There is a built-in feature in windows 7 known as “Ready
Boost” that enables you to use Flash / pen drive as an extended RAM for your
computer. The idea is very much beneficial because at times we run out of
memory, for example when playing heavy graphics games etc. The idea however has
some drawbacks too that have the potential to deteriorate the health of your
USB / Pen drive at a very fast rate.
Boost” that enables you to use Flash / pen drive as an extended RAM for your
computer. The idea is very much beneficial because at times we run out of
memory, for example when playing heavy graphics games etc. The idea however has
some drawbacks too that have the potential to deteriorate the health of your
USB / Pen drive at a very fast rate.
The Flash drive which we use commonly is actually a type of
EEPROM (EEPROM stands for electronically erasable programmable ROM) and is not purposely
designed for these kinds of tasks. Flash drives have certain limitations
associated with them. One of them is program/ erases cycles. Program/erase cycles
is a measure number of times a chip can be erased and programmed before it
becomes unusable. Currently for most of the commonly used flash drives,
program/ erase cycle are 500,000. That means you can write and erase data
500,000 times before the device does not remain usable anymore. For functioning
as a RAM the program / erase cycles of Flash Drive must go infinite as in the
case of a Hard Disk or actual RAM chip you use in your computer.
EEPROM (EEPROM stands for electronically erasable programmable ROM) and is not purposely
designed for these kinds of tasks. Flash drives have certain limitations
associated with them. One of them is program/ erases cycles. Program/erase cycles
is a measure number of times a chip can be erased and programmed before it
becomes unusable. Currently for most of the commonly used flash drives,
program/ erase cycle are 500,000. That means you can write and erase data
500,000 times before the device does not remain usable anymore. For functioning
as a RAM the program / erase cycles of Flash Drive must go infinite as in the
case of a Hard Disk or actual RAM chip you use in your computer.
When operated as an
extended RAM with computer, program / erase instructions are generated in micro
seconds by the CPU to store and erase data from the flash drive stick. Literally
the number of instructions ranges from tens of thousand to hundreds of thousand
instructions per second. If this goes on for a long time then most probably you
will end up rendering your flash drive unusable for ever.
extended RAM with computer, program / erase instructions are generated in micro
seconds by the CPU to store and erase data from the flash drive stick. Literally
the number of instructions ranges from tens of thousand to hundreds of thousand
instructions per second. If this goes on for a long time then most probably you
will end up rendering your flash drive unusable for ever.
That is why it is strongly recommended to use your flash
drive as an extended RAM only during the time of intense needs.
drive as an extended RAM only during the time of intense needs.
