Readyboost question

babaghan

Distinguished
Apr 2, 2007
300
0
18,790
I read elsewhere that for Readyboost to work best, your computer's RAM and flash drive should be matched, ie. 2GB RAM mated to 2GB flash drive. Is this true and why is it the case?

Vista 32bit | Core 2 Duo E6600 | BFG GeForce 8800 GTX | Patriot EP 2X1GB PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 CL5-5-5-9 | 3ware 9650SE-4LPML RAID Controller with BBU | 150GB Raptor x2 RAID 0 - OS/Swap | 150GB Raptor x2 RAID 0 - Data | 150GB Raptor - Backup | SB X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series | Dell E207WFP & Samsung SyncMaster 213T | Asus Striker Extreme | PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-SR | Silverstone Temjin TJ07 | Zalman CNPS9700 NT | 3DMark06: 9705
 
I read elsewhere that for Readyboost to work best, your computer's RAM and flash drive should be matched, ie. 2GB RAM mated to 2GB flash drive. Is this true and why is it the case?

Vista 32bit | Core 2 Duo E6600 | BFG GeForce 8800 GTX | Patriot EP 2X1GB PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 CL5-5-5-9 | 3ware 9650SE-4LPML RAID Controller with BBU | 150GB Raptor x2 RAID 0 - OS/Swap | 150GB Raptor x2 RAID 0 - Data | 150GB Raptor - Backup | SB X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro Series | Dell E207WFP & Samsung SyncMaster 213T | Asus Striker Extreme | PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-SR | Silverstone Temjin TJ07 | Zalman CNPS9700 NT | 3DMark06: 9705

I didn't see that mentioned here. It may be just a viscious rumor. :D

http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=2917&p=5
 

Mondoman

Splendid
Not true. However, apparently many flash drives are not *fast enough* to be used for ReadyBoost, so get a nice fast flash drive. I notice that newegg now lists ReadyBoost-ready or somesuch in the flash drive specs.
 

babaghan

Distinguished
Apr 2, 2007
300
0
18,790
Good article at Anandtech. I'm going to reseach flash drives now. I was under the impression that modern flash drives had only one specification (besides storage volume, of course) - USB 2.0 compatible. All the same. Not so? What goes into making a "nice, fast flash drive"?
 

Mondoman

Splendid
... What goes into making a "nice, fast flash drive"?
Flash varies dramatically in its read/write rates. For example, SD cards come as e.g. "50x," "80x," "150x" etc. Unfortunately, I haven't seen similar ratings (or more appropriately, actual read/write rates) widely advertised for flash drives. I did read that at the time a flash drive is first plugged in, Vista makes a determination of whether or not the drive is fast enough to be used for ReadyBoost; I'm not sure if it does a quick benchmark, or if the info is available through the USB self-description process.
 

Track

Distinguished
Jul 4, 2006
1,520
0
19,790
I personally dont see the point of using Readyboost.
Seems like a gimic to me.

Instead of using ur RAM, wich is the fastest form of memory ever created (and in it's natural habitat!), ur using a USB drive with higher seek times and lower bandwidth than a 5400 RPM HDD.
 

babaghan

Distinguished
Apr 2, 2007
300
0
18,790
I was getting my USB keychain drives and other flash memory mixed up. Yeah, I have a Canon camera with a smokin' fast CF card. I think I'll plug that onto the ol' homebuilt system and see how it works.
 

Brawly44

Distinguished
Feb 25, 2007
61
0
18,640
From several articles that I have read regarding readyboost, if you currently have 2Gig of ram installed in your system, the advantage of readyboost in barely negligible.

Recently, I had a ram module go bad and had to rma it. In the meantime, I utilized Vista's readyboost feature and it did help especially when running ram intensive applications. It can be a useful tool, but only under the right circumstances. I would not count on it as a method of increasing ram performance (just for the sake of it) with Vista.

Readyboost was primarily designed for the laptop user, to ease the workload when working with ram intensive applications. I don't think you will see much benefit in a desktop system.
 

XMSYellowbeard

Distinguished
Nov 2, 2006
933
0
19,060
There are 2 basic types of memory being used on flash drives, MLC (slower and cheaper, higher densities available) and SLC (MUCH faster, costs more, and not available in same densities as MLC). The memory speed and the quality of the controller are the factors that determine Ready Boost compatibility.