SuperFetch
SuperFetch is a memory management technology in the Microsoft Windows Vista , Windows Server 2008 , Windows 7 , 8 and 10 operating systems ( this technology is no longer available in Windows Server 2008 R2 ). Superfetch basis for the memory anticipation (engl. Prefetching ).
Action
Frequently required content from slow storage media is automatically made available in the background in faster storage media (primarily the main memory (RAM), but also in flash memories - through ReadyBoost and Turbo Memory ), which are then almost completely filled. This is not a disadvantage, as the memory is released again directly by the operating system when a program requires more memory.
decisions
The decision as to which content is cached is based on the following methods:
- Creation of historical data on demand
- Providing content according to historical data
- Rearrangement of expected multiple small accesses into one large access
- the methods of the prefetcher of Windows XP , especially the redeployment of recently displaced content as soon as enough faster memory is free again
Modes
Various modes can be set in the Windows registry - this is done using the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Session Manager \ Memory Management \ PrefetchParameters in the EnableSuperFetch variable . The following values are provided:
- 0: SuperFetch deactivated
- 1: Speed up the start of programs
- 2: Speed up the boot process
- 3: Accelerate the boot process and the start of programs (default setting)
rating
The positive thing about SuperFetch is that programs in memory can be started faster. This can be noticeable when the hard drive is being used for other tasks, such as B. a virus scan , is busy.
Because Microsoft does not offer SuperFetch for Windows versions prior to Vista, other providers such as eBoostr have filled this gap.
The negative is that the system startup can be slowed down. It is not checked whether the pre-loading makes sense at all. You don't need a superfetch with SSDs. Nor is it necessarily taken into account whether a file is really used frequently. Occasional use is sufficient to let Superfetch become active, which z. B. is relatively pointless with images of virtual machines. Hard drives are unnecessarily stressed by unnecessary loading processes, which can shorten their shelf life.