![]() When you install two 32 MB SIMMs and bring the total memory up to 68 MB, you’d think you’d see an immediate change, right? And that’s correct – you will probably see a change, but not as much as you might think.ĭuring the system install, certain parameters are read from the ROM and PRAM (Gestalt, video, memory, etc.), and when the System says it is optimizing the system file, it is actually compiling certain parameters into a custom system file for your machine’s configuration – one of which is how to optimize memory handling. ![]() So if you have a Quadra 610 with 12 MB of memory and Mac OS 8.1, About This Macintosh says the operating system takes up 6.7 MB of RAM. Apple has been doing this since System 7.5, when the System file became more “Unix” based (those of you that want to flame me over this interpretation may do so in a different thread). The System file does this for stability: If you’ve got the memory, why not use it to make sure that everything is available if needed, right?īut on a memory constrained Mac – say with 12 MB or 16 MB of memory – OS 8 may only take up 6-8 MB of RAM at startup, leaving QuickTime or File Access modules or other extensions on the hard drive to be loaded only if needed. ![]() On my machine with 256 MB of memory, the System realizes it can upload nearly everything into RAM – QuickTime extensions, Foreign File Access modules, Appearance managers, video routines and patches, etc., plus nearly all of the possible on-the-fly third party patches that are available in my System Folder. If there is enough memory to hold them, the System will autoload them into the system stack so that they’re always ready for use. In this case, Extensions and Control Panels. When the PRAM reports the memory size, the System file prioritizes modules. Here’s how – and Apple’s been doing things like this for years. On a machine with 12 MB of memory, OS 8.x takes up less memory than on the same Mac with more memory installed. 1998 – Yes, Mac OS 8 takes up more memory than earlier Mac OS versions, but it’s not necessarily what you think.
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