StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Sokartawi wrote:<snip>

How do you manage to run Win9x servers without them crashing after prolonged use? Isn't there some inherent memory bug in the 9x line that causes resources to drain over time?

GoldenFalcon wrote:

Sokartawi wrote:<snip>

How do you manage to run Win9x servers without them crashing after prolonged use? Isn't there some inherent memory bug in the 9x line that causes resources to drain over time?

It depends on how well-written the application is. Basically, Win9x has no real controls on how well-behaved the application is, and software writers are lazy, so the end result of a 9x installation is typically disintegration over the long term. But in theory, a disciplined user might be able to install a bare-bones 9x system, put just a handful of well-made critical apps on it, and then run those apps 24/7 for quite a while.

Of course, it also helps if the servers aren't put under heavy load.

GoldenFalcon wrote:

Sokartawi wrote:<snip>

How do you manage to run Win9x servers without them crashing after prolonged use? Isn't there some inherent memory bug in the 9x line that causes resources to drain over time?

CAPITALIST LIES AND PROPAGANDA

Well actually windows is a bit sloppy when it comes down to memory management, not directly releasing the memory when it is no longer in use. This was very evident with win95. A lot of these problems are caused by VCache, a memory management program in win9x. While certain applications like to make use of VCache, others (and especially games) usually don't make very effective use of it. Thus I limit the amount of RAM VCache is allowed to use, so programs that need it can still use it, but it doesn't eat up my RAM completely with nonsense.

Still there are always minor memoryleaks that can eventually slow down the PC. For this I use Rambooster, which frees up unused memory that isn't released. However I cannot use this program on my UO server, because the cleaning process disrupts it. But that PC has never run out of RAM yet, most of the time 600-800MB is used, depending on the amount of items and creatures in the world.

Keeping your registry completely clean is of course one of the most important things, since most of the thing usually referred to as windows-rot originates from a messed up registry.

Sokartawi wrote:

GoldenFalcon wrote:

Sokartawi wrote:<snip>

How do you manage to run Win9x servers without them crashing after prolonged use? Isn't there some inherent memory bug in the 9x line that causes resources to drain over time?

CAPITALIST LIES AND PROPAGANDA

Well actually windows is a bit sloppy when it comes down to memory management, not directly releasing the memory when it is no longer in use. This was very evident with win95. A lot of these problems are caused by VCache, a memory management program in win9x. While certain applications like to make use of VCache, others (and especially games) usually don't make very effective use of it. Thus I limit the amount of RAM VCache is allowed to use, so programs that need it can still use it, but it doesn't eat up my RAM completely with nonsense.

Still there are always minor memoryleaks that can eventually slow down the PC. For this I use Rambooster, which frees up unused memory that isn't released. However I cannot use this program on my UO server, because the cleaning process disrupts it. But that PC has never run out of RAM yet, most of the time 600-800MB is used, depending on the amount of items and creatures in the world.

Keeping your registry completely clean is of course one of the most important things, since most of the thing usually referred to as windows-rot originates from a messed up registry.

Rambooster just shoves stuff in swap though, and doesn't fix other problems...

Does the UT server require Windows 9x, or can it use DOS?

Pu-239 wrote:Rambooster just shoves stuff in swap though, and doesn't fix other problems...

Then there are no other problems apparantly.

Pu-239 wrote:Does the UT server require Windows 9x, or can it use DOS?

UT? You mean UO I think. RunUO is based on the .net framework, which needs IE6 (and of course windows) to be installed. I don't know exactly which versions of windows are supported but all fellow admins say I'm insane to use win98 and it's unstable as hell. Thus this made me sink my teeth into it even more and prove that win98 IS a stable OS. Maybe not secure but that doesn't have a high priority for me. (though I'd like to see a M$ OS that is secure)

Hmm... there is a slim chance it may be runnable w/ Mono on Linux (unlikely though)

Darth Wong wrote:Of course, it also helps if the servers aren't put under heavy load.

I guess you're right, on a PC with equal stats I find that a 9x PC tends to use more memory for a program than a NT PC would.. Could be why 9x crashes much much more.

Sokartawi wrote:Thus I limit the amount of RAM VCache is allowed to use, so programs that need it can still use it, but it doesn't eat up my RAM completely with nonsense.

Cool! I'll research more into this and see what comes up, but I never suspected VCache of having a hand in this.

Sokartawi wrote:However I cannot use this program on my UO server, because the cleaning process disrupts it. But that PC has never run out of RAM yet, most of the time 600-800MB is used, depending on the amount of items and creatures in the world.

Out of curiosity, how big is your UO server? 600-800MB is alot..