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Increase the performance of your Windows 11 computer with ReadyBoost

Is the performance of your Windows 11 computer not up to par? Do you have a spare CF card, SD card, or USB flash drive? If so, then you may want to try to increase performance using ReadyBoost in Windows 11.

Increase the performance of your Windows 11 computer with ReadyBoost

ReadyBoost is a disk caching component of Windows that works as a cache between your system drive and the Random Access Memory (RAM). ReadyBoost increases the system's read time from the hard drive and improves your computer's performance.

Now ReadyBoost is meant to work with computers where the primary system drive is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and is disabled on computers with a Solid State Drive (SSD) as a primary drive. So if your computer boots to an SSD, you will not be able to use ReadyBoost.

Typically, you want to dedicate whatever drive you decide to use to ReadyBoost; that way, you can set it up and let it go. SD cards work better for laptops as they usually do not extend out of the card slot as much as a USB drive.

Here are the requirements for ReadyBoost in Windows 11

  • Minimum free space per CF card / SD card / USB drive: 1 GB
  • Maximum free spade per CF card / SD card / USB drive: 32 GB
  • The maximum amount of ReadyBoost devices: 8
  • The maximum amount of ReadyBoost storage: 256 GB
  • Minimum transfer rate: 3.5 Mbit/s.
  • The flash drive/memory card format: NTFS
  • The recommended ratio between ReadyBoost and system memory is 1:1 to 2.5:1

How to set up ReadyBoost in Windows 11

To set up a device for use with ReadyBoost, you will need to access File Explorer.

  1. Open File Explorer using one of the following:
    • Left-click on the File Explorer icon (manilla folder) on the Taskbar.
    • Press the Windows logo key Windows logo + E at the same time.
    • Use the Power User menu by right-clicking on the Start Windows logo button and selecting File Explorer.
  2. In the left-side column, left-click on This PC.
  3. In the right-side column, right-click on the drive you want to use with ReadyBoost and select Properties.
  4. Left-click on the ReadyBoost tab.

At this point, File Explorer will test the device for compatibility.
ReadyBoost device check inside of Windows 11
If the device passes the test, you will be presented with the ReadyBoost options.
ReadyBoost device options inside of Windows 11
Here, you can choose between Do not use this device, Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost (recommended), or Use this device. Select the desired setting and left-click on Apply.
ReadyBoost configuring the cache inside of Windows 11
ReadyBoost will now configure your cache.

If you decide that ReadyBoost is not working for you, you can turn it off by going back into File Explorer and changing the device's ReadyBoost settings to Do not use.

Comments (2) -

So I just put a 120gb SD card in for the readyboost so how much more ram will that translate to so to speak roughly

Reply

Sorry, but ReadyBoost does not increase the RAM that the system can use. ReadyBoost creates a cache on the selected drive of files and folders that are often accessed. That is how it speeds up data reading from the hard drive.

Reply

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