CONTROL YOUR DESKTOP

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HOW TO CONTROL WINDOWS DISK CACHE AND IMPROVE SYSTEM OVERALL STABILITY

What is Disk Cache?

Disk Cache is a part of Read Only Memory - RAM that acts as an intermediate buffer when data is read from and written to file systems on secondary storage devices.

The Disk Cache driver stores the most recently accessed data in RAM. When a program needs to access new data, the operating system first checks to see if the data is in the cache before reading it from the disk.

Because computers can access data from RAM much faster than from a storage device, disk caching can significantly increase performance.

In Issue N° 12 - here available - I discussed how to adequately allocate Read Only Memory - RAM - to applications. A freeware had been then suggested to control such allocation - Free Memory Professional - in association with another one in charge of controlling Windows Disk Cache: CACHEMAN. Links to these utilities are given in Issue N° 12 above mentioned.

I have both utilities installed on my system (Pentium 160 - RAM: 96 MB - Windows 98 Second Edition) with a heavy bundle of more or less 95 software / utilities and productivity tools. (I have taken the precaution to partition my hard disk into three partitions as here explained).

Free Memory professional and Cacheman help me control the smooth running of my computer.

Thomas Reinman the maker of Cacheman has just released an upgrade which improves the management of Virtual RAM or Disk Cache and Physical RAM.

The new Cacheman Version 4.0 could be configured (by clicking Options on Cacheman configuration's panel) to show intray amount of:

• Virtual Memory usage
  
• Free Physical Memory
  
• Disk Cache Size
  
• Free GDI Resources
  
• Free User Resources
  

I installed the new update (Version 4.0); configured it to Virtual Memory Usage and agreeably noticed that multi tasking is improved and smoothly implemented by my outdated old system (Pentium 160!).

I noticed the following:

when I load the OS (please take note that 30 executable linked to as much as many applications also load together with the OS!), connect to the Internet (ADSL broadband) and fire up my browser (Internet Explorer 5.5) I can simultaneously read my mail with Microsoft Outlook, browse the morning or evening news (on AFRICABIZ ONLINE) and listen at the same time to my favorite Radio: AFRICA N° 1 if I took the precaution to "Allocate And Free" 48 to 56 MB with Free Memory Professional.

Many other power users running a more powerful system (Pentium II or III) reported (see Cacheman feedback page) noticeable working improvement of their computers when using CACHEMAN.

Finally, I succeeded in stabilizing my computer, reducing system crashes, "squashing" the dreadful "Fatal Error" occurrence and improving multi tasking (word processing, surfing, and communication - faxing and Internet telephoning) with the association of three utilities:

Below are listed the steps I followed to reach the peaceful "nirvana" of nonstop productivity; free of crashes and FATAL ERROR blue screen:

• 1- Partition your hard disk. Click here for more.
  

• 2- Convert the partitioned drives into FAT32. Applicable only if you have Windows 98 or above. (Use a- "Start"; b- "Accessories"; c- "System Tools" and chose "Drive Converter" or the conversion device included in PARTITIONMAGIC of powerquest.com -see link of point 1 above).
  

• 3- Install an utility for Read Only Memory - RAM - efficient allocation to applications. Click here for more.
  

• 4- Reorganize loading sequence of applications in the "StartUp" folder as here explained.
  

• 5- Install SYSTEM CRASH MONITOR. Click here for more.
  

• 6- Install a device to control WINDOWS DISK CACHE' swapping as here explained.

Utilities related to links 5 and 6 are excellent freeware which match (and sometimes outclass) the performance of their commercial counterparts.

FREEBIE

SECURE YOUR MAIL

I have, in several issues: N° 5 - N° 16, raised the question of Email confidentiality.

Sending a non encrypted email is exactly like sending a postal card by snail-mail.

If you are sending sensitive information to a business partner, you need to be sure that he is the only one to have access to your dispatch. If you are concerned about not making it easy for prying eyes to review your emails, you have now at your disposal more and more tools / software to blind them.

Here is a nice freebie nicknamed CAMOUFLAGE. The name speaks for itself.

Camouflage allows you to hide files by scrambling them and then attaching them to any file of your choice: .doc; .gif Etc.

The camouflaged file looking and behaving exactly like a normal file that you can store on your hard disk or send by mail without attracting attention.

It's amazing! You can use a picture file as camouflaging file! The picture file looking and behaving exactly as a normal .gif / .jpg etc.; but hiding / containing, nevertheless, encrypted files. You could also hide a Word document into another Word document. The possibilities of camouflaging a file are numerous with CAMOUFLAGE.

Click here to get that nifty freebie and kiss bye bye to all the BIG BROTHERS of the world.

- Add on : March 22, 2003 : Unfortunately Camouflage disapeared from the Steganography landscape and had anyway been cracked. However there are plenty of other Stenography packages on the WWW. Click here for more;