Which Flash drives work best with Windows 7 ReadyBoost?

[registeringiscrap]

Which Flash drives work best with Windows 7 ReadyBoost. What size do you recommend. I read an article that says you can use up to 256 gb.

I'm currently using a 4gb Memorex TravelDrive. When I clicked on "Use This Drive" and set the amount of space to be used it said this drive doesn't have the parameters to be used for this. But when I selected "Dedicate This Drive To ReadyBoost". the error message went away.

I'd like to use a larger drive but I don't know which ones are fast enough for this.

[Seronac]

You should use the fastest you can find, (Class 4, 6 or 10), and at least twice the amount of your RAM in size. For example, if you have 2GB of RAM, then you would want to use a flash drive of at least 4GB.

For more info, go to support.microsoft.com and search for "Readyboost".

[HappyAndyK]

Hope some of this helps.

Here are some tips on what to look for when selecting a USB flash drive or flash memory card to use with ReadyBoost:

* The ReadyBoost tab lets you decide how much storage space on a removable device to use for boosting your system speed.

* The minimum amount of available space recommended for ReadyBoost to effectively speed up your computer is 1 GB.

* For best results, use a flash drive or flash memory card with available space of at least double the amount of memory (RAM) in your computer, and preferably four times as much memory. For example, if your computer has 1 GB of RAM and you plug in a 4 GB USB flash drive, set aside at least 2 GB on the flash drive to get the best performance gain from ReadyBoost, and preferably the entire 4 GB. How much memory you need depends on how you use your computer. Keeping a lot of programs open at once uses more memory.

* Give ReadyBoost 2 GB to 4 GB of space for best results on most computers. You can reserve more than 4 GB of space for ReadyBoost on most flash drives and flash memory cards. (Storage devices formatted with the older FAT32 file system can’t store more than 4 GB.) You can use a maximum of 32 GB of available space on any single removable storage device with ReadyBoost and up to 256 GB total per computer (by inserting up to eight USB flash drives or flash memory cards into the same computer).

* To work with ReadyBoost, a USB flash drive must support USB 2.0 or higher. Your computer must have at least one free USB 2.0 port where you can plug in the flash drive. ReadyBoost works best if you plug the flash drive into a USB port directly on the computer, rather than into an external USB hub shared with other USB devices.

* If you want to be sure a USB flash drive works with ReadyBoost, look for a note from the manufacturer that the flash drive is “Enhanced for ReadyBoost.” Not all manufacturers list this on their packaging. If there is no mention of ReadyBoost compatibility, the flash drive still might work with ReadyBoost.

* There are many different kinds of flash memory cards, such as CompactFlash and Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. Most memory cards work with ReadyBoost. Some SD memory cards don’t work well with ReadyBoost due to issues with the SD card interface. ReadyBoost will display a warning message if you attempt to use one of these cards.

Source: Tips for better use of ReadyBoost feature of Windows 7 | The Windows Club

[whs]

You need fast access and a reasonale Read/Write speed. The best is to test the drive. Use this program. Let it run to the end and you will get the access time. Data transfer rates around 15MB/sec or better are good. Here is a good one:

[jackhooper]

I’ve got a Strontium 16GB stick for $23 about 3 months ago, not bad considering it is just a USB flash drive. Hardy, tough and has swivel cap so you could easily rotate its cap without losing the cap easily. They have faster write speeds (15MB/s) than the previous generation USB sticks, and are slightly smaller in size as well. It is durable and support on almost every type of ReadyBoost devices. For good value, I would recommend go with Strontium flash drives.

[whs]

I’ve got a Strontium 16GB stick for $23 about 3 months ago, not bad considering it is just a USB flash drive. Hardy, tough and has swivel cap so you could easily rotate its cap without losing the cap easily. They have faster write speeds (15MB/s) than the previous generation USB sticks, and are slightly smaller in size as well. It is durable and support on almost every type of ReadyBoost devices. For good value, I would recommAend go with Strontium flash drives.

A fast Read/Write speed is good (although 15MB/sec is not that great). But what really counts is the access time. That should be around 1ms.