Old system problems with PDF files

[joesmoke72]

Hey everyone. 1st time posting, so I hope that Im in the right place etc.

Heres the problem. Im using PDF's pretty heavily. Its being viewed in software that allows me to make vector graphic markups, and creates a database of these as I go. It also allows me to open multiple tabs, and view side by side.

I am a heavy multi tasker with 3 monitors and running different apps all the time.

The problem comes when I have a large PDF (30 MB's plus) open, with my all of my regular apps open. The redraw time on the PDF is slow (also stutters), and if the computer is having a busy day, it will just refuse to redraw altogether.

Now, the system is older (2 or 3 years), and is due for replacement. Its an HP box with 2 gigs ram, 1 older low end videocard and the onboard, with an AMD 4200+ proc. I have 2 x 19" monitors and 1 x 24" monitor (this is where I work with my PDF'S).

So heres the question. Where is the bottleneck? Watching task manager, the cpu is taking hits when the PDF redraws and scrolling, but for it to stop re drawing altogether?

I would say that the system is needing more ram, and that will be addressed in the next system, but now I am trying to figure out if its a video card problem as well. Those videocards are not great.

Is the high resolution killing the video card? I want to know how much to focus on the videocards in the next system.

The next system build should be just about good enough to land men on Mars!

What does everone think?

Ram and videocards?

Really just a Ram thing?

Videocards are not hacking it?

Thanks for the feedback.

Jason

 

[vj8usa]

What software is this?

 

[nineball9]

Try running the Windows System Monitor.

 

[joesmoke72]

Its from Bluebeam
www.bluebeam.com

Ive run task manager, and its being a serious system hog. This afternoon, here was the stats:

MAX MEM 900,000 K
VM 450,000 K
MEM 450,000 K

I rounded above, just for example. Now, I have multiple files open in it, so this is heavy, but the system needs to be able to deal with it.

Obviously, this system needs more memory, but Im still curious about the videocards. Will I see a big difference with a couple of new generation 1 GB cards onboard?

BTW, Im currently running WIN XP, but I will be moving to Vista on the next system.

Thanks for the views and responses.

Jason

 

[Denithor]

I'm guessing this is a corporate system maintained by an IT department? Sounds like you're running Adobe Professional or something similar here.

Main things for that is adequate CPU and RAM (lots of RAM). If you're moving to a Vista system make sure your new box has a 64-bit copy of Vista and 4-8GB of RAM. That should open things up nicely for you.

 

[Elixer]

Originally posted by: joesmoke72
Its from Bluebeam
www.bluebeam.com

Ive run task manager, and its being a serious system hog. This afternoon, here was the stats:

MAX MEM 900,000 K
VM 450,000 K
MEM 450,000 K

Under which heading was this?
If the 'max mem' is 900MB, then you don't have 2GB SYSTEM RAM.

Look at Physical Memory, and Total is how much RAM you got available.
Then look at Commit Charge, and for Peak, that shows max usage. You are most likely hitting tons of VM, and that is really slowing things down.

I rounded above, just for example. Now, I have multiple files open in it, so this is heavy, but the system needs to be able to deal with it.

Obviously, this system needs more memory, but Im still curious about the videocards. Will I see a big difference with a couple of new generation 1 GB cards onboard?

BTW, Im currently running WIN XP, but I will be moving to Vista on the next system.

Thanks for the views and responses.

Jason

The 2nd problem is the onboard video card is pretty slow. You could pop in another card, and that will speed things up a bit.

Lastly, you would get the best performance by getting a dual/quad core CPU, and at least 4GB RAM, with any video card really, since most of them don't really accelerate 2D stuff that much. Having more than 256MB on a vid card for 2D stuff is really a waste. (Unless of course you are using some extreme resolutions. If that is the case, then get at least 512MB.)
Oh, and if you really are getting Vista, go with 64 bit as was mentioned, and go for as much RAM as you can afford.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The lack of redraw might be due to exhaustion of GDI resources.

Under Task Manager, Processes, add "GDI handles" to the displayed list, and tell us what that reaches.

The number of available handles depends on the total system RAM, in a ratio determined by the OS kernel. On my system with only 1GB RAM, it runs out around 5000.