Changing Your RAM Setting

In the MacOS, you can change the amount of RAM allocated to an application.

To find out how much RAM an application is asking for, select it and then choose File/Get Info/Memory. You could also get this by using the contextual menu (Control-click on app).

Almost all apps require more memory if Virtual Memory is turned off. Virtual Memory should be turned on your machines as it will make many tasks actually quicker. If you changed your memory settings at any time, just go to Control Panels/Memory and click the Use Defaults button. This is the best setting.

When you increase RAM allocated to your apps, don't just increase the Preferred size. Increase the Minimum size to the same amount as the preferred size. This will save you from problems later down the road, like crashing. For instance:

If you have only 20000 megs left and you want to open Photoshop, which you have set a preferred size of 60000 but left a minimum of 12000, it will say I want 60000 but will take work with 12000. There is only 200000 so I will take it all. Now you have exactly 0 megs left and as soon as the Finder needs more RAM or you try and print, crash. That is why you make the minimum size the same as the preferred size. If the RAM is not available, it will ask you to quit some apps to make more room.

Photoshop. You can find out how much you really need for Photoshop like this. In the bottom left of your documents, there is the scale percentage and then there is another box which lets you choose from amoung a few choices. Select Efficiency using the arrow. As long the efficiency is 100%, you definitely have enough RAM allocated to Photoshop. Actually, if it is always at 100% you might be able to give Photoshop less RAM leaving more for your other apps. If you are always going below 100%, this tells you that it is probably time to allocate Photoshop more RAM. When it is below 100% Photoshop is using scratch space on your hard drive too much and you will notice a performance hit.

Some suggested settings to get you started:

Photoshop - 80000

ImageReady - 32000

Illustrator - 60000

Dreamweaver - 70000

Fireworks - 50000

Quark - 20000

Outlook - 14000

Outlook Express - 12000

Global Dialer - 6000.