RAM Disk Optimization

[mostlynice]

Hi there,

 

Recently stumbled upon this article which may be of some interest to you performance seekers.

 

http://lifehacker.com/5969767/add-a-ram-disk-to-your-computer-for-faster+than+ssd-performance

 

On first look it seems like a good way to improve the performance of AutoCAD, and hopefully reduce fatal error or at least recover from them quicker. I had recently suggested an upgrade to the machines by putting our autodesk software on SSD's but I'm hesitant to follow this up due to the read/write limitations SSD's currently suffer from.

 

So my real question here is, has anyone used this method, or experimented with it before i pour many hours into what could be a waste of time? I'm already conducting a study on the SSD's improvement to system libraries and application start up.

[ReMark]

RAM disks are nothing new. If you have a computer with a sufficient amount of memory I really don't see the need to risk the volatility of using one. Losing an important file (or files) would not make me or my boss happy.

 

What read/write limitations do SSD's suffer from?

[PotGuy]

What makes a RAM disk so volatiale? Are they notorious for being unstable?

 

I haven't had any experience with a RAM disk so I can't give any personal experience with them.

[ReMark]

It means that all your data will be lost in the event of a power interruption of any kind. Storing your data in memory is not the same as writing it to your hard drive.

 

I remember using Microsoft's RAMDRIVE.SYS by inserting a DEVICEHIGH= command in my config.sys file. Users of DOS will probably recall this file as well as the equally famous autoexec.bat. How's that for a trip down memory lane?

[mostlynice]

RAM Disk's are very new to me. From what I've read in several different places there are longevity issues with constant read/writing to SSD's. So Autosave's would no longer occur if I reworked to software to use a RAM Disk opposed to reading from the HDD?

[ReMark]

Can you cite a reference? This is the first I've heard about longevity issues reading/writing to SSD's.

 

Ever experience a power interruption? A power spike?

 

How much RAM do you have installed in your computer?

 

What OS are you running? Is it 32-bit or 64-bit?

[welldriller]

Can you cite a reference? This is the first I've heard about longevity issues reading/writing to SSD's.

 

Ever experience a power interruption? A power spike?

 

How much RAM do you have installed in your computer?

 

What OS are you running? Is it 32-bit or 64-bit?

 

I used a ram disk back in the 1980's and it is faster than working on a drive. BUT as ReMark has pointed out -- after a 2 hour session of drawing and a power spike, brownout or turning your computer off without saving your work, makes a grown man cry.

 

As a matter of fact I still have a 5-1/4" floppy disk to make a ram drive.

[SLW210]

See these PRIMO RAMDISK and RAMDisks: Maximizing High-Capacity RAM

 

Faster Than an SSD: How to Turn Extra Memory Into a RAM Disk

 

I wouldn't be scared of a top quality SSD.

 

Some run both SSD and RamDisk.

 

Backup isn't a problem, you can use software to handle automatic backups, etc.

[irneb]

A few things which are more myth than anything else:

• SSD's write limitations. This used to be an extreme issue, but recently stuff like write levelling built into the disc's controller sorts out such issues to the point where some manufacturer's guarantee a lifetime of at least 100 years of continuous use (which is actually higher than the life time expectancy of even the best HDD). http://www.storagesearch.com/ssdmyths-endurance.html
  
• RAM discs allows all executable code to run faster. This might have been true when there was still the 640kb limit for DOS. But these days most (if not all) OS's can directly access all the RAM your PC can have installed. Previously you'd have moved your swap file onto the RAM disc so once the program used more ram than allowed it's swap would reside on the rest of the RAM. This makes little sense these days.
  
• RAM discs makes data access faster. Each time you turn on the PC the RAM disc needs to be recreated from scratch. So you have to copy all the data from the slow HDD onto it before you could start using it, then you have to copy that data back so you'd not loose it once you turn the PC off. So it only increases the speed while the file(s) is already on the RAM disc. And most OS's and/or disc systems have a read/write cache anyway, which does this principle without needing such extra virtual disc.
  
• RAM discs increase program loading. Similar to the data access, the programs need to be copied onto the RAM disc each time you turn on your PC. So loading the program once is not any faster, and even a second time is arguably not any faster either (since most operating systems keep loaded programs in cache so a second load goes a lot quicker anyway).
  

IMO RAM discs are rather useless these days. There are other alternatives which either do the same job without all the geeky tweeking, or even provide better performance.

[welldriller]

Thank you imeb some very good in formation.

[PotGuy]

Learnt something.