Not all users of personal computers know that in RAM you can create a virtual partition and store temporary files in it. Such an unusual storage medium is called RAM Disk and allows not only to increase the overall system performance, but also to speed up the operation of individual applications. Moreover, a virtual disk has other advantages that allow it to stand out favorably even against the background of SSD.
From this article you will find out what results can be achieved by allocating only a small part of the RAM for RAM Disk. In addition, here we will consider programs that allow you to create virtual partitions in just a few clicks. But for starters, a little digression into the past.
A bit of history
Surprisingly, RAM Disk is far from a new technology. They were used back in the days of MS-DOS and allowed you to use a computer without a hard drive. It was enough to create a small virtual partition in the RAM, drop the files from an external medium into it and work calmly with them. Then, when it came time to turn off the computer, the information was copied to a floppy disk and stored on it already.
Thanks to this simple manipulation, it was possible to increase the speed of operations several times. In addition, floppy disks, when using a virtual partition, were needed only as a temporary storage of information, which allowed to significantly extend their service life. In principle, all these advantages are relevant today, but with some changes.
Performance gain
Of course, now no one will use RAM Disk as a replacement for a regular hard drive or SSD. And the thing here is solely that modern programs, and even more so games stored on your hard drive, simply do not fit into the entire RAM. Nevertheless, no one bothers you to transfer individual files to virtual media by selecting those that are most often accessed by an application.
In this case, several nuances should be taken into account, otherwise, making a RAM disk on your computer, you will not increase productivity, but, on the contrary, worsen it. This is what it is all about:
- Allocate part of the RAM for RAM Disk only if after that you have at least 6 GB RAM left (it is recommended to leave at least 8 GB RAM for gaming PCs).
- Transfer to the virtual partition only those files that the application accesses very often.
- Do not attempt to place important system files or drivers onto RAM Disk. This can disrupt the operation of the operating system.
Also, do not forget that when you turn off or restart the computer, all information stored in the virtual partition will be transferred to the hard drive. If you suddenly turn off the electricity, you may lose important data.
SSD durability
Another reason that people are increasingly starting to use RAM disks is the desire to extend the life of the SSD. The fact is that the less often files are read from a solid-state drive, the less likely it is to fail. But RAM has a much greater margin of safety, so it is logical to transfer to it the most active programs that constantly process any data.
As an example, consider Internet browsers. These applications constantly transfer various files to the cache, and then, as necessary, extract them from there. Because of this, the drive, whether it be an SSD or HDD, is under load all the time and its service life is reduced. If you transfer the browser cache to a RAM disk, all the load will fall on the RAM, which it is not so scary.
Softperfect RAM Disk
Virtual media are also widely used because of the simplicity of their use. Almost any user who does not even have any special skills can download a special application and create RAM Disk with it. Therefore, the following will be considered the most popular programs, which just allow you to do this. And the first one is Softperfect RAM Disk.
The application allows you to create multiple virtual disks at the same time, and also displays the current value of free RAM. In addition, the program has the function of automatically saving files from RAM Disk to the hard drive after turning off the computer. Unfortunately, you can use the application for free for only 30 days. After that, you will have to buy a key from Softperfect RAM disk from the developers. With it, you activate the utility and can use it without restrictions.
Dataram RAM Disk
Perhaps one of the best programs for modern operating systems. It allows you to create RAM Disk for Win 10, but nevertheless is suitable for older versions of Windows. The application has a simple and intuitive interface, as well as the ability to set the automatic storage of information stored on a virtual medium. For example, you can configure the program so that it will dump data on the hard drive every 30 minutes, so that you can not worry about losing them.
Unfortunately, the free version of the utility allows you to create only virtual media up to 4 GB. To remove this restriction, you will have to purchase a key from the developers of Dataram RAM Disk. Another minus of the free version of the program is an advertising banner that periodically appears on the screen. In other matters, no one bothers you to download the "cracked" RAM Disk from Dataram and get rid of the above problems.
Imdisk
The main difference between ImDisk and its closest competitors is that this program allows you to create not only disks in RAM, but also virtual CD-drives for reading images. This allows you to use one utility instead of several.
There is, however, a negative point that has arisen due to the multifunctionality of the program. The ImDisk interface is very confusing, so it will take you a while to figure it out. Nevertheless, having become a little comfortable, you will find that the application allows you to create an unlimited number of virtual media.
It is also worth mentioning that ImDisk is a free program. Simply put, you do not have to lay out a round sum of money for its use or rummage through specialized forums in search of a “crack”.
RAM disk creation
And now it's time to move from theory to practice and figure out how to create virtual partitions using the example of the "cracked" Softperfect RAM Disk. This operation looks like this:
- Launch the program and click on the big green plus in its main menu.
- Indicate in the corresponding field the size that you are going to allocate on RAM Disk.
- Check the box next to "Like removable disk." In this case, Windows will not create unnecessary system files such as the recycle bin on the virtual disk.
- Select the file system format of your RAM Disk. It is recommended that you specify NTFS.
- Click OK.
After that, a virtual disk will be created, and you can safely use it. By the way, in other programs, this operation is performed in almost the same way, so, as you see, there is nothing complicated about it.
What should be transferred to a RAM disk
And finally, consider what files and folders should be transferred to the virtual partition to speed up the operating system and individual applications:
- Browser cache. This is especially true for the Google Chrome Internet browser and other utilities on the Chromium engine.
- The “TEMP” and “TMP” folders. Windows stores various temporary files in them, so the faster they load from disk, the faster your operating system will start working.
- All kinds of texture files, models and other objects in those games where this is supported. Thanks to this, you will significantly reduce the time required, for example, to load levels or switch between locations.
You can also put on a virtual media separate programs that you use very often. Try this and you’ll be surprised how much faster they will start to work.