What's the best type of flash memory for ReadyBoost?

Hi - any idea what the best type of flash memory is for Vista ReadyBoost? I have a SanDisk Cruzer USB 2.0 flash drive, as well as a SanDisk Extreme III SD card. Which one would read and write faster using ReadyBoost? I like how the SD card doesn't stick out of the integrated memory card reader, but not sure if USB is faster.

 

What type of SD card reader you gonna use?

 

Using the integrated memory card reader on an HP DV2000t.

 

I'd have to guess everything else being equal, the integrated card reader would be faster than USB.

 

would a USB flash drive not be fast enough for readyboost?

 

may be it is just my system, but after playing around with readyboost, either on sd card or usb stick, i m setttling with my usb stick and using at the moment - at least i can "feel" that it is running better. Too bad that the stick does stick out like a sore thumb

cheers ..

 

Just remember that flash memory has a limited number of write cycles it can go through.

 

would u expand the statement?
what does this "limited ..." have to do with ready.boost functionality?
r u implying that ready.boost would "kill" the hardware (flash memory)?

cheers ...

 

All flash memory will eventually fail after a certain number of writes/reads. It is similar to how hard drives have a certain time before they will fail (usually in the 10s of thousands or hundreds? of thousands of hours). Ready boost works to help alleviate the load on your hard drive by using your flash drive. Flash drives generally have faster access times while being slower in transfer rates. In terms of if your USB flash drive is fast enough, Vista will let you know if it is not up to par.

 

That is correct. Most flash memory devices are guaranteed for at least 1 million write cycles. And ReadyBoost uses the flash memory as an extension of regular memory. How long it'll take to kill a flash memory card is unknown, but it will over time.

 

A few things:

1. ReadyBoost is not an extension of system RAM. That's a common misconception, because Vista uses unused RAM for a similar purpose. ReadyBoost is a form of hard disk cache, storing (mostly small) files you access frequently on a flash memory device for quicker access than reading them off the hard drive. In Vista, all of your free RAM is also allocated to caching files off the hard disk that Vista thinks you may access soon. The major difference is that the RAM cache changes constantly, whereas the ReadyBoost cache changes much less frequently.

2. ReadyBoost specifically limits how often it changes which files to "store" to prevent dramatically shortening the life of the flash memory device.

3. Though SD cards can be used as ReadyBoost devices, the speed on even the best isn't nearly as fast as a fast USB flash drive. For notebooks, though, it can be more useful to use an SD card that can be stored essentially "inside" the notebook. Be sure to use a FAST SD card though, as many aren't fast enough to pass the ReadyBoost test. Also, the SD card reader has to be of the type that DOES NOT show up as a drive when there is no media in it. If it DOES show up as a drive without media inserted, WIndows won't let you use it for ReadyBoost.


Hope that helps.

 

sure i do understand that with any mechanical devices (ram, hdd, flash drive, usb, iPod ....) would with time, degenerate to the need of replacing.

what i (personally) object to is that lots of "contra" vista, blasting ready.boost functionality as if to singly pointing finger at this "clearly clever way of enhancing system performance" as hardware killer

would i then blame some integrated gpu for the demeanor of my ram since it uses part of it to process graphical tasks? or would i blame some app that use my harddrive pagefile to kill my hard disk because of its access?

i would not use any lowsy apps (utilities) - but using the excuse that it would (eventually, theorically) precipitate the hardware failure is not part of it

cheers ...

 

I'm not a "contra" vista, qhn. In fact, I'm currently using it in dual-boot with XP. I just don't want people shocked because their flash drive no longer works after using it for ReadyBoost for quite a while. If you wish to just ignore the physical properties of flash memory, then that's your choice.