Thread: Superfetch and Readyboost

Pre fetch was introduced in Windows XP, and boosts the loading of both the operating system and applications, by monitoring and mapping what files are accessed. Contrary to folklore, it is not necessary to periodically empty the prefetch folder or tweak its Registry settings. Vista improves on this in two ways Superfetch factors in the time and frequency of access, second-guessing what the user may be about to do. Readyboost intercepts data being sent to the paging file, redirecting it to a Flash drive. If you have a suitable USB Flash drive, plug it in and when the Autoplay dialogue appears you should see an option to 'Speed up my system'.



If Autoplay doesn't appear, then right-click on the device in Explorer and choose Properties. Turn to the Readyboost tab, select the 'Use this device' option, then move the slider to the arTIount of space you want to use. Vista needs a minimum of 256MB of fast Flash memory, so not all devices will be eligible. Microsoft recommends between one and three times the amount of Ram you have installed on the system, with a maximum of 4GB. So with 4GB and even 8GB USB Flash drives available for less than Rs. 2,500 (approx.) this could be a cheap boost, and you can still use part of the drive for normal storage. Just make sure the drive is compatible with Readyboost before buying.