This depends partly on what OS you are running. I recommend windows 2000 professional because of its stability, in which case you would need at least 128 mb. My system has 256mb since memory prices are so cheap now.
It depends not only on your OS. It depends mostly on the kind of RT software you use and how the RT data is transmitted ( packagesize & frequency, Internet,DSL or Satellite ) Some RT packages are real ressource hogs. Best advice I can give is, to check with your RT software provider what he recommends. But IMO, anything less than 256MB is not sufficient for daytrading.
One thing you need to consider, as the last two guys mentioned, is your OS. I used to have Win 98. I kept increasing my RAM because I was using most of it. So I went from 64MB to 128MB. I figured since I was using about 60MB on a regular basis, I would now have twice what I needed. But my system now said that I was using, say, about 110MB out of the 128MB I had. Then I upgraded to 256MB, and I was using about 200MB regularly. It turns out that the problem had to do with Win 98. It's not set up to manage memory properly once you're using more than a certain amount. I upgraded my system to Win 2000, and my computer manages my memory much more efficiently now. Win NT works the same way, so NT or 2000 are both satisfactory if you're using a lot of RAM. By the way, I'm not a computer expert, so I probably won't be able to answer any followups to this. I'm just parroting what ArchAngel told me when I had the problem with my Ram on Win 98.
MJT, I use Win98SE on a P II 400Mhz PC with 256MB RAM (100mhz) . I had the opportunity, to test the Ravenquote Software in December ( very good ). One nice feature in RQ is, that you can see in RT, how much ressources your system is currently using.That is necessary, because some of the technical indicator RT scans are really heavy stuff for a PC to process fast enough on a large number of symbols. I had RQ running ( with Qfeed data ), updating about 130 symbols in RT with about 6 - 8 RT charts open, the ravenquote scanner ( using complicated formula for RT technical signals ) the Java TWS from IB with 20 pages loaded with symbols and QuoteTracker as backup with streaming quotes from Datek. In addition I had 3IE windows open. The peak in RAM usage was about 140MB - 150MB at any given time during the whole trading day. On one day, I had also Qcharts running simultaneously with RavenQuote + the other applications mentioned above. Again, RAM usage was 140 - 150MB in the peak hours. Most of the RAM was used by RavenQuote for to RT screening on 130 sysmbols ( admittedly, I have a fast and proxy-free ISDN connection to the net ). Qfeed, the RT data-service, although unfortunately not very reliable, doesn't need much ressources. You can easily follow 150 symbols in RT if you like. It's more a problem for Quote.com to deliver the quotes rather than for your PC's RAM when using Win98SE. However, it's always appropriate, to check with your RT Quote / software provider for the minimum system requirements. Have a nice weekend
Nissix: I agree; Win2000 and 256MB RAM is recommended. My mem usage is always at least 145MB. Also, to avoid 100% CPU utilization and command delays and/or lockup in heavy volume situations, get the fastest CPU available.
There is also a RAM management software that you can use called MemTurbo. You can download it from their website at http://www.memturbo.com for a one time fee of $20. What this does is it "recycles" or recovers the RAM in your computer that is currently not being utilized. When the RAM in your cpu reaches a pre-set level it considers low, the software automatically goes to work. I stopped having RAM problems ever since I started using this product more than a year ago and I highly recommend it. I have no affiliation whatsover with this company; I just feel they have a great product.
to any and everybody i'm using a 450 PII with 256mg ram and i can't open my IB and datek accounts at the same time while still having my data feed running. its one account or the other. any thoughts would be appreciated on-on
Greatballs, do access your Datek account through their website or do you use i.e. QT or daSlinger trading interface for Datek ? Will check this on Monday.