ago "I need a graph card just to play CIV4"

This week : "I need RAM just to play CIV4"