Ready Boost

After some study I would like to try Ready Boost in the hope it might do something to help my limited RAM. However, the option does not appear at all when I look for it inthe Properties of USB Flash Drives. The Ready Boost tab does not appear, in the way described in articles I have read. Might it be a result of my SSD? It is not by any means the fastest, it is an eMMC. But I understand that should make Ready Boost more appropriate, if it was available.

My RAM is 4 GB ---- in reality more like 3.50 I think, hence my interest but as I say RB just does not appear in Properties and so far I have found no explanation

I don't think ReadyBoost will be of any use to you.

ReadyBoost is used to augment storage for Superfetch. Without Superfetch ReadyBoost cannot work. Typically Windows will disable Superfetch with an SSD. An eMMC is a cheap version of an SSD, typically used in cell phones, tablets, and low end laptops. All eMMC devices are not created equal. Some have quite good performance, others, not so good. But even the not so good ones have one major advantage over a conventional drive and that is access time. If this is judged to be adequate Windows will disable Superfetch. If it was disabled by default enabling it is unlikely to be useful, and it may well impair performance. I suspect that is why ReadyBoost is not shown as an option.

ReadyBoost is essentially a cache for the disk drive. A basic requirement of a cache is that it must be faster than the device or data source being cached. Otherwise it isn't a cache at all and is worse than useless. Most flash drives have a lower transfer rate than a conventional drive. But they do have a much better seek time and that makes all the difference. Seek time is the most important factor in typical usage in a modern OS.

Flash drives have better seek time than a conventional drive. But is it better than an eMMC? If it is it won't be by much. And if the eMMC is not one of the worst it is probably better than the flash drive. That leaves the flash drive as the slowest drive in the computer.

ReadyBoost was designed for slow drives and small RAM, generally 2 GB or less. When ReadyBoost was first introduced with Vista the Home Basic version had a minimum RAM requirement of only 500MB. Then ReadyBoost was useful. In some situations it might be useful with 4 GB RAM but gains will be minimal. And with an SSD, or even en eMMC drive even that is likely to disappear.

Thanks Le Miller for the informative explanation. At the back of my mind (wherever that is) I had the feeling It might be to do with the eMMC (possibly read about it a few years ago on a different PC). I had thought it might be something to do with the limitations of the eMMC which is why I referred to it. I assumed, wrongly, it could be its shortcomings, rather than the reverse. When I bought the Tablet PC 4/5 years back I recall a review saying it was not the fastest. It is a Toshiba DD3 3.93 GB --I guess it is not 'one of the worst' --- the PC seemed reasonably fast to me, compared to what I was used to. Of course it is certainly faster than the HD XP I still use, mainly as a printer driver (not connected with WiFi). I think your evaluation is correct.

I do not have an Android emulator. But the PC does have Android (Lollipop) as it id dual boot. It occupies 7 GB of ROM. I don't think its presence affects the performance of Windows.

The SD Card is internal (or integral). but I would not have used it for Ready Boost, I would have used a USB3 Flash Pen Drive or possibly a USB external Hard Disc 250 GB. Both are NTFS. Am I right in thinking I would not get the USB3 speed if although the Flash Drive is connected via a USB3 cable and USB3 HUB, it is connected to a computer socket which is only USB2? There is however a USBC3 socket available for charging, which also can handle data ---- I have successfully tried USB Flash and SD Cards with it.

USB3 is just the interface to the drive. It might be capable of 6 gb/s (theoretical) but this tells you nothing about the performance of the drive itself. Manufacturers often don't mention this. Flash drives are not created equal. Some of the very best might approach what USB3 is capable of but most aren't anywhere near that.

A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. To achieve USB3 speeds everything in the chain must be capable of that speed. That includes the drive, interface, cables, hubs, and computer port. The effective speed you will get is that of the slowest link in the chain.

Thanks, I will remember the chain analogy. I try the USB3 C port etc. However, the one problem I may have is that while almost every link in the chain I have available is USB 3 the exception will be the tiny adaptor necessary to enable the cable to connect to the USB C port. I expect they are fairly easy to get?

Another somewhat similar question concerns using my Android phone's USB C port to connect devices which require OTG. I have some OTG USB adaptors which are right for most uses, but if I add an ordinary cable to the 'chain''would this negate the OTG, and not work? Are there OTG cables as well as adaptors?