System Requirements: Minimum vs. Recommended

Good Evening All,

I'm looking for comments and suggestions from those who are running Logos 4 on an older computer. Currently, my laptop is 5 years old and just meets the minimum system requirements for Logos 4 - specifically - I have 1 Gig of Ram, 12 Gig's of hard drive space available (I'd have to remove Logos 3 to get the 12 Gig's though), and a 128 MB ATI graphics card. The recommended requirements are 3 Gig's of Ram, 512 MB graphics card, and 20 Gig's of hard drive space. Personally, I think that my 5 year old machine won't run Logos 4 effectively and be to sluggish for use. Does anybody with an older CPU or someone with computer savvy have some advice on how Logos 4 might respond with a 5 year old laptop with the specs I listed? Right now, I'm planning to have to sit this out until I can afford a new laptop (won't be anytime soon) unless someone suggests that L4 will fully function at a normal and useable speed. Either way I'm content with my L3, just disappointed to be on the wrong end of this upgrade.

Thanks for help,

Chris Hulshof

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Chris Hulshof

Anyone offer some help here or do ya'll have sweet brand spankin' new systems to run this stellar program.......

Jeremy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28964#Comment_28964

I have an older computer too (4 years old, 1 gig RAM, 1.6 processor), and it definitely runs slow. I have seen Logos on a mac and it flies. I hope to get a Macbook Pro with Logos 4 for Mac. I would imagine it would fly then.

I hide all the resources I don't use. It is at least half of them. I think that speeds things up a little. Maybe try that.

Daniel Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28964#Comment_28964

My laptop is 1.4GHz Intel CULV processor (but w/ 3MB cache, which may help), only integrated Intel Video (I think shared maybe 256MB), and then 250GB hard drive, so plenty of space. It runs reasonably well for me, occasional lag (tooltips and/or updating of the info window) but definitely usable. I do have 4GB of RAM (though only about 3GB usable, since it's Windows 7 32-bit).

What speed processor do you have? Which version of Windows? If XP, you'd need at least Service Pack 3 installed, I think.

Damian McGrath

Chris,

It depends on the size of your library. I had to delete a slew of things to make room for my library and for the index and for the space required to build the index.

It's possible that no one responded because we need more detail.

Chris Hulshof

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/28997#Comment_28997

Thanks for those responses! It begins to give me some idea of if an upgrade is possible without a new laptop.

As far as the laptop goes; I am running the most current version of XP with all current Windows updates. The processor is an Intel Pentium M 730
Processor-1.60GHz/533MHz FSB.

As far as my Logos library goes; I have the Scholar's Gold collection. I have also added plenty of other resources as well; mostly commentary collections - Baker's N.T. Commentary, Baker's Exegetical Commentary, The Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, etc... I also log all my sermons in Logos using the sermon Add-in feature and have used the PBB feature as well. I have about 9 gig's of hard drive space left so I would have to delete L3 to make room for L4.

Feel free to chime in again with your thoughts now that I threw out some more info.

CHH

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29085#Comment_29085

Chris,

Seriously, I suggest you give it a go... Look the system specs on my notebook - not dissimilar to yours. 4.0 isn't the fastest program on the blosk but I'm happy.

The issue will be indexing - Putting the PBB's to the side, it will be a question of how large your resource directory is. I'm guessing about 7GB. This will probably require an index of 3-4GB. So things will be tight. Especially given that room is needed to create the index and to update it... Have you considered buying a larger faster hard drive and cloning your current install. I did this for my netbook and it works a treat. I'll do it for my notebook when I've paid a little bit off my credit card

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29090#Comment_29090

My desktop is 6+ years older. Pentium 4 2.4, 1.2 Gb RAM, 40+80 Gb drives. L4 is slow, but functional.

(I also have a 3 -yr old Macbook.)

The best things you could do are add RAM ( use crucial.com) and a cheap SSD ($85 !!), like this as a boot drive.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1111/1/

Your computer needs to be new enough that the Hard drive connection be SATA, not IDE like mine.

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29090#Comment_29090

Chris,

Seriously, I suggest you give it a go... Look the system specs on my notebook - not dissimilar to yours. 4.0 isn't the fastest program on the blosk but I'm happy.

The issue will be indexing - Putting the PBB's to the side, it will be a question of how large your resource directory is. I'm guessing about 7GB. This will probably require an index of 3-4GB. So things will be tight. Especially given that room is needed to create the index and to update it... Have you considered buying a larger faster hard drive and cloning your current install. I did this for my netbook and it works a treat. I'll do it for my notebook when I've paid a little bit off my credit card

Ummm, the fact is that a fast 7200 RPM HDD will perform much better than an older HDD . Space on the HDD is inadequate + giving up L3 is something Chris will regret!

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29297#Comment_29297

Ummm, the fact is that a modern processor with fast, spacious HDD will perform much better than an older machine with similar specs. Space on the HDD is inadequate, and it will be much slower than 7200 RPM + giving up L3 is something Chris will regret!

On my notebook I don't have a modern processor nor a spacious HDD.

I know that his HDD space is inadequate. While I'm not recommending giving up Logos 3, there may be other options. I, for example, shifted my music an external drive which is permanently linked up to my notebook. I also went through my documents and archived some of them.

He can't afford a new laptop. What do we suggest - not even trying....

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29304#Comment_29304

On my notebook I don't have a modern processor nor a spacious HDD.

I didn't change my comment fast enough! My humble apologies for the mistake, Damian.

But, I really feel it is better to avoid the inevitable frustrations that will arise in this case.

TCBlack

Just to chime in here so Damian doesn't feel all alone...

RAM will have a larger impact on how your system handles L4 than most other numbers. That doesn't mean that CPU and Video card are not important but that they fall below RAM in importance.

Disk size is a mandatory kind of thing, you can solve some problems as Damian did by offloading other large files, but ultimately disk room is fairly unforgiving.

I know that not everyone can upgrade systems, and for some it's financially and technically impossible. But if you can do it your biggest bang will be to go first to maxing out your system's RAM, then to buying a more spacious hard drive if you need the room.

But truly, L4 was designed for computers 2yrs old and newer.

My own system is 3-4 years old now, but I've maxed out my ram and it runs fairly well.

-AMD 64X2 3800+ / 4GB RAM. 500GB Hard drive. / 256MB Nvidia 7300GS vid card.

Damian McGrath

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29651#Comment_29651

Just to chime in here so Damian doesn't feel all alone...

Oh Thomas.... Thanks.

It's not so dark here now.

Chris Hulshof

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29663#Comment_29663

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. Perhaps the best idea is to inform my gift giving family members of the one thing I would like for Christmas this year.

I have expressed my feeling of disappointment to my Logos contact for the fact that I sense a certain "elite" feel to this new version of their product in the pricing and the system requirements. I still believe it's the best Bible Study tool out there and I'm not bailing on them but I wonder how many pastors, missionaries, and students can afford this kind of investment now. I could be wrong and I'm willing to be corrected but that's kind of what all of this has felt like the past couple of days.

CHH

Scott S

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29651#Comment_29651

But truly, L4 was designed for computers 2yrs old and newer.

My own system is 3-4 years old now, but I've maxed out my ram and it runs fairly well.

-AMD 64X2 3800+ / 4GB RAM. 500GB Hard drive. / 256MB Nvidia 7300GS vid card.

TC,

Are you running XP?

Thanks in advance,

Scott

Paul Schack

I would like to get some inisights on this also. I installed the product on my wife's laptop which meets or exceeds the suggested requirements. But I also have a desktop and I inquired earlier and they said I needed 64 bit to really allow the system to access all of the Ram I'm looking at. Since I'm not a techie here are my specifics?

Dell Dimension 4600

Pentium 4 2.6 Ghz

Home XP, Service Pack 3

I can expand to 4 GB's of Ram

I do not demand blazing fast speed but functional waiting 30s to a min or so would not be a problem for me to do the database searches.

If this will not help a whole lot I can wait to install it on the second computer when I replace it next spring and continue to use 3.0 on the desktop and 4 on my wife's laptop.

Thanks,

Paul Schack

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/49786#Comment_49786

one other thing I would add. I am running the Scholar's Library.

Keith Larson

Chis,

I would caution you not to spend too much money on upgrading an older laptop such as this. Any RAM you purchase will not work on newer laptops, so you really have to ask yourself how much longer do you realistically think you will be using this computer. The one upgrade that is fairly safe is a HDD, when you do purchase a new laptop someday, you can always purchase an external hard drive enclosesure and place the HDD in it to use as an external drive. This is one of the ways that I recycle older HDDs. If you get too close to filling up a HDD Windows will slow down because it can't make a large enough page file and may be unable to defrag the HDD.

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/30069#Comment_30069

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. Perhaps the best idea is to inform my gift giving family members of the one thing I would like for Christmas this year.

I have expressed my feeling of disappointment to my Logos contact for the fact that I sense a certain "elite" feel to this new version of their product in the pricing and the system requirements. I still believe it's the best Bible Study tool out there and I'm not bailing on them but I wonder how many pastors, missionaries, and students can afford this kind of investment now. I could be wrong and I'm willing to be corrected but that's kind of what all of this has felt like the past couple of days.

CHH

Peace to you, Chris! AND!

JOY in the Lord .........

Good News (actually the REAL GOOD NEWS IS THE GOSPEL) - ......... Don't do anything ............ except tell your family of your expected dreams and hopes and needs . .......

they must love you, eh!? ............. rejoice(!) in that (!!) ........... give thanks ! and love them no matter what!

Do nothing! You mention: .......... "the last couple a days" ..... dont' let that get to you! ETERNITY is a long time, eh? .............

So .............. be patient .................... be patient .............. very patient ...........

.................. then ........... when the "right time" comes .......... !! καίριος !!

then STRIKE! *smile* (BDAG = ἐν καιρῷ at the right time
Yours in Christ,

............. Mel

ⓑ a moment or period as especially appropriate the right, proper, favorable time

Jeff Brown

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/49817#Comment_49817

Chris,

I have been a pastor of a small church for several years and I have an extensive (and very expensive) print library. Since investing in Logos 10 years ago my digital library has grown but the cost has been probably 1/10th to 1/4th of the price of comparable print volumes and look at the power of LBS and what we can accomplish for the glory of the Lord. I understand that price is important but I think that it is good stewardship to maximize what book funds we have and stretch them as far as they can go and I don't think we can find a better deal than the huge discounts available during this season of upgrade to Logos 4.

In Christ
Jeff

Jon

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/49786#Comment_49786

If this will not help a whole lot I can wait to install it on the second computer when I replace it next spring and continue to use 3.0 on the desktop and 4 on my wife's laptop.

Hi Paul, I think you will struggle to get Logos4 running on that system whatever you do; and I wouldn't spend money upgrading a machine that old, rather put the money aside for when you next upgrade...

Btw, one of the dangers of resurrecting a month old forum thread and not just creating a new one is that people don't realise and carry on responding to the original poster [:)]

Scott K

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/29085#Comment_29085

Thanks for those responses! It begins to give me some idea of if an upgrade is possible without a new laptop.

As far as the laptop goes; I am running the most current version of XP with all current Windows updates. The processor is an Intel Pentium M 730
Processor-1.60GHz/533MHz FSB.

As far as my Logos library goes; I have the Scholar's Gold collection. I have also added plenty of other resources as well; mostly commentary collections - Baker's N.T. Commentary, Baker's Exegetical Commentary, The Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, etc... I also log all my sermons in Logos using the sermon Add-in feature and have used the PBB feature as well. I have about 9 gig's of hard drive space left so I would have to delete L3 to make room for L4.

Feel free to chime in again with your thoughts now that I threw out some more info.

Chris, I am running L4 on a computer with some similar specs to yours, though I have quite a bit more HD space. I have laptop with a 1.6GHz processor, 1.5GB RAM, 250GB HD space, and only and only 64MB RAM of video RAM (that's what I see as my biggest weakness). Therefore, I'm running L4 with a machine that doesn't meet Logos' minimum requirements... yet it's working.

I've had it crash on me in accessing maps and the like (what appears to be the most graphics-intensive part of the program, to me), but if I stay away from the maps, I can engage in search, study, and the like, and I'm enjoying L4. Of course, the better the computer, the better the experience... but I agree, you have little to loose by trying it yourself. Go for it. Then, if/whenever you get a new machine, you'll know your way around L4!

Blessings,
Scott

Jeremy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/49860#Comment_49860

One other thing that makes old computers run better with Logos 4 is to turn off wifi or internet access and then turn off the computer's antivirus.

Kolen Cheung

I also have questions in this: why 3GB of RAM is recommended? I found that it takes only 3xx MB when it is running.