Create a Ram Disk in Windows XP/2000 to speed up graphics creation/Internet access
Tuesday, September 9, 2003 by IPlural | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I ran across this at one of the Tech sites I visit and thought it would be some use to people here for speeding up graphics creation and such.
Actually purchasing a 3rd party Ram Disk application would help more because of expanded size, but this is free and it will make a difference in graphics creation used as the first swap disk. It will also help those that just want to put their Internet CACHE on it so that IE finds info at ram speeds instead of disk read speed or conversly writes also.
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TO CREATE A RAM DRIVE ON WINDOWS XP/2000
Download this: http://download.microsoft.com/download/win2000ddk/sample01/1/NT5/EN-US/Ramdisk.exe
Extract it. (Note the location of which you extracted the files)
Go to Control Panel -> Add Hardware -> Choose From a List -> Other Devices -> Have Disk.
The disk, is the location of which you extracted the files
*Windows XP does not have Certifications for this.
Your RAM drive is installed, however you will only get 1MB on it.
*To Adjust RAMDRIVE SIZE:
Start Regedit in your :\windows\regedit
Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Ramdisk\Parameters
"DriveLetter" is set to Z: *You may change this.
Change "DiskSize" to 1f00000
This should give you about 30MB.
NOTE:
If you want a larger RAM-drive, you will need to buy it from here.
http://www.cenatek.com/product_ramdisk.cfm
Glad to finally give a conclusion to the question BTW, this is pretested, it's working on my system right now.
Little tip, you can change the location of your cache files for Internet Explorer. If they go to the RAM Drive, it will help process web pages faster, and all you have to do is shut down the computer to clear the cache.
Actually purchasing a 3rd party Ram Disk application would help more because of expanded size, but this is free and it will make a difference in graphics creation used as the first swap disk. It will also help those that just want to put their Internet CACHE on it so that IE finds info at ram speeds instead of disk read speed or conversly writes also.
------------------
TO CREATE A RAM DRIVE ON WINDOWS XP/2000
Download this: http://download.microsoft.com/download/win2000ddk/sample01/1/NT5/EN-US/Ramdisk.exe
Extract it. (Note the location of which you extracted the files)
Go to Control Panel -> Add Hardware -> Choose From a List -> Other Devices -> Have Disk.
The disk, is the location of which you extracted the files
*Windows XP does not have Certifications for this.
Your RAM drive is installed, however you will only get 1MB on it.
*To Adjust RAMDRIVE SIZE:
Start Regedit in your :\windows\regedit
Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Ramdisk\Parameters
"DriveLetter" is set to Z: *You may change this.
Change "DiskSize" to 1f00000
This should give you about 30MB.
NOTE:
If you want a larger RAM-drive, you will need to buy it from here.
http://www.cenatek.com/product_ramdisk.cfm
Glad to finally give a conclusion to the question BTW, this is pretested, it's working on my system right now.
Little tip, you can change the location of your cache files for Internet Explorer. If they go to the RAM Drive, it will help process web pages faster, and all you have to do is shut down the computer to clear the cache.
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FiascoAtLarge
Reply #22 Sunday, November 16, 2003 8:50 AM
Reply #22 Sunday, November 16, 2003 8:50 AM
Here's another free RamDrive http://www.codeguru.com/system/RAMDisk.html
hashonboat
Reply #23 Sunday, November 16, 2003 9:06 AM
Reply #23 Sunday, November 16, 2003 9:06 AM
To change the location of the 'temporary internet files" folder. Open IE> goto tools> internet options> click the settings button on temporary internet files section and > click the move folder button...change it to Z: or whatever your new ram-drive is. XP will ask to log you off to move files and your done...
Weaksid
Reply #24 Sunday, November 16, 2003 1:40 PM
Reply #24 Sunday, November 16, 2003 1:40 PM
Would it automatically make Photoshop or a 3D program faster or do you have to configure some settings in them to use that drive? Plus if it used that drive, 30mb would definally not be enough. I just want to understand this graphics creation thing. I understand the IE part. 
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #25 Sunday, November 16, 2003 4:49 PM
Reply #25 Sunday, November 16, 2003 4:49 PM
I use a ram-drive now for PS.I gave it 99 mb.In your options config for PS set the first scratch disc to the ram drive letter and the second one to another partition on your HD.(if you have multiple partitions).Any drive with empty space will do.A separate partition of 1 gig just for a PS scratch disc as your second would be ideal.
Weaksid
Reply #26 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:18 PM
Reply #26 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:18 PM
You know anything about Bryce? 
It takes forever to render something I need to export. O' just to give you a hint on what I run so you can understand more. On load, I normally run 40 processes. Then if I start doing other stuff, it goes up to about 55 processes. I'm a multi tasker. I'm running a AMD Athlon 700mhz with 640mb of SDram PC133. I have 4 HDs Total of 200Gigs total of 9 partitions. Most of my partitions are almost full. I need to clean them out. VM Paging size 1160MB using a 40Gig HD that half works. I need to buy a new drive. So 40gigs of that 200gigs is blank since it's a bad hard-drive. So I decided to use part of the good section of it as paging instead.
Currently in progress of getting hardware. Monday I'll be getting a hold of a AMD 2000+ MP processor. I just need a board and DDR ram to complete that then I can shove it in my computer. I know that will definitely improve my graphics. I was also thinking about creating a separate computer with this motherboard and ram when I upgrade what I already have. Then use the other computer as my graphic machine. It would be stripped to the basics and used to render and design my stuff. But I'm just throwing around Ideas right now. But for now I just want to see how I can tweak this to accomplish what I need it for.
It takes forever to render something I need to export. O' just to give you a hint on what I run so you can understand more. On load, I normally run 40 processes. Then if I start doing other stuff, it goes up to about 55 processes. I'm a multi tasker. I'm running a AMD Athlon 700mhz with 640mb of SDram PC133. I have 4 HDs Total of 200Gigs total of 9 partitions. Most of my partitions are almost full. I need to clean them out. VM Paging size 1160MB using a 40Gig HD that half works. I need to buy a new drive. So 40gigs of that 200gigs is blank since it's a bad hard-drive. So I decided to use part of the good section of it as paging instead. Currently in progress of getting hardware. Monday I'll be getting a hold of a AMD 2000+ MP processor. I just need a board and DDR ram to complete that then I can shove it in my computer. I know that will definitely improve my graphics. I was also thinking about creating a separate computer with this motherboard and ram when I upgrade what I already have. Then use the other computer as my graphic machine. It would be stripped to the basics and used to render and design my stuff. But I'm just throwing around Ideas right now. But for now I just want to see how I can tweak this to accomplish what I need it for.
Weaksid
Reply #28 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:20 PM
Reply #28 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:20 PM
Is that in the memory usage for ram? Max % used by photoshop?
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
Weaksid
Reply #31 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:48 PM
Reply #31 Sunday, November 16, 2003 5:48 PM
Grr, I rebooted to get my Z: drive now. But it says it's not accessible. Ewww
Weaksid
Reply #32 Sunday, November 16, 2003 7:00 PM
Reply #32 Sunday, November 16, 2003 7:00 PM
I deleted the downloaded file and I went to the purchase link and downloaded the 30try GUI version. So far as long as you don't go to the program it will continue run after you even reboot. Plus you can do up to it looks like 100mb Ramdrive. So far it's not working bad. Give me 3 more days and I'll see how much improvement there really is.
IPlural
Reply #33 Monday, November 17, 2003 9:40 AM
Reply #33 Monday, November 17, 2003 9:40 AM
seems peoples are hammering it out
I've an appt in a bit but I will answer any questions that no one has answered yet when I get back..
kinda threw me seeing this post being active after a month or so
I've an appt in a bit but I will answer any questions that no one has answered yet when I get back..
kinda threw me seeing this post being active after a month or so
IPlural
Reply #34 Monday, November 17, 2003 1:01 PM
Reply #34 Monday, November 17, 2003 1:01 PM
Seems peoples have it down and are working it out where needed...
kthxbye
Reply #35 Monday, November 17, 2003 5:01 PM
Reply #35 Monday, November 17, 2003 5:01 PM
"*(Generally, the Windows(r) 2000 cache manager does a much better job of optimizing memory usage than Ramdisk does.) "
Yes, it does. That's why you use a ramdisk for things which go directly to disk, such as your internet cache, or your Paintshop scratch file (and whatever equivalent PSP uses.)
Yes, it does. That's why you use a ramdisk for things which go directly to disk, such as your internet cache, or your Paintshop scratch file (and whatever equivalent PSP uses.)
IPlural
Reply #37 Monday, November 17, 2003 6:50 PM
Reply #37 Monday, November 17, 2003 6:50 PM
I've also setup my swap disks on this and my other systems to use D and E drives for Windows Swap files because they have the most free space and it seems to speed things up a bit...
Set C: to no swap
set D: swap
set e: swap
I use E: as my second swap drive for graphics apps so when the scratch disk (ram disk) is full it can either swap out to it, or the application will swap out to it...
different systems will see different results, some positive, some not so positive and some nothing at all.
Set C: to no swap
set D: swap
set e: swap
I use E: as my second swap drive for graphics apps so when the scratch disk (ram disk) is full it can either swap out to it, or the application will swap out to it...
different systems will see different results, some positive, some not so positive and some nothing at all.
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #38 Monday, November 17, 2003 8:41 PM
Reply #38 Monday, November 17, 2003 8:41 PM
Swap files on a separate partition keeps the files from being written all over the HD and more continuous.Best if put directly after the root drive.(faster)
Keith Perry
Reply #40 Tuesday, November 18, 2003 6:02 AM
Reply #40 Tuesday, November 18, 2003 6:02 AM
Help, How can I make PSP6 better with the new drive?
My puter did not take kind to the new drive for cashe, so I moved it back to c drive. Now I'd like to use the drive strickly for PSP6, please help.
My puter did not take kind to the new drive for cashe, so I moved it back to c drive. Now I'd like to use the drive strickly for PSP6, please help.
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Reply #21 Sunday, November 16, 2003 6:15 AM