More Performance=Less Bugs.

[Tech Sgt. Chen]

I'm always finding new ways to squeeze a little more performance out of my computer, especially now with Celestia installed. A few GOOD tips for those who don't already know.
Windows XP users can tone down all the excess graphics hype and transfer the extra RAM to Celestia by right clicking on My Computer and then clicking on Properties. When the panel appears, click on Advanced. Under Performance, click on Settings. Under Visual Effects, click the radio button that says Adjust for best performance and then click OK. This will return Windows to it's Classic Style which will free up more graphics memory for Celestia. Also, as I've posted elsewhere, make sure all other nonessential programs are shut down before using Celestia.

For AMD Athlon users (like myself), Athlons are notorious for running hotter than their Pentium counterparts due to manufacturer overclocking. Despite a dedicated CPU fan and a power supply fan, my system was still being affected by heat; even after a moderate period of time! Installing additional fans in my case had a significant effect on my system's performance. There are also memory module heat sinks that are inexpensive and easy to install. Consequently, upgrading system memory is the easiest, fastest and least expensive way to improve system performance.
(On my Windows 98SE system, constant hang-ups and crashes were immediately remedied by merely installing an additional 256MB of RAM.

During the installation of Celestia (or any programs), shutting down all other programs before installing is a must. Running other programs (especially virus scanners) during installation can lead to data being fragmented or corrupted in the process.

There are many (even minor) adjustments that can be made to your computer that can result in big improvements with the operation of Celestia.

There are, I'm certain, many users with similar stories about tweaking their particular OS or computer. These stories can definitely help to improve the operations of Celestia.

Would anyone like to add to this?

[don]

That's a good start TSC!

I definately know what you mean about AMDs running hotter. After burning up 2 CPUs, the dealer finally put a total of SIX fans in my old Athlon 1.3 GHz full tower <frown>. Sounds like an International airport!

I would add:

#1: Try to use the latest pre-release of Celestia if at all possible (http://63.224.48.65/celestia/files/). They normally include bug fixes and performance improvements, along with new features. And, unlike other "beta" versions of software, they are usually just as stable as the prior final release.

#2: Make sure your graphics card drivers are up-to-date. But, like with any software, watch out for new releases. Sometimes it's best to wait a Rev or two until the minor bugs are worked out.

#3: Use the Celestia Render / View Options menu item to TURN OFF the objects you do not need to see for your current session. The biggest hog seems to be Galaxy display, so if you don't need to see the "gray blobs", definately turn this one off.

Other
* To run a cooler CPU, you could also try a ducted fan solution, like the ones built into Dell PCs these days. They are using a 5" or 6" variable speed fan. This means it's quiet when you're surfing the web and then ramps up when running something like Celestia. I also place our PCs on the floor instead of a desk, which means it's that much closer to cooler air intake.

* Many graphics cards now come with their own heatsink/fan combos. If you have an older card, you might consider adding one.

* Chipsets now also come with heatsink/fan combos. You might consider adding one of these also.

* Last, if you want to use any of the new Virtual Textures in Celestia, a FAST hard drive will help a lot here since they are HUGE.

The bottom line is that if the components are running too hot, your system WILL become unstable <frown>. And, Celestia seems to push everything (CPU, Graphics card, memory, and maybe chipset?) to the MAX.