Windows 7 Device fails readyboost performance test

gdpuffs

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Joined
Apr 29, 2011
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14
I have a new 8 GB memory stick and it passed the readyboost test - initially. But I wanted to dedicate the device to readyboost so I reformatted to NTFS (was FAT32 initially) and now all I can get is "This device cannot be used with Readyboost". I have tried a command line test that gives me a read speed of 4.8 MB/S which according to the specs I have seen is fast enough for Readyboost.
 


Solution
Thanks Randy. From what I have researched, I probably should not bother since this computer probably will not realize any performance gains (Win 7-64bit, 8 GB Ram, fast hard drive). But I did want to find out why it would work before but not after formatting to NTFS. I looked in event viewer and found the write tests were all over the place. Then just to try it, I formatted the stick using "exFAT" and now the stick does pass the ready boost test. It looks like for small memory sticks that do not need to be encrypted that exFAT may be a better choice than NTFS. I still went into device manager and set it up for better performance. Thanks again.
Personally I wouldn't bother, but if you want to use it as a ReadyBoost drive, then;
Close all open windows, especially explorer / library windows.
Click the Start Orb and type
device manager
and hit enter
Expand Disk drives
select then right click your new 8gig Memory Stick and choose properties
Select the Polices tab
Select the Better Performance radio button
OK your way back out of there
Close device manager
Click the Start Orb->Computer
Select then right click your new 8gig Memory stick and choose properties
Select the ReadyBoost tab
Select the Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost (if that is really what you want to do)
and OK your way back out of there.
Regards
Randy
 


Thanks Randy. From what I have researched, I probably should not bother since this computer probably will not realize any performance gains (Win 7-64bit, 8 GB Ram, fast hard drive). But I did want to find out why it would work before but not after formatting to NTFS. I looked in event viewer and found the write tests were all over the place. Then just to try it, I formatted the stick using "exFAT" and now the stick does pass the ready boost test. It looks like for small memory sticks that do not need to be encrypted that exFAT may be a better choice than NTFS. I still went into device manager and set it up for better performance. Thanks again.
 


Solution
In fact, Ready Boost will slow your system down because of the extra write operations and will probably never be used for paging. Keep it off. Look into Resource Monitor > Memory tab. The graph on the bottom right will tell you how much paging is going on in your system. I bet none - apart from the occasional stray hickup.
 


Last edited:
I have a new 8 GB memory stick and it passed the readyboost test - initially. But I wanted to dedicate the device to readyboost so I reformatted to NTFS (was FAT32 initially) and now all I can get is "This device cannot be used with Readyboost". I have tried a command line test that gives me a read speed of 4.8 MB/S which according to the specs I have seen is fast enough for Readyboost.

Just delete the files related to your USB drive from "EMDMgmt" in Registry and then reinsert your USB drive. I would have posted a link here to a post helping you guys out but it doesn't let me.
 


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