Software choking up your system?Tips to avoid upgrading RAM or CPU (in other words: a new notebook)

Symptoms • Your software freezes up or crashes• Even web browsers slow to a crawl

• Checking your performance shows nothing wrong or hung up

Likelihood• Windows starts many apps that hog memory• You really run in two modes• Office with MS Office, Outlook, browser etc.• Technical with mapping / GIS software only

• Horses for courses• Separate apps run better under separate conditions

Solution

1. Run msconfing from Windows Start Search• turn off all non-Windows apps except license manager• this needs a reboot (not if just need to turn, say, LM on)

2. Never run apps in full screen mode• chews up graphics RAM that’s usually the most constrained• screens are large enough and resolution high enough today

Don’t panic