28.09.2010, 11:26
Using a Ram disk can speed up the overall system, but unless you install the entire game to a Ram disk, it won't do much for you as far as game play.
Something I used to do before I started using a 64bit OS, since I had more than 3gb or Ram, was to set up a Ram disk and then force Windows to use the Ram disk as the swap file.
This allowed for faster read/writes and less access by the OS to the H/D freeing up the read/write requests for application use.
Doing this also allows you to take advantage of ALL your Ram (if using a 32bit O/S). Basically if you've got say, 4gb Ram and you're using Windows XP x32 bit. Your memory cap is appx 3gb give or take a couple of meg. If you want to use all of your Ram, set up a 2gb Ram Drive to load up when the system posts (before loading the O/S), by using the RAMDISK program from DOS.
After the system boots up for the first time, you'll need to go into the advanced menu and set the swap file to by static instead of dynamic and make sure it's using the 'New' virtual drive for the swap file. If you just let the RAMDISK assign it's own letter, it will take the next one in the cue.
Once you have done than, the system will ask you to confirm the change and reboot for the changes to take effect.
Now when your O/S boots, Windows will have access to 2gb and the Swap File will be on the other 2gb. Obviously, since your Swap File should be appx 2x the size of your RAM (That Windows sees), this example is not the best. To really see large gains, you should be working with 6gb or more on a 32bit system. (Windows will only recognize 3gb, the other 3gb is for the RamDisk).
*** Swap file is also referred to as:
Virtual Ram
Page File
This 'Hack' works best when used on 32bit systems with 6gb or more of Ram.
Something I used to do before I started using a 64bit OS, since I had more than 3gb or Ram, was to set up a Ram disk and then force Windows to use the Ram disk as the swap file.
This allowed for faster read/writes and less access by the OS to the H/D freeing up the read/write requests for application use.
Doing this also allows you to take advantage of ALL your Ram (if using a 32bit O/S). Basically if you've got say, 4gb Ram and you're using Windows XP x32 bit. Your memory cap is appx 3gb give or take a couple of meg. If you want to use all of your Ram, set up a 2gb Ram Drive to load up when the system posts (before loading the O/S), by using the RAMDISK program from DOS.
After the system boots up for the first time, you'll need to go into the advanced menu and set the swap file to by static instead of dynamic and make sure it's using the 'New' virtual drive for the swap file. If you just let the RAMDISK assign it's own letter, it will take the next one in the cue.
Once you have done than, the system will ask you to confirm the change and reboot for the changes to take effect.
Now when your O/S boots, Windows will have access to 2gb and the Swap File will be on the other 2gb. Obviously, since your Swap File should be appx 2x the size of your RAM (That Windows sees), this example is not the best. To really see large gains, you should be working with 6gb or more on a 32bit system. (Windows will only recognize 3gb, the other 3gb is for the RamDisk).
*** Swap file is also referred to as:
Virtual Ram
Page File
This 'Hack' works best when used on 32bit systems with 6gb or more of Ram.