xp parallel+firefox in osX=SLOW

Ramacher · Ramacher #1 (**permalink**)

04-19-2007, 10:06 PM

I'm running windows xp sp2 in parallel with OSx on my macbook and i noticed my macbook running slow. So i started running parallel without anything open. I just noticed now that it's FireFox that causes it to run really slow. Right now i have xp open on parallel, itunes, safari, and entourage on osX and its running perfect.

Is this because FireFox is using too much of the CPU?

I have a 512 and a 256 ram in here.
Also on XP i don't run anything except activesync and outlook for my Windows Mobile device.
I know i could use missing sync to sync my device with my mac but its not windows mobile 6 compatible.

giulio · giulio #2 (**permalink**)

04-20-2007, 12:02 AM

That's not much ram, even for one OS...
Just to boot OSX takes 125+MB. Thats before any program even launches. So figure about that much for XP as well. Then the overhead of parallels... so that's maybe 300MB left.

Try running MenuMeters to see where the resources are going (HD, CPU, net, Ram)

knightlie · knightlie #3 (**permalink**)

04-20-2007, 03:09 AM

Yeah, that's not really enough memory. Running Eclipse and Firefox on my 1GB will slow it down, let alone adding Parallels.

Ramacher · Ramacher #4 (**permalink**)

04-20-2007, 06:58 AM

alright Thanks guys!

I had a feeling it was the ram, just needed confirmation.

Now to come up with the money

, anyone know good reputable sites? cuz even on ebay their still a little expensive and i bet when i get them they won't be 633Mhz

giulio · giulio #5 (**permalink**)

04-20-2007, 09:07 AM

www.arkdevices.com

VanillaEps · VanillaEps #6 (**permalink**)

04-20-2007, 10:10 AM

www.newegg.com

I grabbed 2 X 1GB modules for $120 shipped.

timeslip · timeslip #7 (**permalink**)

04-21-2007, 03:27 AM

I heavily use Parallels + XP to run all of my business apps (Word, Visio, Excel, Powerpoint, and various java applications). I dedicated 1gb of ram, tried it once with 768, and it was barely enough when I launch the java apps. I have another 2 gb dedicated to OSX. This configuration seems to run really well.

Ramacher · Ramacher #8 (**permalink**)

04-22-2007, 11:06 PM

well i swapped my 760mb ram with my brothers 2gigs (shhh... he hasn't noticed yet) and right now i have firefox, itunes, azueres, and parallels-xp running sooo smoothly its awesome!! whats the highest a macbook supports? right now its 2x1gig sticks, what if i put 2x2gigs? will it recognize it as 4gigs or is it capped off at some limit?

Ramacher · Ramacher #9 (**permalink**)

05-02-2007, 10:14 AM

So my brother found out and swapped back my ram sticks while i was sleeping

I found 2x1gb@667mhz ram on ebay for $105 shipped, i think i'm gonna go with that. But no one has answered my question about how much ram a macbook can handle.

Theres a bundle on ebay for 3gb (1gb+2gb stick) but no 2x2gb.

skye · skye #10 (**permalink**)

05-02-2007, 11:12 AM

i pretty sure that 2GB is the max for a macbook and the MBP can handle 3GB but its unpaired and thus really not worth it

Ramacher · Ramacher #11 (**permalink**)

05-08-2007, 02:37 PM

I asked the ebay seller the max a macbook can support and he said the same thing, 2GB. So i got my sticks in yesterday morning and back to running flawlessly!!

On windows i used to have this ram optimizer program, is there such a thing for macbooks, and if so is it needed?

giulio #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 19, 2007 Location: NY USA Posts: 1,813 Mac Specs: iMac 5.1 \| iMac 7.1 \| iPod Touch \| iPod Nano	04-20-2007, 12:02 AM That's not much ram, even for one OS... Just to boot OSX takes 125+MB. Thats before any program even launches. So figure about that much for XP as well. Then the overhead of parallels... so that's maybe 300MB left. Try running MenuMeters to see where the resources are going (HD, CPU, net, Ram) Freelance Web Development schweb This has to be one of the best threads ever in MF history... Cherokee This gets my vote for most innovative thread on Mac-Forums... ever.
	QUOTE Thanks

giulio #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 19, 2007 Location: NY USA Posts: 1,813 Mac Specs: iMac 5.1 \| iMac 7.1 \| iPod Touch \| iPod Nano	04-20-2007, 09:07 AM www.arkdevices.com Freelance Web Development schweb This has to be one of the best threads ever in MF history... Cherokee This gets my vote for most innovative thread on Mac-Forums... ever.
	QUOTE Thanks

skye #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Sep 12, 2006 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 1,224 Mac Specs: Macbook 2.0ghz coeduo 1GB RAM 80 GB HD SuperDrive	05-02-2007, 11:12 AM i pretty sure that 2GB is the max for a macbook and the MBP can handle 3GB but its unpaired and thus really not worth it Blog- My random musings as I document the spiritual changes I go through. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1st Corinithians 3:13
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Ramacher #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 07, 2007 Posts: 91	04-19-2007, 10:06 PM I'm running windows xp sp2 in parallel with OSx on my macbook and i noticed my macbook running slow. So i started running parallel without anything open. I just noticed now that it's FireFox that causes it to run really slow. Right now i have xp open on parallel, itunes, safari, and entourage on osX and its running perfect. Is this because FireFox is using too much of the CPU? I have a 512 and a 256 ram in here. Also on XP i don't run anything except activesync and outlook for my Windows Mobile device. I know i could use missing sync to sync my device with my mac but its not windows mobile 6 compatible.
	QUOTE Thanks

Ramacher #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 07, 2007 Posts: 91	04-20-2007, 06:58 AM alright Thanks guys! I had a feeling it was the ram, just needed confirmation. Now to come up with the money , anyone know good reputable sites? cuz even on ebay their still a little expensive and i bet when i get them they won't be 633Mhz
	QUOTE Thanks

VanillaEps #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 10, 2006 Posts: 107	04-20-2007, 10:10 AM www.newegg.com I grabbed 2 X 1GB modules for $120 shipped.
	QUOTE Thanks

timeslip #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 11, 2007 Posts: 17	04-21-2007, 03:27 AM I heavily use Parallels + XP to run all of my business apps (Word, Visio, Excel, Powerpoint, and various java applications). I dedicated 1gb of ram, tried it once with 768, and it was barely enough when I launch the java apps. I have another 2 gb dedicated to OSX. This configuration seems to run really well.
	QUOTE Thanks

Ramacher #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 07, 2007 Posts: 91	04-22-2007, 11:06 PM well i swapped my 760mb ram with my brothers 2gigs (shhh... he hasn't noticed yet) and right now i have firefox, itunes, azueres, and parallels-xp running sooo smoothly its awesome!! whats the highest a macbook supports? right now its 2x1gig sticks, what if i put 2x2gigs? will it recognize it as 4gigs or is it capped off at some limit?
	QUOTE Thanks

Ramacher #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 07, 2007 Posts: 91	05-02-2007, 10:14 AM So my brother found out and swapped back my ram sticks while i was sleeping I found 2x1gb@667mhz ram on ebay for $105 shipped, i think i'm gonna go with that. But no one has answered my question about how much ram a macbook can handle. Theres a bundle on ebay for 3gb (1gb+2gb stick) but no 2x2gb.
	QUOTE Thanks

Ramacher #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 07, 2007 Posts: 91	05-08-2007, 02:37 PM I asked the ebay seller the max a macbook can support and he said the same thing, 2GB. So i got my sticks in yesterday morning and back to running flawlessly!! On windows i used to have this ram optimizer program, is there such a thing for macbooks, and if so is it needed?
	QUOTE Thanks

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