Have you ever had an experience where you are using a lot of programs in Windows, or a memory intensive one, and notice that your hard drive activity light is going nuts, there is plenty of noise from the hard drive, and your computer is crawling? This is called disk thrashing and it is when you have run out of physical RAM and in lieu Windows is using a file on your hard drive to act as a virtual memory. Since writing and reading to a hard drive is much slower than reading from physical RAM, your computer's performance takes a large hit. In the past the only way to keep away from this type of issue is to either run less programs simultaneously or buy more memory and install it. The problem is that in our multitasking lives, walking one program at a time won't cut it and memory can be pricey and difficult to install for the average user, though they do have a great tutorial on this system. Microsoft and its partners, though, have come up with a very simple and elegant solution called Windows ReadyBoost.
Windows ReadyBoost allows Vista to use compatible USB flash drives as cache in lieu of the hard drive. This is faster because it's been shown that small random reads and writes on flash RAM can be 8-10 times faster than caching them to one of your hard drives. In order to benefit from this new feature, Microsoft suggests that you provide space on a flash drive for ReadyBoost so that you are in at least a 1:1 ratio with your installed physical RAM. You will also need to use flash drives that meet the following specifications:
Introduction
In order to make it less difficult for you to find flash drives that support Windows ReadyBoost, look for the words Enhanced for ReadyBoost or something similar printed on the packaging of the flash drive itself. For this guide I am using the SanDisk 2 GB Cruzer Micro USB Flash Drive, but I have recently found a great list of ReadyBoost compatible flash drives compiled by Grant Gibson here: ReadyBoost Flash Drive Compatibility Chart that you can use to find other ones. If you are lucky, your existing flash drive may already be compatible.
* At least 1GB of storage capacity
* The flash device must have at least 512MB free
* 5 MB/sec throughput for random 4k reads across the entire device
* 3 MB/sec throughput for random 512k writes across the entire device
In order to get started using Windows ReadyBoost, it is as simple as plugging a ReadyBoost compatible flash drive in to your Vista computer's USB port. If it is a compatible drive, Vista will detect it and display a prompt asking what you would like to do with this drive.
Enabling Windows ReadyBoost
To assign this flash drive as the ReadyBoost device on your computer, basically click on the Speed up my process using Windows ReadyBoost option. When you click on that option a new screen will appear showing the ReadyBoost properties.
Windows ReadyBoost Prompt
Windows ReadyBoost Properties
1. Click on the Start button.
To enable the flash drive as your ReadyBoost drive, select the option labelled Use This Device. Then use the slider labelled Space to reserve for process speed to reserve the amount of space you would like to assign to ReadyBoost. Microsoft recommends that you have at least a 1:1 ratio between ReadyBoost memory and physical memory. It is important to note, though, that any space you assign to be used by ReadyBoost won't be obtainable to use for storing files on the flash drive while in ReadyBoost mode.
When you are satisfied with the settings, click on the Apply and then the OK buttons. Your flash drive is now assigned as your ReadyBoost device and will be used as cache when you run out of physical RAM.
Some people when trying to optimize their systems, disable services that they do not use. Vista comes with a service called ReadyBoost that is started automatically. If you stop, or disable, this service Vista won't prompt for whether or not you need to use this drive to speed up your PC using ReadyBoost when you insert a USB flash drive. If that is happening to you, do the following to enable and start the ReadyBoost service.
2. In the search field on the Start button type services.msc and press the enter key.
3. When User Access Control asks if you would like to continue, do so or provide administrative account credentials to do so.
4. Scroll down to and click four times on the ReadyBoost service.
1. Change the Startup Type drop down menu to to Automatic.
2. Then press the Start button to start the service.
3. Press the OK button.
5. Now close the Services console.
Disabling Windows ReadyBoost
The ReadyBoost service should now be started and if you reinsert the flash drive it will prompt you to use the drive for ReadyBoost.
1. Click on the Start button.
Now that you have assigned a drive to act as your sole ReadyBoost device, there comes a time when you may need to disable ReadyBoost so you can use the flash drive to store information. Disabling ReadyBoost is very easy and can be done by the Vista control panel. To reach the ReadyBoost configuration screen follow the instructions below. These instructions assume that you are using the Control Panel in classic view. You can turn your Control Panel in to classic view by clicking on the Classic View option when in the Control Panel.
3. Click on Performance Information and Tools
2. Click on the Control Panel menu option.
4. Click on Advanced Tools in the left hand navigation bar.
5. Click on Configure my Windows ReadyBoost device
You will now be back at the Windows ReadyBoost Properties screen as shown in the picture above. To disable ReadyBoost basically select the option that is labelled Do not use this device. If you need to continue using ReadyBoost but need to allocate more space as storage on the flash drive, use the slider to allocate less memory to ReadyBoost. When you are satisfied with how ReadyBoost is configured press the Apply and then the OK buttons.
It is also important to note that when you unplug a flash drive, ReadyBoost is automatically disabled without any loss of information because Vista keeps a mirror of the cache on the flash drive on your hard drive. Next time you insert a flash drive in to Vista you will again be prompted whether you need to use that drive as a ReadyBoost one.
Determining if Windows ReadyBoost is working
A query that they see often is how to tell whether or not ReadyBoost is even working. Unfortunately Vista does not provide a great deal of information that is easy to understand about how often ReadyBoost is used. They can though gather information about whether its active and being used by four methods.
The first process is basically to open the folder of the removable storage device that they are using as the ReadyBoost drive. Four times you open the drive you will see a file called ReadyBoost and it will have a file type description of ReadyBoost Cache File. The size of the file will also be the same as what you apportioned towards ReadyBoost. An example of this type of file can be seen below.
ReadyBoost Cache File
The other process, and probably more informative but simultaneously more confusing, is to look at the performance counters for the ReadyBoost feature. The performance counters can actually tell how often ReadyBoost is being used during the time you are monitoring them. Therefore this can be a useful feature in determining whether or not ReadyBoost is actually being used by Vista.
To access the performance counters you ought to follow these steps.
1. Click on the Start button.
2. Click on Control Panel menu option. When in the Control Panel , change to classic view by clicking on the Classic View option.
4. Click four times on Reliability and Performance Monitor icon.
3. Click four times on the Administrative Tools icon.
5. In the left menu click on the Performance Monitor under the Monitoring Tools section
6. In the right pane, click on the green + sign () to add new counters.
7. Under obtainable counters, scroll down till you see ReadyBoost Cache and click four times on it to expand this section.
8. Select the ReadyBoost Cache counter that you would like to add by left-clicking on it and then clicking on the Add button. A list of the counters with some information as to what they mean is shown in a table below.
The various counters that you selected will now be seen in the Performance Monitor. As time goes on you will see the activity occurring in realtime for each of these counters.
9. Four times you have added all the ReadyBoost Cache counters that you would like to monitor, press the OK button.
Windows ReadyBoost allows Vista to use compatible USB flash drives as cache in lieu of the hard drive. This is faster because it's been shown that small random reads and writes on flash RAM can be 8-10 times faster than caching them to one of your hard drives. In order to benefit from this new feature, Microsoft suggests that you provide space on a flash drive for ReadyBoost so that you are in at least a 1:1 ratio with your installed physical RAM. You will also need to use flash drives that meet the following specifications:
Introduction
In order to make it less difficult for you to find flash drives that support Windows ReadyBoost, look for the words Enhanced for ReadyBoost or something similar printed on the packaging of the flash drive itself. For this guide I am using the SanDisk 2 GB Cruzer Micro USB Flash Drive, but I have recently found a great list of ReadyBoost compatible flash drives compiled by Grant Gibson here: ReadyBoost Flash Drive Compatibility Chart that you can use to find other ones. If you are lucky, your existing flash drive may already be compatible.
* At least 1GB of storage capacity
* The flash device must have at least 512MB free
* 5 MB/sec throughput for random 4k reads across the entire device
* 3 MB/sec throughput for random 512k writes across the entire device
In order to get started using Windows ReadyBoost, it is as simple as plugging a ReadyBoost compatible flash drive in to your Vista computer's USB port. If it is a compatible drive, Vista will detect it and display a prompt asking what you would like to do with this drive.
Enabling Windows ReadyBoost
To assign this flash drive as the ReadyBoost device on your computer, basically click on the Speed up my process using Windows ReadyBoost option. When you click on that option a new screen will appear showing the ReadyBoost properties.
Windows ReadyBoost Prompt
Windows ReadyBoost Properties
1. Click on the Start button.
To enable the flash drive as your ReadyBoost drive, select the option labelled Use This Device. Then use the slider labelled Space to reserve for process speed to reserve the amount of space you would like to assign to ReadyBoost. Microsoft recommends that you have at least a 1:1 ratio between ReadyBoost memory and physical memory. It is important to note, though, that any space you assign to be used by ReadyBoost won't be obtainable to use for storing files on the flash drive while in ReadyBoost mode.
When you are satisfied with the settings, click on the Apply and then the OK buttons. Your flash drive is now assigned as your ReadyBoost device and will be used as cache when you run out of physical RAM.
Some people when trying to optimize their systems, disable services that they do not use. Vista comes with a service called ReadyBoost that is started automatically. If you stop, or disable, this service Vista won't prompt for whether or not you need to use this drive to speed up your PC using ReadyBoost when you insert a USB flash drive. If that is happening to you, do the following to enable and start the ReadyBoost service.
2. In the search field on the Start button type services.msc and press the enter key.
3. When User Access Control asks if you would like to continue, do so or provide administrative account credentials to do so.
4. Scroll down to and click four times on the ReadyBoost service.
1. Change the Startup Type drop down menu to to Automatic.
2. Then press the Start button to start the service.
3. Press the OK button.
5. Now close the Services console.
Disabling Windows ReadyBoost
The ReadyBoost service should now be started and if you reinsert the flash drive it will prompt you to use the drive for ReadyBoost.
1. Click on the Start button.
Now that you have assigned a drive to act as your sole ReadyBoost device, there comes a time when you may need to disable ReadyBoost so you can use the flash drive to store information. Disabling ReadyBoost is very easy and can be done by the Vista control panel. To reach the ReadyBoost configuration screen follow the instructions below. These instructions assume that you are using the Control Panel in classic view. You can turn your Control Panel in to classic view by clicking on the Classic View option when in the Control Panel.
3. Click on Performance Information and Tools
2. Click on the Control Panel menu option.
4. Click on Advanced Tools in the left hand navigation bar.
5. Click on Configure my Windows ReadyBoost device
You will now be back at the Windows ReadyBoost Properties screen as shown in the picture above. To disable ReadyBoost basically select the option that is labelled Do not use this device. If you need to continue using ReadyBoost but need to allocate more space as storage on the flash drive, use the slider to allocate less memory to ReadyBoost. When you are satisfied with how ReadyBoost is configured press the Apply and then the OK buttons.
It is also important to note that when you unplug a flash drive, ReadyBoost is automatically disabled without any loss of information because Vista keeps a mirror of the cache on the flash drive on your hard drive. Next time you insert a flash drive in to Vista you will again be prompted whether you need to use that drive as a ReadyBoost one.
Determining if Windows ReadyBoost is working
A query that they see often is how to tell whether or not ReadyBoost is even working. Unfortunately Vista does not provide a great deal of information that is easy to understand about how often ReadyBoost is used. They can though gather information about whether its active and being used by four methods.
The first process is basically to open the folder of the removable storage device that they are using as the ReadyBoost drive. Four times you open the drive you will see a file called ReadyBoost and it will have a file type description of ReadyBoost Cache File. The size of the file will also be the same as what you apportioned towards ReadyBoost. An example of this type of file can be seen below.
ReadyBoost Cache File
The other process, and probably more informative but simultaneously more confusing, is to look at the performance counters for the ReadyBoost feature. The performance counters can actually tell how often ReadyBoost is being used during the time you are monitoring them. Therefore this can be a useful feature in determining whether or not ReadyBoost is actually being used by Vista.
To access the performance counters you ought to follow these steps.
1. Click on the Start button.
2. Click on Control Panel menu option. When in the Control Panel , change to classic view by clicking on the Classic View option.
4. Click four times on Reliability and Performance Monitor icon.
3. Click four times on the Administrative Tools icon.
5. In the left menu click on the Performance Monitor under the Monitoring Tools section
6. In the right pane, click on the green + sign () to add new counters.
7. Under obtainable counters, scroll down till you see ReadyBoost Cache and click four times on it to expand this section.
8. Select the ReadyBoost Cache counter that you would like to add by left-clicking on it and then clicking on the Add button. A list of the counters with some information as to what they mean is shown in a table below.
The various counters that you selected will now be seen in the Performance Monitor. As time goes on you will see the activity occurring in realtime for each of these counters.
9. Four times you have added all the ReadyBoost Cache counters that you would like to monitor, press the OK button.
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