How to use ReadyBoost to speed up Windows
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First introduced in Windows Vista, then later improved on in Windows 7, is a component of Windows named ReadyBoost. ReadyBoost takes capable, USB flash memory devices and uses them for caching – typically 80 to 100 times faster than a traditional hard disk drive. This allows Windows to perform considerably faster, great for owners of netbooks or older computers.
Essentially, what ReadyBoost does, is store temporary data for Windows on chosen USB flash memory devices instead of on the hard drive. Since flash memory is considerably faster than a hard drive’s speed, this allows Windows to perform faster. You may not feel the performance gain, as newer netbooks generally come with pretty fast hard drives, but it’s there, and benchmark tests prove ReadyBoost does indeed speed up your system.
Unfortunately, not all devices are capable of ReadyBoost. Windows will automatically tell you whether or not they can. To do so, simply try turning on ReadyBoost – if it works, that’s great! If it doesn’t, you may need a larger or faster flash drive. Here’s how to get ReadyBoost up and running for a USB flash memory device.
- Go go My Computer, and open the properties tab of the USB flash drive of your choice by right clicking on the selected USB device, and pressing the “Properties” option in the Windows shell menu.
- Go to the “ReadyBoost” tab. If your USB device is capable of ReadyBoost, Windows should provide a few options to choose from. If not, Windows will tell you that your device is not capable.
- Now, you can choose how much memory to allow ReadyBoost to allocate on your flash drive. You can dedicate a device to ReadyBoost, or only allow some memory for ReadyBoost. It’s your choice – you can freely use the rest of your flash drive’s memory, regardless of how much ReadyBoost uses.
- Press “Ok” when you’re done, and you’re set!
ReadyBoost even works during System Startup – benchmarks have reported to be able to cut off a few seconds from start time, especially on computers with less memory (such as netbooks with only 1gb of RAM).
