Readyboost

[muddy777]

I understand it can be used with:
Flash memory cards
USB flash disk drives
SD cards
external hard drives

Which option do you recommend?
Which option is the fastest? Is USB flash drive faster than USB external hard drives

If USB flash drive is the best option what flash drive do you recommend? I want to add as much memory as I can to my pc

Im running windows7 64bit, I believe there is no max limit

 

[jaquith]

Depends, you'll need to test to determine which 'is' actually the fastest. Typically, USB Flash Drives - but it depends on (2) issues: 1. Port I/O Speed and 2. Media R/W Speed {not ALL media has the SAME speed your SD Card my have faster speeds, but maybe the I/O is slower - testing is the only sure way}.

Test with ATTO http://www.attotech.com/products/product.php?sku=Disk_Benchmark

Next, move the Page File to the 'Device' and KEEP it there. Also, unless you're running out of Physical RAM it won't speed up your performance.

Good Luck!

 

[dgingeri]

I have 6GB of memory and a couple SSDs. My old 60GB SSD got to be too confining, so I bought a 120GB drive. I now use a 750GB WD Caviar Black drive as my OS drive, the 120GB SSD for games, and the 60GB SSD for temp files and ReadyBoost. Let me tell you, ReadyBoost helped a lot.

My memory isn't usually more than half used, but if I have WoW running and my backup program kicks in, it will get maxed out and start swapping to the swap file. So, the basic program loading didn't get a boost at all from ReadyBoost. However, my boot time did, a lot. Without Readyboost, my boot time from the 750GB drive alone was around 60-70 seconds. I had the 60GB SSD laying around doing nothing, so I put it in for handling temp files. I then discovered that I could use it for ReadyBoost. (I didn't know internal drives could be used for it at the time. I stumbled across it completely by accident.) So, I enabled ReadyBoost with the maximum usage (32GB) to see how it would help. It didn't help much initially, but over about a week, I found my boot time started getting shorter. My boot times are about 20-25 seconds now. Firefox loading is about 8 seconds as opposed to 30.

I told this to a coworker, who then tried the same thing on his Asus gaming laptop. he bought a 30GB SSD specifically for temp files and ReadyBoost and put it in the laptop's second drive bay. He's seeing the same thing now.

I do advise it if you have the extra cash. a single 30GB SSD can make a big difference, if you have the $100 to spend on it.

 

[jaquith]

^ If you ran low on 6GB RAM then: 1. H/W Reserve error {2GB~4GB} is lost, 2. You're running Premier or Photoshop with HUGE files open. I 'plead' with people all day NOT to get puny SSDs for the reasons stated above.

A 30GB SSD for a Page File is NUTS! Beyond a 1:1 ratio or 1.5 x Physical is not recommended.

Post the following:

 

[dgingeri]

Oh, I didn't use the SSD for page file. I don't have my system page too often. I just run into it when I'm playing WoW (consuming 1.5GB of memory most of the time) and my backup (Nero BackItUp, consuming ~3GB of memory when it hits.) At that point, the OS starts swapping out to make room.

The swap file stays on my OS drive (the 750GB WD Caviar Black.)

The 60GB SSD is for temp files and ReadyBoost only. The 120GB SSD is for games only. I never advise putting a swap file on a SSD.

 

[jaquith]

WAY off the OP's topic...

That's a Memory Leak {Nero BackItUp, consuming ~3GB of memory}; update.

I wouldn't argue about excessive WRITING to an SSD; I use a small SSD for FileMaker Pro {testing complies of PHP} and I KNOW it's lifespan is v-e-r-y short, but I don't care. Otherwise it takes too long to test.

 

[muddy777]

ordered:
Buffalo Technology DriveStation SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI Express 2-Port Interface Card IFC-PCIE2U3
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030CHI14/ref=oss_product

Kingston Digital 32 GB Hi-speed 3.0 Datatraveler Flash Drive DTU30/32 GB, White and Gray
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041G2YPI/ref=oss_product

hope they work fine

 

[muddy777]

I could not install this app:
http://www.attotech.com/products/product.php?sku=Disk_Benchmark

I had to register and every usrname I entered an error message said the user already exists

 

[jaquith]

I was providing the OEM link, yes you need to register but I never got one Spam email from them ever - VERY reputable company and it is one of the top benchmarks for drive testing - Forum link http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1749/ATTO%20Disk%20Benchmark%20v2.46.html

For that cost get another set of matching RAM $140! You'd get 10x the performance and IF you don't have a memory leaking App {like dgingeri} then shut-down the Page File... Try it.