Intel486dx33 wrote on 2020-08-10, 19:50:
The reason I ask is because I dont know what the memory limitations are on old AT and XT computers and memory cards are hard to find and expensive.
So what amount of memory on an old AT computer memory card do you need in order to have a good computer for game play in DOS and Windows and Application support ? Or should you NOT run windows on an old AT 8088 computer ?
I know this is pretty far back but this is my general experience
On XT's I typically avoid Windows because it's slow no matter the version, especially once you get into the ones that actually have a lot of software for them (like Windows 3.0) - Windows .30 on any XT is a pain except MAYBE if you were running a very late era Turbo XT at around 12MHz, even then, I'm not sure, someone else can chime in on this. Typically for XT's I stick to bare DOS and max it out at 640K, especially Tandy 1000's because I need that "noprint" TSR because I hang the machine hitting the "print" key a lot.
For AT's, 1 or 2 MB should give you the widest swath of usage. I have 6MB in mine, but I'm trying sick things like Arachne 1.97 on it (yep, Graphical Web browsing on a 286, gotta love it).
For a 386 I'd avoid Windows of any kind unless you can put in 4MB for an optimum experience. Typcially then I stick with Windows for Workgroups 3.11 because I like using the network capabilities.
Pretty much every 486 I use is maxxed out because I go as high as Windows 2000 Professional on those and I'm skilled at tuning them to run such a new and giant O/S. For most people 16MB would suffice, 20+ if you want to run Windows 9x comfortably. On one of my NEC 486 laptops I'm running 24MB and Win98SE with 98 Lite and it screams.