How to Add More Memory With My Flash Drive
By Ruri Ranbe
Increasing your system's RAM can considerably improve a computer's performance. Windows ReadyBoost allows users to temporarily increase their system's memory without adding physical RAM to the interior of their desktop or laptop computers. ReadyBoost uses the disk cache on the USB flash drive, rather than on the internal hard drive, to increase system performance, as random disk reads are significantly faster with flash memory than with an internal hard drive.
For the best performance, your USB drive should be at least one gigabyte in size and it should have at least 512 megabytes of disk space available.
Step 1
Click "Start," then "Control Panel." Select "Control Panel Home" from the menu on the left panel. Click "Play CDs or other media automatically."
Step 2
Confirm that "Use AutoPlay for all media and devices" is checked. Click "Save."
Step 3
Insert your flash drive into a USB port on your computer. Select "Speed up my system using Windows ReadyBoost" from the list of options.
Step 4
Click "Use this device" on the "ReadyBoost" tab. Slide the tab to the left or to the right to decrease or increase, respectively, the amount of disk space to use toward memory.
Step 5
Click "OK." Windows will use the space reserved on the flash drive as extra memory.
References
Warnings
- Not all USB drives are compatible with Windows ReadyBoost.
- Windows ReadyBoost only works on Windows Vista and 7 operating systems.
Writer Bio
Ruri Ranbe has been working as a writer since 2008. She received an A.A. in English literature from Valencia College and is completing a B.S. in computer science at the University of Central Florida. Ranbe also has more than six years of professional information-technology experience, specializing in computer architecture, operating systems, networking, server administration, virtualization and Web design.