ReadyBoost

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ReadyBoost is a cache technology, which in the Microsoft - operating systems since Windows Vista is included. ReadyBoost allows flash memories such as SD or CompactFlash cards to be integrated as an additional hard disk cache. This potentially leads to a higher system performance, since flash storage media usually have much shorter access times than hard disk storage. It also allows the hard disk to be relieved when data is written or copied from a faster drive to a slower drive. Under certain circumstances, the access times of the slower drive can be increased.

functionality

Since the flash buffer is used as a cache for all mass data storage devices in the system, the increase in speed does not only affect the swap file or system files. Normal flash memories are slower than hard disks when it comes to sequential reading and writing, so ReadyBoost was designed in such a way that it first carries out a speed test when the flash memory is detected or inserted. This also recognizes whether the flash memory is fast enough for ReadyBoost. This prevents large sequential reads and writes from being slower than writing directly to the hard disk. Write accesses to the flash data carrier are distributed as evenly as possible in order to prevent wear and tear at places that are particularly frequently written on.

requirements

  • A Windows operating system from Windows Vista must be used as the operating system. In the meantime, however, other providers such as eBoostr are also providing similar functionality on earlier Windows operating systems.
  • The flash memory must be at least 256 MB, of which at least 230 MB must be free. With Windows Vista a maximum of 4 GB can be used for ReadyBoost, with Windows 7 a maximum of 8 media with a maximum of 32 GB each, i.e. a total of 256 GB, provided the flash memory is formatted with NTFS or exFAT .
  • As a USB device (ReadyBoost compatible), the flash memory must  support USB 2.0.
  • The device must have a read speed of at least 2.5 MB / s for 4 KiB blocks and a write speed of 1.75 MB / s for 512 KiB blocks - random reads and writes that are evenly distributed over the entire device - offer (sticks with the enhanced for ReadyBoost label at least 5 MB / s for 4 KiB blocks and 3 MB / s for 512 KiB blocks).
  • The device must be formatted with FAT , FAT32, exFAT (usable under Windows Vista from Service Pack 1, but not for Readyboost) or NTFS .

Windows Vista and Windows 7 offer the command line program winsat to check these requirements . For a reading test, it is called up as follows: The command line must be started as administrator, otherwise the program will be output in a new window which will be closed again immediately and therefore not readable.

Example of a read test with non-sequential access with a block size of 4 KiB on drive S: 

winsat disk -read -ran -ransize 4096 -drive S

Example of a write test with non-sequential access with a block size of 512 KiB on drive S: 

winsat disk -write -ran -ransize 524288 -drive S

In Windows 7, the test can be started via the ReadyBoost tab in the drive properties.

power

When accessing a ReadyBoost-enabled storage device for intermediate storage, Windows allows random reads at a rate that is typically faster than conventional reads from a hard drive.

Benchmarks show that ReadyBoost in the current version can produce different results. ReadyBoost can bring a measurable performance advantage, especially on computers with little physical RAM. According to Mike Trainor (Chief Mobile Technology Evangelist at Intel ), a computer with 1  GB of RAM plus 1 GB of flash memory should achieve around 60 to 80% of the performance of a computer with 2 GB of RAM. The use of Turbo Memory on the mainboard is currently hardly worthwhile, but according to Intel it should be further developed.

Involvement

If a compatible device is connected, the Windows AutoPlay dialog window offers an additional option to speed up the system. An additional ReadyBoost tab is added in the properties dialog of the respective drive, where the amount of storage space provided can be adjusted. ReadyBoost can also be activated via the properties of the USB stick.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Microsoft TechNet Blog: Under the hood of ReadyBoost , Daniel Melanchthon
  2. ^ Microsoft TechNet: Reference winsat disk
  3. ↑ ComputerBase: Test: 7 USB sticks & Windows ReadyBoost , article from April 12, 2007
  4. ↑ Humphrey Cheung: Is Intel's 'Turbo Memory' really turbo? ( Memento of September 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) TG Daily, May 9, 2007
  5. ↑ Tom Archer: ReadyBoost - Using Your USB Key to Speed ​​Up Windows Vista . In: Tom Archer's Blog . Microsoft. April 14, 2006. Retrieved May 21, 2006.