Flexi running slow on Windows 7, fonts?

[bayviewsignworks]

This older machine with Parallels/VersWorks is a 17" MacBook Pro Running, 10.10.5 Yosemite, 2.8 GHz, Core 2 Duo, 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3, etc.

New machine is: 13" MacBook Pro, running 10.11.1 El Capitan, 2.5 GHz Core i5, 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 (bought new at Apple store only because it still has USB ports - another discussion)

 

[WildWestDesigns]

This older machine with Parallels/VersWorks is a 17" MacBook Pro Running, 10.10.5 Yosemite, 2.8 GHz, Core 2 Duo, 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3, etc.

New machine is: 13" MacBook Pro, running 10.11.1 El Capitan, 2.5 GHz Core i5, 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 (bought new at Apple store only because it still has USB ports - another discussion)

There are some distinct differences between the 2.

You have to remember, when running VMs, resources are shared and they have to be enough to run everything. For me, those are on the low end, particularly with your new rig.

 

[bayviewsignworks]

Right. So I'll wait and see. Windows 7 still updating so hopfully it will finish sometime tonight... I realize it shares resources but 1 app - really? Plus all's it's going to handle is fonts and small jpegs - no printing to a dig machine or anything. I was watching the Activity Monitor on the Mac side when I start up Windows then FS and it really wasn't using too much CPU so it has to be Flexi just sucking.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Right. So I'll wait and see. Windows 7 still updating so hopfully it will finish sometime tonight... I realize it shares resources but 1 app - really? Plus all's it's going to handle is fonts and small jpegs - no printing to a dig machine or anything. I was watching the Activity Monitor on the Mac side when I start up Windows then FS and it really wasn't using too much CPU so it has to be Flexi just sucking.

It's just not CPU, but RAM as well. How much RAM have you allocated to your VM?

Based on Flexi's website, 1 GB of RAM is minimum, but 4 GB is recommended. Which you won't be able to do, because you have to leave some for your MAC to run. I tend to like to split resources 50/50, so that would just leave 2 GB for the Windows side. 1 GB min to run Win 7 (from MS's website for 32 bit version) and 1 GB min to run Flexi (from Flexi's website). Both are just bare minimum.

 

[bayviewsignworks]

Ah, great to know - well, not so great actually.

 

[Techman]

for those getting huge windows updates..

Win 7 and 8 are getting some make overs. They are adding in some of those onerous telemetry operations.. And in may cases removing windows media center.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Ah, great to know - well, not so great actually.

VMs are great for a lot of things. 3 out of the 4 computers that I run have VMs running, each with varying levels of speed. Although, I don't have the traditional host OS on mine, I run Fedora as the host. But doing this is more resource intensive then just running an OS directly on hardware.

I don't know how hard Apple has made it to upgrade RAM on their newer computers, but if you are able that's what I would do. Normally, 8GBs (the amount from your first laptop that you said did alright) to share would be on the low side for what I would want, but since you are only running Windows for 1 program, being able to do 4 GBs should be sufficient.

for those getting huge windows updates..

Win 7 and 8 are getting some make overs. They are adding in some of those onerous telemetry operations.. And in may cases removing windows media center.

Yet another reason why I love running VMs. Able to disconnect internet connectivity, while still being able to get internet on said computer and don't have to worry about any of that stuff at all.

 

[bayviewsignworks]

Easy upgrade to 8GB of ram so I'll do that eventually.

 

[Joshophett]

you probably have a lot of fonts. I had a machine in the shop with about 1000 fonts on it. It was running XP and flexisign 8.1 v1 and it was lightning fast. Upgraded to windows 7 and anytime i hit the font button it would Crawl in flexisign. Probably 5-7 seconds to load the menu. Windows 7 handles the fonts differently than XP. Your not alone!

 

[OceanShoreGraphics]

Upgrade you OS HD to an SSD for huge speed increase

I have been building my own PCs for over a decade, and the single biggest performance upgrade I have ever witnessed is using an SSD (Solid State Drive) for the OS and programs. The HD is the slowest thing in your PC, so upgrading it makes a huge difference on startup and loading times. 128 GB is more than enough for the OS and Programs, then use your existing drive for storage.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have been building my own PCs for over a decade, and the single biggest performance upgrade I have ever witnessed is using an SSD (Solid State Drive) for the OS and programs. The HD is the slowest thing in your PC, so upgrading it makes a huge difference on startup and loading times. 128 GB is more than enough for the OS and Programs, then use your existing drive for storage.

That is true, but bare in mind, he is using a VM and I know for sure his RAM specs are bare minimum to run Win 7 32 bit and Flexi.

If he doesn't already have an SSD (as much as the new Macs cost, they should all have an SSD as standard), that is a good upgrade, but I would make sure that his other specs aren't bare minimum to just run an OS and one program.