SG Broadband Community

I just got Ars soft RamDisk.
The only way I've been able to get it to work is by selecting "emulate hard disk". I initially put my temp internet files there, but I've read that limits my downloads to the size of the Ramdrive.
Than I've read this but it's using a different program.
Could someone explain how I should set this up and what size and files I should put there?
In short I need help.
I'm running XP on a NTFS system if that helps.
Thanks.

I am using the ram disk on my 2k setup. 64 megs setup exactly as below. I have my temporary internet files stored in it. No problems downloading large files, non that I know of that anyway.

I cliped this from a post here at Speedguide. I believe it was mnosteele52
that posted it.

I have to give FULL credit to Norm on this one , if it wasn't for him I wouldn't even have tried a Ramdisk again.
First download AR RAM Disk and unzip, extract and install it. It will then be in your Control Panel,
so open your Control Panel and click on the new RAM Disk icon and check the box Enable RAM Disk.

General tab
drive letter: whatever you like (it defaults to Z)
Start up type: Automatic
Operating mode: RAM Disk mode

Geometry tab
Disk size: whatever you want to use, depending on the amount of physical RAM you have you can go up to 511MB,
personally I use 64MB (which should be more than adequate for your temporary internet files.
Bytes per Sector: 512*
Sectors per Track: 32*
Tracks per Cylinder: 2*

File System
Volume Name: RAMDISK*
Volume ID: 7FFFFFFF*

Manual override - use at your own risk, I saw no need to use it.

* these are all defaults, I saw no need to change them

Now select OK and reboot to take effect. Once you reboot right click on your IE desktop icon and select
properties - General tab - Settings...
- Check for newer versions of stored pages: Automatically,
Temporary Internet files folder - Move Folder...
- direct it to your new RAM Disk and make the Amount of disk space to use:
1MB smaller than you set it to (it should do this automatically) then select OK and it will prompt you to log-off,
do so and log back on and your are all done.
Now enjoy your web pages loading much faster and less hard drive activity.

Some people choose to download files to their RAM Disk, this will make downloads a bit faster and smoother
but remember the size of the file you are downloading cannot exceed the size of your RAM Disk.
Also you must note that when you reboot all your temporary internet files will be cleared since they are in RAM.
This is a great tweak for 56K users, it makes web surfing MUCH more enjoyable.

Once again, a BIG thanks goes to Norm .
He peaked my interest in it again and I just gave a little more detail on how to set it up and use it.

Thanks Dude.
I tried that but for some reason it only works if I select emulate local hard disk.
When I select Ramdisk mode it says "Z drive is not accesable".
It could be a service I have disabled. Anyone know what services it needs to run?
Or if running it as a local disk degrades performance?

Also,
Should I put the TCP or Nic driver there?

Sorry don't know what services it uses. If I remember correctly I had to reboot once before I could use it. I have heard the putting the TCP or Nic driver there really speeds things up. The draw back is your boot time increases while you script all that stuff in. I have never tried it myself. Maybe some day?

A word of caution....
The "crazyman" tweak is a bit of work and can be messed up easily if instructions are misinterpretted. Read over the instructions very carefully to make sure you understand, and impliment them properly.
It would be a good idea to ghost your drive just in case something goes wrong.

On another note: (If you use the ramdrive for IE temp files)
Why not go all the way and put your cookies, and history in there too?

You'll have to search the registry for history, and cookies and edit any paths to reflect the path to your ramdrive, or a folder on it. Use 'Find Next' until you've found them ALL.
Once this is done, the HD has even less data to write while surfing.

Again, make a backup before starting. Be safe, not sorry.

Good luck

P.S. The ramdrive can be 100 mb and you can still download 500mb files. Just don't download them to the ramdrive, put them on the HD somewhere instead..

Thanks Norm
I'll try it again since I'm due for a reformat. If I can get it right than I'll be all good. It is a tough one though.

Welcome

Danjr, the author of the crazyman tweak is capable of writing a program to install the tweak automatically, he must be too busy for such things these days, but it would make it a lot easier for the average user.

Maybe a case of beer would help entice him to work on it

I'm capable too, but I don't drink

Hmmmm.
*Looks around for something to tempt you to do it*


Yeah I got the cookies and history moved to the Ramdrive.
I'm still stumped on loading AFD and TCPIP though.
I tried this TCP.BAT
@echo on

copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\tcpip.sys Z:\
copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\afd.sys Z:\

net start afd
net start tcpip

ipconfig

@pause

Still no go

In regedit I changed the paths to:
\??\Z:\afd.sys
\??\tcpip.sys

I haven't made it to the second page over here yet
I'm trying though.

Yayyyyy I got it to work! :2cool:

I posted over at dslnuts and Micro gave me the following script for a static IP:

@echo on

Echo Starting TCP/IP Services

copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\afd.sys z:\
copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\netbt.sys z:\
copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\tcpip.sys z:\
copy c:\windows\System32\DRIVERS\ipnat.sys z:\

net start afd
net start netbt
net start tcpip
net start ipnat

Name this login.cmd and drop it into root and start-up.
I changed the image paths in the registry as instructed in the tutorial, with the addition of "netbt and ipnat".

If you're using dhcp I assume you could add
"net start dhcp" to the above script.
:2cool:

And thanks to Norm I also have cookies, history and temporary internet files on the Ram drive too.