What do you use a RAM Disk for?

shankly1985 · 1 Jul 2012 at 13:00

Hello I only found out yesterday that my Asrock board comes with software called x-fast RAM witch allows you to create a virtual Disk drive out of you RAM. I only play games and watch couple films now and then, if there anything I can use it for to benefit me?
What you guys use RAM disks for?

Thanks

buzzlightweight · 1 Jul 2012 at 14:07

my understanding about this is that it acts like cache, speeding up the performance of your system.

NXZT · 1 Jul 2012 at 14:16

you could use it to store your Windows pagefile and tmp file folder with the advantage of very fast RAM access and high data protection as all files are cleared when the system is shutdown/restarted.
Not sure if a lot of people use RAM disks nowadays with SSDs around. If i remember correctly the speed benefits in real life are also not that big and very depended on the applications you use.

shankly1985 · 1 Jul 2012 at 15:16

Thanks for pagefile wouldn't I need more than 8GB RAM? My pagefile atm is set by windows witch says 8GB same has my RAM.
If I where to only use say 1GB of my RAM for the disk would pagefile fit?

thanks again guys

eddyr · 1 Jul 2012 at 16:20

You can safely reduce it, I have mine set to 800MB as thats the reccomended amount suggested by windows for saving dump files.
My understanding is with enough ram, windows wont use much if any of the pagefile, it acts as reseved overspill.
So 8GB is enough to rarely need to use the page file. By setting up 1GB or 2 as a RAM disk, you reduce the available ram and therfore increase the likelihood of needing to store data on the pagefile which you have on the ram through the ram disk anyway. So in addition to that circularness, you create more situations to arise which use the pagefile for which the performance attributes of a ramdisk itself become a benefit.

I'd reccomend limiting the pagefile to 1GB (some software used to check the allocated pagefile size and throw a wobbly if its not there) if you want to maximise free HDD space and keeping it on the HDD for sysytem dump files.

djkav · 1 Jul 2012 at 16:34

Why would you want to have a page file on a RAM disk?
Doesn't that defeat the object. I thought a page file was to make more room in RAM for your multitasking apps.

Same as, why would you want to have a browser cache in a RAM disk?
A browser cache is to save you downloading all the website files. If it's on a RAM disk, then you'll need to redownload those website files again after a crash/reboot.

Unless you use some RAM disk save state of something. I've never need the use of a RAM disk.

Woden · 1 Jul 2012 at 16:53

You could load youir My Documents into the RAM disc, or a specific folder. Could be especially usefull for programming to reduce compile/link times I guess?

I know its main use under Linux, but thats irrelevent at the BIOS level lol

shankly1985 · 1 Jul 2012 at 17:28

djkav said:
Why would you want to have a page file on a RAM disk?
Doesn't that defeat the object. I thought a page file was to make more room in RAM for your multitasking apps.

Same as, why would you want to have a browser cache in a RAM disk?
A browser cache is to save you downloading all the website files. If it's on a RAM disk, then you'll need to redownload those website files again after a crash/reboot.

Unless you use some RAM disk save state of something. I've never need the use of a RAM disk.

Am just seeing if I can use a RAM Disk for any benefits really. Now page file isn't the correct way for me since I probably dont use it much anyway with 8GB Ram. So for the time being I just wont use a RAM Disk has I cant think why I would need one lol

Thanks anyway guys.

shankly1985 · 1 Jul 2012 at 17:29

Woden said:
You could load youir My Documents into the RAM disc, or a specific folder. Could be especially usefull for programming to reduce compile/link times I guess?

I know its main use under Linux, but thats irrelevent at the BIOS level lol

Not bad idea, but I dont do programming I only use my PC for gaming/Internet/Movies.

snedie · 1 Jul 2012 at 17:44

I used to have my PF on a RAMDISK, it alleviated the stuttering in games completely, however if the computer went into sleep it often had trouble starting again.

RAMDISK's are a great place to run sandbox OS's, that way when the party van turns up all you have to do is yank the power cable and poof, all the evidence is gone....not to suggest that's why I use a RAMDISK though