Windows Vista For RAM BOOST...

[Abhishek Dwivedi]

Here is another peice of sh* from vista.
Microsoft says Vista can addon your memory with your usb pendrive.
I recently viewed the homepage of Windows Vista on Microsoft's site. It says that Windows Vista can use a pen drive (USB 2.0) as additional RAM to speed up the memory.

My question is that we use RAM because the hard disk is SLOW. We do have a swap file, but we don't use it much because it slows down performance! So, how can it be that the USB Pen drive be as fast as the RAM? Its max. speed is just 153.3kbps.So won't that be slow too? How can that act as additional RAM?
Is Microsoft trying to fool innocent buyers? This is outrageous!

I even tried it to run a few games but it turned out to be useless.

Need your views on it...

 

[RCuber]

Adding system memory (typically referred to as RAM) is often the best way to improve a PC's performance, since more memory means more applications are ready to run without accessing the hard drive. However, upgrading memory can be difficult and costly, and some machines have limited memory expansion capabilities, making it impossible to add RAM.

Windows Vista introduces Windows ReadyBoost, a new concept in adding memory to a system. You can use non-volatile flash memory, such as that on a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, to improve performance without having to add additional memory "under the hood."

The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache—that is, memory that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on the hard drive. Windows ReadyBoost relies on the intelligent memory management of Windows SuperFetch and can significantly improve system responsiveness.

It's easy to use Windows ReadyBoost. When a removable memory device such as a USB flash drive or a secure digital (SD) memory card is first inserted into a port, Windows Vista checks to see if its performance is fast enough to work with Windows ReadyBoost. If so, you are asked if you want to use this device to speed up system performance. You can choose to allocate part of a USB drive's memory to speed up performance and use the remainder to store files.

Link

 

[rakeshishere]

The requirements what ReadyBoost will work with are:-

* The USB Key must be at least USB 2.0
* The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.
* The USB Key has to have at least 64mb of free space

Click here for a READYBOOST FAQ

 

[gxsaurav]

My question is that we use RAM because the hard disk is SLOW. We do have a swap file, but we don't use it much because it slows down performance! So, how can it be that the USB Pen drive be as fast as the RAM? Its max. speed is just 153.3kbps.So won't that be slow too? How can that act as additional RAM?

You should try some google search first.

The maximum speed of USB 2.0 is 480mbps, which is about 60 MB/sec. Now, there is difference indeed compared to RAM speed but Vista uses the USB stick as drive to store the temporary swap file. It is not a permanent replacement for RAM but it is there as a substitute to the usual Page file saved in Harddisk.

It won't give you 50% performance boost, but it is there so that the apps u run don't slow down if you are running short and RAM & require some RAM for some temporary task.

 

[ravi_9793]

very old news.....

 

[rakeshishere]

very old news.....

Not to the Noobs

 

[shantanu]

well ! it feels like you didnt read about the memoy management thing.. well do some research first ! and then tell it here..

 

[anandk]

"...But which USB drive ? Anyone just wont do ! It has to be compatible.
The baseline requirements are :
The USB Key must be at least USB 2.0
The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.
The USB Key has to have at least 230mb of free space

TheReadyBoost Compatibility List is a pretty exhaustive list of some ReadyBoost compatible drives...."

 

[rakeshishere]

"...But which USB drive ? Anyone just wont do ! It has to be compatible.
The baseline requirements are :
The USB Key must be at least USB 2.0
The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.
The USB Key has to have at least 230mb of free space

TheReadyBoost Compatibility List is a pretty exhaustive list of some ReadyBoost compatible drives...."

I did Mention that..See Post #3

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=542996&postcount=3

 

[gxsaurav]

Most of the USB Drive manufacturers are coming up with Readyboost compatible Logo so it won't be that hard to figure out.

I bought this 2GB Pen Drive from MS Company store...which is Readyboost certified.

*img452.imageshack.us/img452/7078/dsc00616wg1.jpg

 

[rakeshishere]

Nice Picture Gx

 

[QwertyManiac]

You should try some google search first.

The maximum speed of USB 2.0 is 480mbps, which is about 60 MB/sec. Now, there is difference indeed compared to RAM speed but Vista uses the USB stick as drive to store the temporary swap file. It is not a permanent replacement for RAM but it is there as a substitute to the usual Page file saved in Harddisk.

It won't give you 50% performance boost, but it is there so that the apps u run don't slow down if you are running short and RAM & require some RAM for some temporary task.

QFBI
[Quoted For Blissful Ignorance]

 

[kalpik]

You should try some google search first.

The maximum speed of USB 2.0 is 480mbps, which is about 60 MB/sec. Now, there is difference indeed compared to RAM speed but Vista uses the USB stick as drive to store the temporary swap file. It is not a permanent replacement for RAM but it is there as a substitute to the usual Page file saved in Harddisk.

It won't give you 50% performance boost, but it is there so that the apps u run don't slow down if you are running short and RAM & require some RAM for some temporary task.

So are you suggesting that USB sticks run at 60 MBps? I thought most of em run at about 8 MBps. Or maybe im wrong! Maybe drives from MS store run at full 60 MBps.

 

[RCuber]

@gx_saurav how much did you pay for the drive?

 

[anandk]

gx : ms co store-where? how much?

 

[QwertyManiac]

So many bidders for a 60 MBps drive with the cross-sectional logo of Microsoft's manhood splashed across it. Hehe

 

[rakeshishere]

QFBI
[Quoted For Blissful Ignorance]

LMAO AFter Reading This thread and then this one

 

[gxsaurav]

QFBI
[Quoted For Blissful Ignorance]

QFBI indeed. Have a look at USB 2.0 WikiPedia page

Furthermore, the host-centric nature of USB allows the host to allocate more bandwidth to high priority devices instead of forcing them to compete for bandwidth as in FireWire.[13] USB transfer rates are theoretically higher than FireWire due to the need for FireWire devices to arbitrate for bus access. A single FireWire device may achieve a transfer rate for FireWire 400 as high as 41 MB/s, while for USB 2.0 the rate can theoretically be 48 MB/s (for a single device).

So, not 60 MBps (480/8 mbps) but I guess 48 MBps is more then 8 MBps.

AnandK, I bought it for $56 + a tumbler + a key chain with my name written on the tumbler . Gave it as a gift to someone

 

[QwertyManiac]

WOWOWOW! People!

GX's circumcised drive writes at 48 MBps! Go grab it!

LMAO AFter Reading This thread and then this one

That thread looks serious to me!

 

[gxsaurav]

I never said my drive works at 60 or 48 MBps, I said 60 MBps is the maximum bandwidth of USB 2.0.

Oh well, some users just skip to the end.