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This is
taken from the illustrious McFadden
FAQ.
One
problem with Win95 is that by default the size of the file cache
is unrestricted. This means that all available memory will
eventually get filled up with file data, which will cause the
virtual memory system to start swapping out pages from executing
applications. When something needs to be executed from a page that
has been swapped out, it takes time to pull it back in off the
disk. While this is happening, the CD recorder's buffer could
drain completely.
The
procedure is simple:
- Open
the file SYSTEM.INI with a text editor. This file is usually
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI.
- Find
the section labeled "[vcache]".
- Add
the following lines *after* the "[vcache]" line:
MinFileCache = 512
MaxFileCache = 4096
- Save
the changes to the file, and reboot.
The above
values are recommended for a system with 16MB of RAM. A common
rule of thumb is to set "maxfilecache" to 25% of your
RAM, up to a maximum setting of 16MB. Because of (actual or
perceived) bugs in Win95, some people recommend setting "minfilecache"
to the same value. If you have a fairly recent system with 64MB or
more, you probably want to use:
- MinFileCache
- 16384
- MaxFileCache
- 16384
The [vcache]
change has reportedly cured severe buffer underrun problems with
some versions of CDRWIN and removed popping noises during digital
audio extraction with Easy CD Creator. It's a good thing to do to
any PC running Win95. It's not necessary for WinNT. It's not clear
whether this will help with Win98, but it doesn't seem to hurt.
If you
are uncomfortable tweaking your SYSTEM.INI file, try CacheMan at http://www.outertech.com/.
It allows you to modify the above settings, and a few more
besides. |
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