Hack Ramdisk Drive?

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:03 pm

Just wondering if there was a way to make the Ramdisk larger than 32mb? I use the Totalidea Ramdisk drive which you can set up to 256mb but there is a problem accessing it so i have to use the MS driver which will only allow 32mb. Any ideas?

Thanks, Jason

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:08 pm

Sure Jason, use Arsoft's Ramdrive.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:36 pm

Originally posted by mnosteele52
Sure Jason, use Arsoft's Ramdrive.

Thanks Mnosteele. Should i uninstall my current Ramdisk first?

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:43 pm

Yep unistall the MS one and reboot then install this one.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:08 pm

Originally posted by mnosteele52
Yep unistall the MS one and reboot then install this one.

Now it get This drive is not accessible. Strange.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:12 pm

Originally posted by PãradØxDêit¥™
Now it get This drive is not accessible. Strange.

Scratch that, I got it. Thanks.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:46 pm

Now it quit working, I am at a loss now, been messing with this all day. Any ideas?

The Dude · Post by **The Dude** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 5:20 pm

I clipped this from another post here a while ago. I don't remember who posted it but I use it as instructions on how to set up the ram drive. Hope it helps.

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.

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 5:30 pm

Hey those were my instructions.

I hope they work for you.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:08 pm

OK, Thanks Guy's. See if you can help with this now. I changed my

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AFD
and, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip

imagepath key's to: \??\R:\afd.sys and \??\R:\tcip.sys

Then i wrote a script to start up when i boot in notepad and saved it as Ramdisk.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
net start dhcp

ipconfig

@pause

--------------------------------

When i boot it get the following error. Should i have use the files from service pack/i386 folder instead?

Any ideas?

Thanks, Jason

Melvin · Post by **Melvin** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 7:10 pm

I agree with the Dude and MNOSteele52 but I want to add that you don`t have to lose what you save on the RamDisk!!!!...with the ONLY exception of power loss or the system freezing up.

In W2K you have Startup scripts and shutdown scripts.
(I am still surprised that to the best of my knowledge very few people seem to be aware of the ability to save the contents of your RamDisk).
To make my point....my W2K starts up...
Somewhere early on the RamDisk("Z") is made (AR Ramdisk)..100Mb
Later on whilst starting up my Startup script copies directories I have made to the RamDisk,(in my case a couple of small applications). I`m sure Phillip and Co remember The CrazyMan Tweak. In this tweak there is enough info about startup scripts and the same applies to starting up as shutting down.
After logging into my system and starting Explorer I see on my Ramdisk the applications again...every time.
Start up and shutdown scripts are *.cmd files so that you can start them up in Explorer or even in a Command box, in other words you can save to disk the contents of your ramdisk by double-klicking the "shutdown".cmd file at anytime of your choosing.

I`m not so sure I`m being very clear here so if there are questions be sure to post...

There is software on the market that does this for you on the fly.

This is my startup script:
@echo off
MD Z:\"Program Files"
xcopy H:\"ZDrive\Program Files" /e /y Z:\"Program Files"

and this is my shutdown script:
@echo off

xcopy Z:\"Program Files" /e /y H:\ZDrive\"Program Files"

To conclude: By regularly running a shutdown script you can only lose the LAST session you had.

I hope that someone somewhere understands what I`m writing about....

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 7:29 pm

Originally posted by Melvin
I agree with the Dude and MNOSteele52 but I want to add that you don`t have to lose what you save on the RamDisk!!!!...with the ONLY exception of power loss or the system freezing up.

In W2K you have Startup scripts and shutdown scripts.
(I am still surprised that to the best of my knowledge very few people seem to be aware of the ability to save the contents of your RamDisk).
To make my point....my W2K starts up...
Somewhere early on the RamDisk("Z") is made (AR Ramdisk)..100Mb
Later on whilst starting up my Startup script copies directories I have made to the RamDisk,(in my case a couple of small applications). I`m sure Phillip and Co remember The CrazyMan Tweak. In this tweak there is enough info about startup scripts and the same applies to starting up as shutting down.
After logging into my system and starting Explorer I see on my Ramdisk the applications again...every time.
Start up and shutdown scripts are *.cmd files so that you can start them up in Explorer or even in a Command box, in other words you can save to disk the contents of your ramdisk by double-klicking the "shutdown".cmd file at anytime of your choosing.

I`m not so sure I`m being very clear here so if there are questions be sure to post...

There is software on the market that does this for you on the fly.

This is my startup script:
@echo off
MD Z:\"Program Files"
xcopy H:\"ZDrive\Program Files" /e /y Z:\"Program Files"

and this is my shutdown script:
@echo off

xcopy Z:\"Program Files" /e /y H:\ZDrive\"Program Files"

To conclude: By regularly running a shutdown script you can only lose the LAST session you had.

I hope that someone somewhere understands what I`m writing about....

Thanks, Good info. But i am using my RamDisk for my network protocol. I'm wondering if DHCP has something to do with this not working. I think i'll start another thread for setting up Network Protocal on a RamDisk. If memory serves me right i think that Philip and some other forum members help develop this.

Thanks for all the help.

The Dude · Post by **The Dude** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 8:51 pm

Here is some more info to look at.
Windows 2000 Ramdisk guide. from dslnuts.com

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:13 pm

Originally posted by The Dude
Here is some more info to look at.
Windows 2000 Ramdisk guide. from dslnuts.com

Thanks The Dude. I read through that and it's the exact same thing i did except for the C:\winnt folder, XP Pro don't have that. This one has me stumped.

Thanks, Jason

The Dude · Post by **The Dude** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:25 pm

Originally posted by PãradØxDêit¥™
Thanks The Dude. I read through that and it's the exact same thing i did except for the C:\winnt folder, XP Pro don't have that. This one has me stumped.

Thanks, Jason

I noticed that too, 2k does the C:\WINNT and XP does the C:\Windows. I have only ever used my ram disk for my temp internet files, but I remembered reading the DSLnuts article and thought it might help. I thought about doing both but just never got around to it. I'm sure someone here can help you get it working. Knowing windows it's probably a syntax thing some where in one of your commands. That would be my guess.

tekki · Post by **tekki** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 6:46 am

Try using SuperSpeed's Ramdisk... Excellent choice, configurable and is very stable.

I tried to implement the network with ramdisk idea- But had problems with DHCP,,, and it slows up your boot process. Anywayz, try giving SuperSpeed a shot- You'll like it...

Let me know if you need it

Melvin · Post by **Melvin** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 4:25 pm

PãradØxDêit¥™
Here is the whole thread for Network Prorocol on your ramdisk.
Have patience though `cause its a long read but it does work.
Personally I`ve had no problems with this tweak although at the moment I have not had the time to reinstall it. I`ll get there, all in good time.
https://www.speedguide.net/forums/ ... man+tweak.

Just copy and paste..

Oh by the way I`ve had no problems at all with DHCP.

SICMF · Post by **SICMF** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 4:28 pm

Originally posted by Melvin
PãradØxDêit¥™
Here is the whole thread for Network Prorocol on your ramdisk.
Have patience though `cause its a long read but it does work.
Personally I`ve had no problems with this tweak although at the moment I have not had the time to reinstall it. I`ll get there, all in good time.
https://www.speedguide.net/forums/ ... man+tweak.

Just copy and paste..

Oh by the way I`ve had no problems at all with DHCP.

Thanks Melvin. I read through.

Jason

Melvin · Post by **Melvin** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 4:57 pm

Just thinking PãradØxDêit¥™ but I use a *.cmd file in the mmc console. Will that make any difference??

Luck