ReadyBoost

Michael Tsai:

Vista uses the flash memory as a cache for parts of the virtual memory swap file, and this is apparently a big win for small page-ins. It routes bulk page-ins to the hard disk, even if the pages are on the flash, because with large transfers the disk will be faster. Flash drives wear out after a comparatively small number of writes, so apparently there’s also some kind of lazy writeback from the hard disk to the flash, reducing the number of writes so that the flash’s life will be extended to 10 years. All in all, I think this is pretty clever.

I do too. Makes me think that they ought to start including 1 or 2 GB of flash as a standard component for most PCs.

★ Tuesday, 6 February 2007