How to increase RAM using a flash drive. Using a flash drive as RAM on a PC

For many of us, the speed of a computer or laptop is very important. One option to speed up Windows is to use a flash drive as RAM. Now I will tell you how to speed up Windows using a flash drive and ReadyBoost technology on a computer or laptop.

ReadyBoost is a software technology that allows you to use the free memory of a flash drive or any other external flash drive (SD card, SSD drive) as additional RAM, thereby speeding up your computer.

How does ReadyBoost work?

When using a flash drive (external flash drive) as additional RAM, the ReadyBoost.sfcache file is created on it. The ReadyBoost.sfcache file writes (caches) small files that are used most often. They are accessed faster than from a hard drive, and this speeds up the operation of the entire system. In addition, data can be read in parallel from several devices at once (flash drive and hard drive), which also increases performance.

ReadyBoost technology allows you to increase system performance by up to 30%. Agree, a one-third increase in productivity will not hurt anyone.

ReadyBoost Terms of Use

To take advantage of ReadyBoost technologies, a Flash drive must have the following characteristics:

The memory capacity of the flash drive is not less than 1 gigabyte and no more than 32 gigabytes.
The speed of the flash drive is not 2.5 MB/sec

On a computer running Windows 7, you can connect up to 8 ReadyBoost devices. The maximum amount of such memory for windows 7 x64 is 256 gigabytes, and for windows 7 x64 – 32 gigabytes.

If you connect a drive with a capacity of more than 4 gigabytes, you must format it to the NTFS file system.

The optimal volume of the connected flash drive (Flash drive) should be 2 - 3 times larger than the amount of RAM on the computer.

If you have 2 gigabytes of RAM, then use a 4 gigabyte flash drive.

Enabling ReadyBoost

Insert a flash drive or other storage device into a computer with the Windows operating system (starting from Windows Vista). The drive will autostart. In the list of possible actions, select “Speed up the system.”

Now make active “Provide this device for ReadyBoost technology” and set the amount of memory that will be used to speed things up. If you have an empty flash drive, you can use all its space.

Click “Apply” and “Ok”.

If you have disabled autostart of the drive, then open the properties of the flash drive through the “Computer” folder and select the “ReadyBoost” tab.

Never remove the drive from the computer. First you need to disable ReadyBoost, otherwise it may lead to failure of the flash drive.

Disabling ReadyBoost

To disable ReadyBoost, go to the properties of the flash drive to the “ReadyBoost” tab. Select “Don't use this device” and click “Apply”.

How to best use ReadyBoost

On a home (stationary) computer

The best option for speeding up your home computer is a flash drive. Many SSD drives are very fast and will not allow you to use ReadyBoost. It will simply not be effective. In addition, not all desktop computers have a card reader to connect an SD card.

It is better to connect the flash drive from the back of the system unit, no matter what it occupies the external USB ports from the front of the system unit.

If you are thinking about speeding up your home computer, then check whether your computer has free slots for connecting RAM. It's better to buy more RAM than a flash drive and ReadyBoost. The effect of increasing RAM will be much greater. But if you have an unnecessary flash drive, then feel free to use it to increase the speed of your computer.

On a laptop (netbook)

In a laptop, USB ports are very important, since there are quite a few of them (usually 3-4 ports). But almost all laptops have a memory card slot. To speed up the laptop, it is best to use memory cards; they do not occupy USB ports and do not interfere with the movement of the laptop.

pctoall.ru

How to increase RAM using a flash drive?

by AleksPayne · 06/08/2013

Has it ever happened that the system works slower than you would like? This is especially true for those who have little RAM in their computer or laptop. Today I will talk about such a great feature of Windows 7 and 8 as using a flash drive as additional RAM! Yes, just using a regular flash drive :) Not many people know about it, however, it is a great way to increase the speed of your system.

This opportunity became possible thanks to ReadyBoost technology from Microsoft. This is a technology that allows the operating system to use the memory of flash drives such as flash cards and solid-state drives (SSD) to cache files. Flash memory requirements: write speed of 1.75 MB/s in 512 KB blocks and read speed of 2.5 MB/s in 4 KB blocks.

Thus, you can connect up to 4 devices to your computer and use them as RAM, which will significantly increase the speed of opening applications, loading and rebooting the system.

Let's get started: 1. Insert the flash drive into the connector and go to “My Computer”. 2. Find our flash drive among the drives and right-click. 3. In the menu that opens, select “Properties” and go to the ReadyBoost tab.

4. Check the box “Provide this device for ReadyBoost technology”, click “Apply” and “OK”

After which the caching file ReadyBoost.sfcache will be created on the flash card.

This is how we created additional RAM in just a few simple steps. You may not immediately notice an increase in speed, but it's worth waiting a little: it may take time for the cache of frequently used applications to collect.

And one more thing: not all flash drives support this function. But this most likely happens with older devices, so if you have a new flash card, you can safely try this technology. I'm sure you'll like the result! 🙂

itswat.ru

How to increase RAM using a flash drive

RAM not only affects the overall stability of running processes, but also allows you to allocate additional power for playing games, high-quality movies and work programs. The purchase of new RAM is tied to its high cost and the possible lack of free slots. Increasing its volume in other ways is real, and this is the best alternative for laptops and those users who want to increase RAM now.

Increase RAM using a flash drive

There is a software method to increase boot memory using standard flash drives. The Microsoft operating system provides a special software module called ReadyBoost, which will help you connect a flash drive as a free data download element for running applications.

The process of activating a flash drive can be carried out on eight similar devices, the total memory capacity of which does not exceed 256 gigabytes. However, not all drives will fit. They must meet the following technical parameters:

The free space on the flash drive must exceed 1 gigabyte;
The interface must be USB 2.0;
Data transfer speed is higher than 3.5 megabits per second.

As an alternative to a flash drive, another type of cache memory, such as an SD card or SSD card, can be used.

It is important to take into account the newness of the operating system. On the Windows Vista version, such a process of activating a flash drive as a source of increasing RAM will not work. For a successful startup process, you must also enable the SuperFetch system service. If there are any discrepancies, the operating system will throw an error and you can resolve it.

The SuperFetch system involves the process of saving information and cached files launched by the user. Such a system is automatically enabled in Windows 7, but in some cases it may not be activated.

To check this, call the system command using the WIN + R key combination. In the search bar that appears, enter regedit. Next, find the parameter in the left control window:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters

After this, open the EnableSuperfetch parameter by double-clicking the mouse button, where you can set a numerical value from 1 to 3 (if it is already installed, then everything is in order - the SuperFetch system is activated).

Activating the flash drive

If all technical requirements are met, proceed with the process of activating the flash drive as a source for loading RAM:

Insert and activate the memory drive;
Go to the “My Computer” menu and right-click on the flash drive icon;
In the dialog box that appears, select the section: “ReadyBoost”;
In the new window, find the option: “Provide this device for ReadyBoost technology”;
Below you will see a mark for the memory level of the flash drive, the amount of which must be used as RAM. Choose the maximum value (if the device is empty and formatted).

After setting up the cache and rebooting your computer or laptop, the operating system will automatically apply the new settings. Important: Do not remove the flash drive until you need additional RAM.

Note: Before starting the above process of increasing RAM using a flash drive, format the flash device to remove any possible hidden files.

After the enlargement process has been completed, the flash drive will be displayed in “My Computer” with 100 megabytes of free memory. The operating system leaves this space as unused for stable operation of the device, and the rest of the memory will be loaded with cached files.

Source: Sdelaicomp.ru

wd-x.ru

Speed up your computer using a flash drive

It is known that the speed of a computer is greatly influenced by RAM. To be more precise, at maximum load the “swap file” is activated, while the hard drive still cannot cope with the RAM and, one way or another, there is a delay in the operation of the PC. To correct this situation or upgrade in advance, you can increase the RAM using ReadyBoost technology. Everyone is familiar with such a storage device as a USB flash drive. But many do not know that by using this particular device, you can expand the data storage area and thereby increase the speed of the system.

What does it mean to increase RAM with a ReadyBoost flash drive?

ReadyBoost technology was developed by Microsoft for the Vista operating system, and was improved in Windows 7. In order to understand how to increase RAM using a flash drive, it is worth understanding the sequence of actions in the system. This method allows data to be cached from the hard drive to a removable device, where the cache is a fast-access memory. That is, when the utility is launched, all information from the hard drive goes into the cache, after which it is read from the cache, and not from the hard drive, thereby speeding up the operation of the system as a whole. But there are limitations to increasing RAM using a flash drive:

If the hard drive is “solidstatedrive”, then this means that it is already made using accelerated technology and ReadyBoost simply will not turn on.
windows7, where the RAM is 64 Bit, you can connect about 256 GB.
Windows7, which is 32 Bit, can hold up to 32 GB.

IMPORTANT. You should know that not every flash drive, like RAM, is suitable for Rady Boost technology. There are high-speed USB2.3 options, but they are used if there is a special port on the computer, marked in blue. There must be a specific entry in the description on the package, or you will have to buy several drives, at your own peril and risk. It is recommended to increase the RAM using an 8 GB flash drive. But if this is not enough, you can use several pieces.

Before making a flash drive with RAM, you must adhere to the basic parameters of the removable device for using Rady Boost:

Reading speed (2.5 Mb/s x 4 kb).
Write speed (1.7 Mb/s x 512 kb).
Min free space size (256MB).
The recommended buffer size relative to RAM for low-power PCs is (1:1), for more serious ones - (2.5:1).

Where is it better to use a flash drive as RAM?

In low-power systems with USB0 and DDR 2 type. You should not overpay for additional memory in a PC, which will need to be replaced in a couple of years.
In computers under warranty, where the warranty seals cannot be opened.
In laptops and netbooks with the Windows 7 operating system, the hard drives of which are much weaker than their “big brothers”.

Methods for connecting ReadyBoost from a flash drive

There are 2 options for adding RAM using a flash drive, where the entire process of connecting the Ready Boost function takes no more than 3 minutes.

Automatic program launch

Enabling the program manually

Having understood how to use a flash drive as RAM and created certain conditions for this, there are times when the system generates an error. That is, ReadyBoost does not see the drive; in this case, you need to test the device. And in order to disable the program, you should connect the USB again, find the “ReadyBoost” tab in the flash properties and select “Do not use this device.”

Some features of using Flash to increase RAM.

You should know that before expanding the RAM using a flash drive, the recommended volume on the PC should be from 1–3 RAM. For example, if PC RAM = 1 GB and a 4 GB flash is connected, then allocating a capacity of 1–1.5 GB will provide the best acceleration.
The removable drive used for the ReadyBoost utility cannot be used to store other information.
If you choose between using a flash drive to increase RAM or expand the amount of RAM in the device itself, then it is better to choose the second.
RB technology allows you to quickly and in any “hiking” conditions solve the problem of laptop speed.
Before you make RAM from a flash drive, you need to understand that there will be no noticeable increase in the speed of your computer or laptop.
ReadyBoost can be used not only via USB, but also on SD cards.
When the system checks a removable drive, it may issue a warning that “This device cannot be used for RB.” In this case, you need to connect another flash or card.

After it became possible to increase the RAM using a flash drive, several tests were carried out, from which it became clear that the performance of the function depends on the system. Only devices with less than 1 GB of RAM can produce tangible results. For example, ReadyBoost had no effect on a laptop with 2 GB, but with 756 MB of memory, applications and programs began to work much faster. It turns out that in order to improve the performance of the computer, you can use not only the paging file, memory modules and increasing RAM through the BIOS, but also a flash drive.

NastroyVse.ru

How to increase computer RAM using a regular flash drive

It is known that a lack of RAM has a bad effect on the functioning of all electronic devices, from a smartphone to a laptop, and any computer in general. The device begins to slow down, freeze, and responds slowly to user commands. Modern requirements for RAM are quite high, so even 2 GB of memory is a critically small amount.

There is nothing left to do but increase the computer's RAM. You can purchase and install additional RAM sticks, but in some cases this is impossible.

However, all is not lost. There is a way to expand the RAM value without interfering with the PC motherboard. The essence of the method is to use a regular USB flash drive. Any user can perform such an operation, since there are no difficulties here.

Which system is suitable for our purposes?

To expand the computer's RAM using a USB drive, any operating system is suitable, starting from the already old Windows Vista. This system, as well as later versions, includes “ReadyBoost” technology, which allows you to use external drives to expand RAM, which, in turn, will increase the performance of your Windows PC.

Checking service readiness on your computer

The operation of the ReadyBoost technology is ensured by the Superfetch service. It must be turned on. To check if it is enabled, you need to go to the Control Panel. There you should open the “Administration” section. In Windows 10, from the control panel you need to go to “System and Security”, and only then “Administrative Tools”. In the list presented in this section, you need to find the “Services” tab. By clicking on it, you can see all the services that are on your computer. Some of them work, and some are disabled.

Find the Superfetch service in this list. Pay attention to the "Status" column. If there is an entry “Working” or “Running”, then the service is completely ready for the flash drive to work.
If the service is disabled, then enable it. This can be done by right-clicking on the line. In the drop-down menu, click “Properties”, and then “Run”. At the same time, set the launch options to “Automatic”. This way it will run every time you log in. Now everything is ready to use the flash drive.

From time to time, users encounter the problem of insufficient RAM on their device. Indeed, many inexpensive tablets and laptops, like older budget PCs, begin to slow down and create large page files due to the fact that the built-in 1-4 GB of RAM is not enough for them. There may be problems with installing additional RAM: there are few places where you can find DDR/DDR2 sticks now, and in tablets and laptops, replacing RAM is often simply not included in the design. Especially for such cases, Microsoft created ReadyBoost technology, which allows you to use flash drives or SD cards as additional RAM in Windows.

What is ReadyBoost

Surely everyone has heard. When Windows runs out of RAM, it creates a special file on the hard drive that is used as virtual RAM. But you're bound to experience stutters when using it, since the read and write speeds of standard hard drives are usually slow.

In Windows Vista, Microsoft engineers worked on a worthy replacement for the paging file. The technology was presented ReadyBoost, allowing you to place it on a flash drive or SD card, the read and write speed of which is much higher than that of a regular hard drive. This mechanism exists in Windows to this day. Let's outline its positive and negative sides.

Pros of using ReadyBoost

Increase the performance of your device without replacing RAM. The acceleration effect will be clearly visible, for example, when launching programs.
There is no need to use a standard paging file on your hard drive. This will save space on it, and will also reduce the number of system and program freezes due to insufficient read/write speeds.

Cons of using ReadyBoost

The flash drive or SD card you choose will fail much faster than if you were just using it to transfer information.

Which flash drives are suitable for increasing RAM?

There are several requirements for the devices you intend to use for ReadyBoost technology:

The storage capacity varies from the amount of RAM installed in the device to 32 GB. If you have built-in 2 GB of RAM, then the size of the flash drive should not be less than 2 GB.
You can connect multiple drives at once to use ReadyBoost, but their total capacity should not exceed 32 GB on 32-bit systems and 256 GB on 64-bit systems.
The write speed of the drive is at least several MB/s. The bigger, the better.

How to format a flash drive to use ReadyBoost

Before enabling ReadyBoost technology, you must correctly format the drive selected for its use.

How to activate ReadyBoost technology

After you have formatted the flash drive, you need to configure it to use ReadyBoost.

Ready. Now your flash drive is used to increase the performance of the device. Note that the swap file on it is encrypted using the algorithm AES-128, which ensures the security of your data.

The most important - Never remove the flash drive from the device without preparation! This can lead to failure of the drive itself and the USB port. If you want to get a flash drive, use the instructions below.

How to properly remove the USB flash drive used for ReadyBoost

If you decide to stop using the flash drive as additional RAM or want to remove it for other reasons, follow these steps:

Which is better: use ReadyBoost flash drives or increase the amount of RAM

Having learned about ReadyBoost technology, you may wonder: what is the best thing to do to increase performance, purchase additional RAM sticks or flash drives for ReadyBoost. Although the first option may be associated with difficulties in finding new RAM, and also require considerable costs, it is the preferable one.

Although a ReadyBoost flash drive can help speed up a PC, it will not provide such a noticeable increase in performance as RAM. The technology is designed for more comfortable surfing the Internet, opening light programs and viewing images. As soon as it comes to demanding software, ReadyBoost will not help you at all: the speed of a flash drive is tens and hundreds of times less than the speed of RAM, and you will constantly encounter freezes.

However, ReadyBoost can help you speed up older PCs a little if you don't have the desire or ability to buy RAM for them, and also increase the performance of tablets/laptops whose RAM cannot be replaced. In the latter case, it will be more convenient to use SD cards.

As RAM? You can simply buy an additional bracket and not worry about it. On the one hand, this is true, but on the other hand, many people have computers and laptops that do not have additional space for installing RAM; for some older PC models it is difficult to find a RAM strip and such DDRs cost quite a lot; I just had a 2-4 GB flash drive lying around, unnecessary... you can design many situations.

Be that as it may, in this article we will look at how to use a flash drive as RAM on Windows OS, or how to make RAM from a flash drive, and you can decide for yourself whether it’s for you or not. So, I have an 8 GB Patriot flash drive, which I don’t use because I bought myself a 16 GB Kingston.

Starting with the Windows Vista operating system, the Ready Boost function was included in the axis capabilities, so if you have Windows 7 or Windows 8 on your PC, everything will not be so difficult to do. Let's first look at this possibility using the example of the "seven". Insert a free flash drive into the USB port.

Now my flash drive is empty, but keep in mind that before using it as RAM, you will need to format it - the flash drive must be empty. If anyone doesn’t know about formatting, let’s take a look.

Right-click on this disk (after all, a flash drive is a removable disk) and select “Format”.

A formatting control window will appear in front of us. We select the desired file system (I format flash drives in NTFS), do not touch the cluster size, if there are some files on the flash drive, then uncheck the “Quick (cleaning table of contents)” checkbox.

Click “Start” and then it will immediately ask if we really want to format, because this operation will destroy all files. But we know what we are getting into - so we click “OK”.

We wait for a certain period of time, it all depends on the size of your flash drive - after completion we will see a message about the completion of the operation, click “OK”.

Ready. If your flash drive contained certain files and the fullness indicator showed a certain value, now you will see the following picture - where you can see that the removable disk is completely formatted.

A window with properties will open in front of us, where we can select and set various parameters of the removable disk.

We are not interested in all the properties, we need the Ready Boost tab, so we select this tab.

Next, check the box “Use this device” and below the indicator we set the space that we are ready to allocate for RAM. It is recommended to highlight the entire contents of the flash drive here, but let me highlight 4 GB for clarity (there are 4000 MB).

Click “Apply” and “OK”. 4000 MB is not a very correct value. It will not be full 4G, because 4 GB is 4096 MB, think about it, well, it will be a little less. Now let’s go to “My Computer” and look at the fullness indicator of our flash drive.

Here we see that the “H” drive has almost 4 GB of space filled - it is these 4 GB (3.48 GB) that will be used by the system for RAM. It may not be entirely correct to call this space RAM - rather, it will be a place for caching, but the functions are similar and to avoid confusion, let's call it additional RAM.

With Windows 7 everything is simple and clear, but what to do if Windows XP is installed? There is no Ready Boost feature on XP. There are additional programs for this operating system that allow you to use Ready Boost on this axis. I looked at several such programs and most of all I liked eBoostr.

One huge minus is that eBoostr is a paid software, but I didn’t find anything free that was human. The Lite version of this program costs almost $15 - so decide for yourself. Whether you buy eBoostr or look for “cracked” versions is a matter of your conscience; I will consider a trial version of this program on Windows XP.

On the website eboostr.com you can download a trial version of eBoostr, try it, and then decide whether to buy or look somewhere on pirated sites. I repeat - I do not recommend looking for “cracked” versions, it’s a matter of your conscience.

After you download the trial version, an installation file will appear on your desktop, from which we will begin the installation.

Double-click and start unpacking the eBoostr installation package.

We select the language - only Russian is present, so we stop at it and click “OK”.

The wizard starts, the installation is similar to any program under Windows, so you will not have any problems. We follow the instructions of the wizard - click “Next”.

We accept the license agreement by clicking the “I Accept” button. This point is also present in both paid and free programs - there is no escape.

We select the installation location - as a rule, all programs are installed on drive C, in the Program Files folder. eBoostr is no exception - click “Next”.

The next step is to ask you to select a folder in the Start menu. Also the usual stage, we don’t change anything, click “Install”.

We wait a few seconds, the necessary files are copied and operations are carried out to install eBoostr on your PC.
eBoostr installation

After installation, eBoostr will ask you to restart your PC. For more correct operation of the program, reboot - click “Finish”.

Since we have a trial version, immediately after the reboot a window will appear in front of us where we will be offered to buy or register a test version of this program. For example, I will register a test version that will be valid for 15 days. This is enough time to form an impression of eBoostr.

I write my details and click the “Get trial period” button. For 15 days the program will not limit its functionality and will give you the opportunity to fully work with it.

After clicking “Get a trial period”, you will be asked to receive this period.

After registering eBoostr, the program will immediately prompt us to select a device for caching (that is, for use as RAM). Let's click "NO" and try to configure the interface program.

After clicking the “NO” button, go to the “tray” and see the icon of the running eBoostr program.

Double-click and launch the control panel of the eBoostr program, where we will make the settings.

Now we need to point the program to your flash drive - click the “Configure” button and go to manage settings.

Select drive “H” (this is my flash drive), check “Use for caching” and set the required volume. Here, take into account your own architecture and needs - I will display the full capacity of the flash drive.

Set it and click “Apply” and “OK”. After this, we will be prompted to fill the cache now - click “YES”.

Our cache (flash drive) is being identified (filled). We wait a few seconds until the operation is completed.

Once completed, the mark on the disk will change to a green check mark. Everything is ready - now our operating system uses an 8 GB flash drive for RAM.

And now - the most interesting part. I will describe to you my impressions of this Ready Boost function (using a flash drive as RAM) on Windows 7 and XP.

So on Windows 7. Then I felt a real acceleration of the laptop, it felt as if the PC took a deep breath. This was especially noticeable when running resource-intensive programs. If using a flash drive as an operational one gives such an effect, I will definitely buy another stick, there is room in the laptop.

On Windows XP- here the situation is a little worse, but definitely has changed for the better. I felt the computer speed up by a maximum of 10 percent, although I can assume that this is due to the 32-bit OS architecture; as you know, 32-bit systems do not see more than 3 GB of RAM.

The conclusion can be drawn as follows - if it is not possible to add an additional RAM stick, then using a flash drive as a RAM drive is a very good and effective option!

I wish you comfortable work and stable functioning of your PC.

In which we looked at ways to increase computer performance, we have already briefly touched on the issue of increasing random access memory (RAM).

The purpose of this article is to describe in as much detail as possible how to select and replace RAM.

RAM selection criteria

So, you have decided that you need to increase RAM. What criteria should you use to select RAM modules?

Before you go to the store and place an order, we recommend that you carefully read the material below, which will save not only your time, but also money.

Manufacturer. The first place you need to start choosing is by choosing a RAM manufacturer.

Many here are guided by the principle that the more time a manufacturer spends on the market for the production of memory modules, the better the quality of its products.

From personal experience, we will say that the products of Corsair, Hynix, and Kingston are of good quality.

Form factor. The size of desktop computers and laptops is different, and the sizes of RAM modules and connectors for them also differ.

Modules for desktop PCs are called DIMMs, for laptops SO-DIMMs.

Memory size. One of the parameters responsible for the performance of the module.

When choosing the amount of memory, keep in mind that most office tasks currently require 2 GB of RAM.

Memory frequency. Performance also depends on this parameter; the higher the frequency, the better.

If you plan to purchase and install a module next to existing ones, then, as in the previous paragraph, you need to study which modules are already installed and select a new module with the same frequency.

If you decide to completely replace the RAM, you need to find out what maximum frequencies the laptop or computer motherboard supports.

Frequency characteristics for DDR2 modules are 667, 800 and 1066 MHz, and for DDR3 - 1333, 1600, 1866, 2000, 2133, 2400, 2666, 2800 MHz.

For most modern tasks, a RAM frequency of 1333 or 1600 MHz is optimal.

To install a RAM module, you need to turn off the computer, install the module in the slot and, pressing it, wait for the side latches to click.

Increasing RAM using a flash drive

If you have a limited budget, there is a way to increase RAM using flash memory and using ReadyBoost technology.

ReadyBoost software technology is implemented in Windows 7 and higher, allowing the use of free memory of any external Flash drive (SSD drive, USB flash drive, SD card) as additional virtual RAM.

The principle of operation is to create a special cache file on an external Flash drive, into which files that are most often accessed by the user or system are cached (written).

The speed of accessing such files is slightly higher than the speed of reading them from the hard drive and, according to some estimates, can increase system performance by a third.

In order to take advantage of ReadyBoost technology, the Flash drive must have a memory capacity of 1 to 32 GB, and the operating speed must be higher than 3 MB/s.

If the connected drive has a capacity of more than 4 GB, you should format it to the NTFS file system.

The optimal amount of Flash storage when using ReadyBoost technology should be equal to double or triple the amount of computer RAM.

To enable ReadyBoost technology, you must install a Flash drive in your computer. In the autorun window, select “Speed up the system.”

If autorun is disabled, you must select the flash drive in the Computer menu with the right mouse button and select “Properties”.

Lack of RAM is one of the reasons for reduced computer performance. The most logical solution to this problem is to install an additional RAM stick, but this is not always the solution: there may not be a free slot on the motherboard, or it may be impossible to find a suitable model. Therefore, in today’s article you will learn how to increase RAM using a flash drive.

If you want to slightly increase system performance without installing additional hardware, then you should be interested in learning how to increase RAM with a flash drive.

About ReadyBoost Technology

ReadyBoost is a Microsoft software technology that allows you to increase the speed of your computer using the memory of a plug-in flash drive. In total, up to 8 removable media can be used within this option, the total volume of which does not exceed 256 GB.

Removable storage requirements:

Availability of free space from 1 GB and above.
Support USB 2.0 interface and higher.
Transfer speed of at least 3.5 Mbit/s.

If these values do not mean anything to you, then let us explain: all modern flash drives have characteristics many times better than the requirements of ReadyBoost technology. Only old media with a small amount of memory (for example, a 512 MB flash drive) will not work, but almost no one uses them anymore.

In addition to the hardware requirements for the drive, there are several important software characteristics that your operating system must meet.

ReadyBoost technology is only supported in versions older than Windows Vista (7/8.1/10). On XP, information on how to use a flash drive as RAM will not help you.
The system must have the SuperFetch service running - without it, ReadyBoost technology does not work.

If one of the operating conditions is not met, the system will report this in a notification. We've sorted out the general points, now let's see how to enable R eadyB oost W indows 7.

Increasing RAM with a flash drive

If a window appears when you connect a flash drive, then you can enable ReadyB oost directly through it by selecting the “Speed up work” item.

With autorun disabled, go to “Computer” and find the connected flash drive:

Right-click on the flash drive and open “Properties”.
Go to the "R eadyB oost" tab.
Check the “Provide device” option and use the slider to determine the allocated memory space of the flash drive.

The amount of allocated flash drive space depends on how much RAM you have. There are different recommendations, but in general they boil down to one thing: the larger the volume, the higher the system performance will be.

When you click the “Apply” button, the cache setup will start, after which your RAM will receive additional space thanks to the flash drive.

Now you know how to increase RAM using a flash drive. By the way, instead of a USB drive, you can use almost any device that has built-in memory, be it a player or a smartphone. The procedure remains the same: you connect the equipment as a removable disk and allocate a certain volume as an addition to the computer's RAM.