Windows 7 Poor RAMdisk speeds

[doveman]

I've got 16GB now so decided to try making a 10GB RAMdisk and loading a game (DCS World) from that to see if the stuttering problems I experience are indeed caused by the HDD not being able to stream the data fast enough.

However, as you can see from the images below, when I benchmarked the RAMdisk the Seq and 512K speeds were much lower than were achieved by Raymond here 12 RAM Disk Software Benchmarked for Fastest Read and Write Speed

I tried a couple of different programs and RAMdisk sizes just to check it wasn't just one particular config that was causing the slow speeds.

This is my 10GB NTFS RAMDisk Enterprise disk in ATTO:
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and this is my 512MB FAT32 DataRAM RAMdisk:
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This is the 10GB NTFS RAMdisk Enterprise disk in CDM:
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and this is the 512MB FAT32 DataRAM RAMdisk:
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and lastly I made a 512MB FAT disk with Bond Disc (which did very well in Raymond's tests):
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As you can see, the Seq and 512k results are about half what Raymond got and only on the 4K and 4K QD32 figures do I match, or in some cases exceed his results. In fact, on the 4K QD32 Write I exceeded his best result (324MB/s) quite considerably but that's not much consolation when I want to use a RAMdisk for loading games (i.e. only reading) and I'm getting such poor Seq and 512k results.

I also tried the SoftPerfect RAMdisk and was able to create a 10GB NTFS RAMdisk but whilst copying the DCSW files to it, it said it was unable to continue as the files were corrupt. Checking the RAMdisk showed that that the DCSW folder was now inaccessible or and non delete-able and so I had to unmount the RAMdisk and re-mount it (now empty) to clear that problem. Trying again gave the same result so I gave up on that software.

I've tested the RAM with MaxxMem Preview and that seems fine.

DDR3-666 (1333) Mhz, Dual Unganged-Channel (9-9-9-24-1T), NB 2000Mhz:
Copy 10466 MB/s
Read 8107 MB/s
Write 6831 MB/s
Score 7.47GB/s
Latency 66.9 ns

So does anyone know what's up and what needs adjusting/fixing to get the RAMdisk speeds up to normal?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're experiencing slower performance with your RAMdisks compared to benchmarks you've seen, causing concerns about loading games like DCS World. Here are a few points to consider and steps you can take to potentially improve the performance of your RAMdisks:
1. RAMdisk Speed Discrepancy:
- The discrepancy in your RAMdisk speeds may be due to various factors, including the configuration of the RAMdisk software, the specific settings you've chosen, and the overall system optimization.
2. Potential Solutions:
- Update Drivers: Ensure that your motherboard chipset drivers and other relevant drivers are up to date. This can sometimes have an impact on the performance of your RAMdisk.
- Optimize RAMdisk Settings: Check the settings of the RAMdisk software you are using. Make sure you are utilizing the correct settings for optimal performance.
- Check for Conflicts: Sometimes conflicts with other software or drivers can impact the performance of the RAMdisk. Ensure there are no conflicting programs running that might be affecting performance.
- Monitor System Resource Usage: Keep an eye on your system resource usage while running the RAMdisk to identify any potential bottlenecks or issues.
3. Alternative Software:
- Since you've encountered issues with some software like SoftPerfect RAMdisk, you could try other RAMdisk software options to see if they provide better performance and compatibility with your system.
4. Benchmarking Tools:
- Use benchmarking tools like ATTO Disk Benchmark and CrystalDiskMark to consistently measure the performance of your RAMdisks and compare it against standard benchmarks.
5. Game Loading Performance:
- While Seq and 512k speeds are important for general disk performance, the 4K results matter significantly for loading times in games. Ensure your RAMdisk performs well in these areas for optimal game loading speeds.
6. Data Integrity:
- If you've encountered issues with file corruption, it's crucial to address this immediately. Check your RAMdisk for any errors and ensure file integrity when transferring data.
By following these steps and monitoring the performance of your RAMdisks using benchmarking tools, you should be able to diagnose any issues and optimize the setup for improved performance. Remember that RAMdisks can be a beneficial tool for enhancing system performance, so fine-tuning their settings can lead to better results.