• AnyStream is having some DRM issues currently, Netflix is not available in HD for the time being.
    Situations like this will always happen with AnyStream: streaming providers are continuously improving their countermeasures while we try to catch up, it's an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Please be patient and don't flood our support or forum with requests, we are working on it 24/7 to get it resolved. Thank you.

Discussion Physical RAM-Disc

DeepSpace

DeepSpace

Well-Known Member
Thread Starter
Joined
Apr 6, 2019
Messages
4,635
Likes
1,844
Some weeks ago, I read about a physical RAM-Disc that is in development, but can't find it anymore. By using Google, this old thread from 2011 was the only thing with an actual product, but it is not available anymore.
Since the buttons are greyed out for some reason, I cannot embed the link into the text, so here it is: (I can still code it because I know how, but never looked how the links work)
Code: 
https://www.overclock.net/threads/affordable-physical-ram-disk.1160756/

Does anyone know a product that is currently available? Doesn't matter if it comes with modules or not, or if it is DDR2 or 5, everything is better than what I have (nothing).
If someone knows an Adapter for DDR2 SO-Dimm RAM (Laptop RAM), I would take it as well. I only have 4 GBs of it, but since I upgraded my laptop to 8GB, the two old 2GB modules are now lying around without use. But other than that, I want nothing specific (except that it should have an up to date connection so I can use it with my current PC and W11).

Of course I know that software can do it as well, and I have enough RAM do use it, but 8 or 16 GB might not be enough to convert something etc (I want to put my temp files on it, not only to save the SSD some wear and tear, but also because it gets deleted automatically when I turn the PC off. So I think a physical disc makes more sense than software even if it is more expensive). Also, I am just curious to try it and see how it works.
 
I have done this in software for years. It's a pain with Windows to move or redirect the 2 temp locations but once you do it you are good until the next major windows update. At which point you have to repoint again.

I use a software by Romex and it's the best RamDisk I have ever found.

You can do this with environment variables but I found that to be problematic. So the thing to do is boot into safemode and use mklink to "fool" windows into pointing to your RamDisk. This fools nearly everything. Once in a bluemoon something checks and it will flip out. But when it does I will open the CLI, set my temp variables there and run the app and it will work. A famous example of this is Corsair iCue.

I use a 4GB RamDisk on my 2 main machines for day to day temp needs and that is plenty. I use a 24GB RamDisk on my plex box for transcoding.
 
Thanks for the details, I will try it if no one knows a physical disc. ICue won't be a problem as I don't use it. Besides that, I don't intend to set the Windows tmp folder to the RAM disc for now, I mainly mean it for personal files to avoid forgetting to delete them.
But maybe I try it one time. Main issue is my thinking that the RAM disc might not be there before the program could autostart, or is it always there? That's another reason why I might prefer a physical, because it is always there, without a software that needs to start first and what if Windows wants to use the tmp folder but can't because the software isn't running yet?
 
  • Like
Reactions: DQ
DeepSpace said:
Thanks for the details, I will try it if no one knows a physical disc. ICue won't be a problem as I don't use it. Besides that, I don't intend to set the Windows tmp folder to the RAM disc for now, I mainly mean it for personal files to avoid forgetting to delete them.
But maybe I try it one time. Main issue is my thinking that the RAM disc might not be there before the program could autostart, or is it always there? That's another reason why I might prefer a physical, because it is always there, without a software that needs to start first and what if Windows wants to use the tmp folder but can't because the software isn't running yet?
Click to expand...
The Romex software is awesome and that is one of the reasons. The Ramdisk is always there I have never had an issue with it in that regard and I have used it for several years. I send my system temps files and my user temp files to it. Works great because you never have to worry about clearing them out for either house cleaning or security reasons.
 
I used Intel Optane 32GB for this for some time and it was great.
But as far as I remember Optane has been stopped.
Also your MoBo needs to support Optane in normal cases and need to install drivers to get the full performance.
It uses an M2 slot.
Not sure if its still being sold or not.
 
Personally speaking, I think the more generic software solution is going to be better/more reliable than a somewhat proprietary solution in this situation. That's just my take on it based on having run RamDrives for a long time.
 
You might want to check out StarWind RAM Disk for software-based solution.
 
This is the one I use and have liked for a long time.

Code: 
https://www.romexsoftware.com/en-us/primo-ramdisk/index.html
 
I haven't checked any of the suggestions the both of you made yet, but thanks for the direct link. I will take a look next week.
 
DeepSpace said:
I haven't checked any of the suggestions the both of you made yet, but thanks for the direct link. I will take a look next week.
Click to expand...
Just remember, do not allocate too much of your computer RAM to the RAM disc, you need some to run your computer, even those with 128GBs of RAM, which is max on a lot of motherboards, should only use 50% of that at best. But I doubt you have 128GBs of RAM, if you have 32GBs, your optimal RAM< disc should have no more than 16GBs allocated.
 
RedFox 1 said:
Just remember, do not allocate too much of your computer RAM to the RAM disc, you need some to run your computer, even those with 128GBs of RAM, which is max on a lot of motherboards, should only use 50% of that at best. But I doubt you have 128GBs of RAM, if you have 32GBs, your optimal RAM< disc should have no more than 16GBs allocated.
Click to expand...
Of course, I have 32 GB, but that is one reason why I thought if a physical version would be better. I wouldn't leave less than 8GB.
 
DQ said:
This is the one I use and have liked for a long time.

Code: 
https://www.romexsoftware.com/en-us/primo-ramdisk/index.html
Click to expand...
Do you use Standard, Professional or Ultimate?
 
If your main issue is not enough RAM, just throw more swap at the problem. Compiling VCMI requires at least 4GB RAM - how do you think it's possible even with PS3's humble 256MB RAM? Of course I threw more swap at the problem ;)

If you just need a faster-than-SSD block device, there were of course those PCI/PCIE cards which take RAM sticks and expose the contents via SATA.
You have to remember though that these are bizarre devices, probably for enthusiasts or enterprise customers, so you will be ripped off. Especially if those are rare retro products.
DDR1: https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-gc-ramdisk-others/p/N82E16815168001
Uknown: https://www.ddrdrive.com/menu1.html
With these, you're still restricted by your bus speed. If this is not enough, you might want to see if Optane DC PMEM isn't dead yet. Cause if it isn't, that's good news for you, but this isn't even a product for enterprise customers, this is a product literally for companies that commissioned it. If you can get any scraps, good for you. If you can afford those scraps, even better because I heard it costed $12000 just to get MB and CPU with support for it, and another $9000 for the module. At this point you might be wondering if it wouldn't make more sense to just buy more RAM ;)
 
Last edited:
grepwood said:
there were of course those PCI/PCIE cards which take RAM sticks and expose the contents via SATA
Click to expand...
That is what I am looking for, but the one I could find is out of stock, as well as the one you linked. Not sure what terms to use for Google to find them, when I search for physical RAM, mostly software shows up.
 
DeepSpace said:
That is what I am looking for, but the one I could find is out of stock, as well as the one you linked. Not sure what terms to use for Google to find them, when I search for physical RAM, mostly software shows up.
Click to expand...
I just looked up "PCI ramdisk". I remember looking for those in 2017 to show them to a friend and I found some oddball DDR2 ramdisk on ebay, sold by some Russian guy, for astronomical amounts of money. However, my memory of what that one was called is entirely lost to time.
 
I found something, but will take a closer look at a later time (probably not today anymore)
Code: 
https://www.quora.com/Are-PCI-or-PCIE-cards-for-RAM-disks-still-a-thing
http://ddramdisk.store/shop/
 
The So-Dimm To Dimm Adapter would be the thing I need for my Laptop RAM, but it appears they only have DDR3 and DDR4 atm. Maybe I will find something on eBay.
 
DeepSpace said:
The So-Dimm To Dimm Adapter would be the thing I need for my Laptop RAM, but it appears they only have DDR3 and DDR4 atm. Maybe I will find something on eBay.
Click to expand...
You know there's a thing called "unofficial RAM limit" for a lot of motherboards?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top