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turn_on68
07-17-2003, 08:59 AM
I found this article very interesting. From Tech Republic.
http://www.techrepublic.com/index.jhtml?_requestid=20578


Beefed-up I/O subsystem
The operating system kernel is divided into several parts, called subsystems. The I/O subsystem gives applications access to the computer hardware, gives driver software access to system resources, and manages communications with I/O devices. It acts as the intermediary between the operating system and hardware devices (through their device drivers).

Improvements to the Windows XP I/O subsystem make the operating system more stable than in previous versions of Windows and provide for faster performance.



Increased stability
Performance is only one factor in selecting an operating system, and in most cases, it’s not the most important one. For a production machine, whether it’s a desktop client or server, stability and reliability are the top priorities. A fast machine is of little use if it crashes frequently.

Microsoft has made some changes to the kernel to increase stability and reduce the chance of system crashes:

I/O throttling: When the system runs out of memory that can be allocated, it processes I/O information in sequence, one page at a time. This reduces performance but keeps the system from crashing when there is no memory left.
Drivers are no longer allowed to make “must succeed” requests of the operating system: In earlier Windows versions, the operating system was required to allocate memory to the driver even if memory was low, which could cause a system crash. Even if the driver software does make a “must succeed” request in XP, that request will not be granted.

Aunt_PittyPat
07-17-2003, 02:14 PM
Simple solutions. Simple explanation. Makes one wonder if there are more of these "Dark Secrets " waiting in the wings.



APP

turn_on68
07-17-2003, 06:10 PM
I don't know if I would call it a "Dark Secret". I just thought everyone might like to know why XP is suppose to be more stable. Mine has never froze or crashed. My Win 95 and 98 did a lot.