From: mpalmer@encore.com (Mike Palmer)
Subject: Re: Windows On A RAMDRIVE??? Help...
Organization: Encore Computer Corporation
Nntp-Posting-Host: sysgem1.encore.com
Lines: 31

f_langleyrh@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:


>[...] Stuff del'd for bandwidth's sake.

>Why?  *sigh*  If you don't have more than 16MBs of memory using a RAMDrive
>with windows is a _waste_ of memory.  Windows will access upto 16MB RAM better
>as memory.  As to why what you did didn't work, it is because driveletters
>and paths are stored inside the group/pif/ini files.  All of the sudden things
>went from drive c: to drive e:!  However, if you wanted to copy an application
>up to the RAMDrive and re-setup it up, that should work normally, but as
>previously stated, this will only hurt things unless you've got more than 16MBs
>of RAM and are using whats above 16 as the RAMDrive.

>I personally have 20MB's of RAM and run a ~4MB RAMDrive with a great deal of
>success.  However, if you are looking to speed up windows, the three things
>I've noted that work the best are:
>	1) A graphics accellerator card
>	2) A co-processor (Even an emulator helps!)
>	3) Some other disk-cache besides Smartdrive (I've tried several,
>	   and Lightning for Windows and Norton Cache give me major
>	   headaches as well.).

I think the purpose the original poster was trying to serve is to avoid the
SIGNIFICANT amount of disk access that Windows does on startup.  It's like
it's trying to it's bit in wearing the damn drive out.  I estimate it's only
reading a Mb of programs & data, but from the performance the drive gives, it
sounds like they are scattered all over the drive (my drive is however
regularily compressed).  What is it that takes so much fuss.  Perhaps if MS 
would take the trouble to optimize this startup process, less people would 
be wanting to find a solution themselves.
