On 2020-04-09 23:26, dalios wrote:
Thank you to both of you for your answers. I am grateful for your time.
My PC is a desktop PC, see hardware details at the end of this email.
Here is more info, answering your questions:
* I purchased a single 8 GB module and currently the PC has a 4 GB
module.
Get an anti-static wrist strap and practice static-safe techniques
whenever handling memory modules, motherboards, etc..
Also, never touch electrical contacts -- the acid in your skin oil will
corrode them.
Manufacturer and part number of the 4 GB module?
My original plan was to buy two identical 8 GB modules but I
decided to buy an 8 GB module now and the second later. I am aware
that since the two modules (8+4) are not identical there is a
possibility that they would not perform at their maximum speed.
However I believe that 8+4 is better than 4 or 8 GB, am I right on
this?
* The 8 GB module that I purchased is this:
<https://www.crucial.com/memory/ddr3/ct102464bd160b/ct8815800>
Crucial 8GB DDR3L-1600 UDIMM
CT102464BD160B
How did you select this particular part?
* The computer is used for basic office tasks and the usual internet
browsing (sometimes with many firefox tabs open). I am not using any
particularly heavy programs like scientific computing, video rendering
etc. However I am experimenting sometimes with virtual machines
(usually with qemu-kvm). Not something professional, just as a hobby
(I am trying to teach my self things by performing tasks that I
wouldn't normally try on my main system).
* With the 4 GB RAM that I now have available, I have noticed my PC
becoming slow and the memory usage going quite high. After booting,
with just Gnome running, I see conky reporting that memory usage goes
to something like 800 MB. Firefox adds ~800MB more and Thunderbird
adds up to a total of more than 2 or maybe 2,5 GB! After launching
Transmission (bit torrent client) I see that I have to restart Firefox
quite often in order for the PC to be usable (especially after
browsing a little and having many tabs open or even after some tabs
have been closed). I have noticed that things got worst after
upgrading to Stable (I was on oldstable until recently).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirth%27s_law
My laptop is maxed out at 2 GB. If I open more than a few browser
windows with heavy JavaScript, the computer slows to a snail's pace.
* I haven't been checking on swap usage a lot so I don't know how is
that used.
top(1) displays swap statistics.
I use Xfce. The System Load Monitor panel plug-in provides a real-time
bargraph display.
* I have two HDD hard drives installed in the system.
Manufacturers and part numbers?
* Up to now I have only been using Memtest86+ to check the memory's
integrity but I didn't know that it can be used to see other
performance metrics. I will check that now.
* I will also the dbench (which I haven't heard of before) as well as
use the apt-cache command you suggested. If the information I give in
this message helps you to suggest something specific please do, as
hardware in general and especially benchmarks is not something I am
particularly familiar with.
Save dbench and the others for later.
David Christensen wrote:
[...]
Tripling your memory for $40
should be a worthwhile upgrade. You should notice it when you run a
graphical desktop and open a lot of applications/ tabs.
That sounds encouraging and that is exactly what I am after but I
thought I could ask here for benchmark software suggestion to see if I
can get something measurable. (and hopefully learns something on the way).
Thanks again,
Dalios
-------------------------------------
Motherboard
Manufacturer: Pegatron
Form factor: uATX - 19.3x18.0 cm (7.6x7.1 in)
Chipset: Intel H81
Memory sockets: 2 x DDR3
Processor socket: LGA 1150
Pegatron appears to be an OEM manufacturer. I cannot find
specifications given the above information. What is the part number on
the motherboard? Was the computer assembled from parts, or bought as a
system? If the latter, what is the make and model number on the system
case?
Processor
Intel Core i3-4170
CPU speed: 3.7 GHz
CPU cores: 2
CPU Cache: 3 MB
TDP: 54 W
Socket: LGA 1150
https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/77490/intel-core-i3-4170-processor-3m-cache-3-70-ghz.html
That processor should be more than adequate for Debian graphical desktop
use.
Comparing the processor Memory Specifications against the Crucial 8 GB
Product Specifications, that memory module is probably okay. But, the
motherboard specifications would be more authoritative.
That processor supports VT-x and VT-x with EPT, but not VT-d. It should
be adequate for virtual machines that are not I/O heavy.
Memory
Amount: 4 GB
Speed: PC3-12800 MB/s
Type: DDR3-1600
Video Graphics
Intel HD Integrated Graphics
Intel® HD Graphics 4400
That should be adequate for desktop use.
Because memory is shared between the processor and graphics, higher
graphics resolutions and/or refresh rates will show down the processor.
Hard Drive
Size: 1 TB
Interface: SATA
Rotational Speed: 7200 rpm
David
