Measure the trading session, not the idle desktop
An empty MT4 terminal is a poor model for a live EA workspace. Open the charts, indicators and programs that will run together. Include the other applications and the Windows session used to administer them.
Observe the most heavily used core as well as total CPU use. A program that saturates one core can feel slow while total utilisation looks modest. Compare the pattern with the terminal logs and the time when the slowdown occurs.
Calculate a memory budget you can explain
Build a budget from the measured operating-system baseline, the active terminals and their peak variation. Reserve additional capacity for updates and maintenance. Use the installed memory allocation only after accounting for the full environment.
| Item | Worked example |
|---|---|
| Windows and background baseline | 1.8 GB |
| Combined active MT4 programs | 1.4 GB |
| Extra observed session peak | 0.6 GB |
| Subtotal | 3.8 GB |
| Illustrative 30% reserve | 1.14 GB |
| Planning total | 4.94 GB; evaluate the next available allocation above this figure. |
Include data, journals and recovery copies
Storage planning covers more than the installer. Record the current data-folder size, typical journal growth, retained history and the space needed for recovery operations. An automatic backup can fail when its destination has insufficient capacity.
- Identify the data folder of each installation.
- Set an agreed log-retention routine and keep required incident evidence.
- Keep recoverable settings and program copies outside the primary machine.
- Check free space before transferring another terminal or a large history set.
Diagnose the pressure before upgrading
| Symptom | Investigate |
|---|---|
| One core remains busy | The active calculation, EA design and processor behaviour. |
| Memory stays near capacity | Working set, paging and concurrent background programs. |
| Delay with a healthy host | Broker endpoint, connection stability and application logs. |
| Repeated missing-library errors | Program dependencies and permissions. |
| Problems after a restart | Windows session and application startup procedure. |
These checks identify which change to test. They do not prove the cause without observing the environment.
Turn the worksheet into a hosting request
Send the measured baseline and peak, the broker endpoint, program inventory and management requirements. Ask for a configuration with an explicit capacity reserve and validate it under the same workload.
Continue with MT4 VPS hosting or dedicated MT4 infrastructure. The migration guide covers the handover checks.