Primo RAMDisk Questions Topic is solved

[kevindd992002]

1.) With Dynamic Memory Management, is it better to use compact mode even though it states that it sacrifices minor performance in accessing data? Can you please explain what will happen if it is disabled?

2.) Is it better to use Smart Image vs. Compressed Image in saving during shutdown?

3.) With Compressed image, will the program write the whole RAMDisk size in the save-path drive before actually compressing it? Or is the compression invisible to the drive?

[Support]

"Compact Mode" makes each allocated memory block fully utilized before requesting a new one. Let's assume that you copy a 100MB file to the ramdisk. Without "compact mode", the ramdisk may allocate 120MB memory (the extra 20MB memory is allocated for future use). While wih "compact mode", the ramdisk may only allocate 100MB memory.

Usually I'd recommend "Dynamic Memory Management" without "Compact Mode".
When "Compact Mode" enabled, the only supported image type is "Smart Image". "Plain Image" and "Compressed Image" will automatically remove the "Compact Mode" option.

Is it better to use Smart Image vs. Compressed Image in saving during shutdown?

Compressed Image is not recommended unless you only load the image without saving.

3.) With Compressed image, will the program write the whole RAMDisk size in the save-path drive before actually compressing it? Or is the compression invisible to the drive?

Program compresses the disk data and save it to the image file.

[kevindd992002]

"Compact Mode" makes each allocated memory block fully utilized before requesting a new one. Let's assume that you copy a 100MB file to the ramdisk. Without "compact mode", the ramdisk may allocate 120MB memory (the extra 20MB memory is allocated for future use). While wih "compact mode", the ramdisk may only allocate 100MB memory.

Usually I'd recommend "Dynamic Memory Management" without "Compact Mode".
When "Compact Mode" enabled, the only supported image type is "Smart Image". "Plain Image" and "Compressed Image" will automatically remove the "Compact Mode" option.

Is it better to use Smart Image vs. Compressed Image in saving during shutdown?

Compressed Image is not recommended unless you only load the image without saving.

3.) With Compressed image, will the program write the whole RAMDisk size in the save-path drive before actually compressing it? Or is the compression invisible to the drive?

Program compresses the disk data and save it to the image file.

But if I plan to use "Smart Image", is it better to stick with using "Compact Mode" to allocate 100MB memory given your example? What does it do with the performance of the RAMDisk?

Am I correct in assuming that my startup times will be faster for "Compressed Image" compared with "Smart Image" since the image file for the latter is larger? Consequently, my Shutdown times for "Smart Image" will be faster than "Compressed Image" since there is less data written for the former?

So with "Compressed Image", the SSD (where I save the image file) will never "feel" the whole (uncompressed) image file size and therefore the actual size that is written to it is only the size of the already-compressed image file?

[Support]

But if I plan to use "Smart Image", is it better to stick with using "Compact Mode" to allocate 100MB memory given your example? What does it do with the performance of the RAMDisk?

If you use "Smart Image", "Compact Mode" is always enabled whether you tick it or not. "Plain Image" and "Compressed Image" always disable "Compact Mode".

Am I correct in assuming that my startup times will be faster for "Compressed Image" compared with "Smart Image" since the image file for the latter is larger? Consequently, my Shutdown times for "Smart Image" will be faster than "Compressed Image" since there is less data written for the former?

Usually yes.

So with "Compressed Image", the SSD (where I save the image file) will never "feel" the whole (uncompressed) image file size and therefore the actual size that is written to it is only the size of the already-compressed image file?

Yes. But "Compressed Image" cannot support "Quick Save" mode. This means that program always compresses the whole disk data and write the whole compressed image file to the disk during the shutdown save. This is time-consuming and unnecessary. "Plain Image"/"Smart Image" only writes the dirty data to the image file, it is quick and less write amount.

[kevindd992002]

But if I plan to use "Smart Image", is it better to stick with using "Compact Mode" to allocate 100MB memory given your example? What does it do with the performance of the RAMDisk?

If you use "Smart Image", "Compact Mode" is always enabled whether you tick it or not. "Plain Image" and "Compressed Image" always disable "Compact Mode".

Am I correct in assuming that my startup times will be faster for "Compressed Image" compared with "Smart Image" since the image file for the latter is larger? Consequently, my Shutdown times for "Smart Image" will be faster than "Compressed Image" since there is less data written for the former?

Usually yes.

So with "Compressed Image", the SSD (where I save the image file) will never "feel" the whole (uncompressed) image file size and therefore the actual size that is written to it is only the size of the already-compressed image file?

Yes. But "Compressed Image" cannot support "Quick Save" mode. This means that program always compresses the whole disk data and write the whole compressed image file to the disk during the shutdown save. This is time-consuming and unnecessary. "Plain Image"/"Smart Image" only writes the dirty data to the image file, it is quick and less write amount.

1.) So what then is the use of the Compact Mode tick box if it is ONLY enabled with Smart Image and disabled ONLY for Plain/Compressed Image?

2.) If Plain and Smart Image automatically uses Quick Save mode, what is the difference between these two?

3.) Generally, higher-size RAMDisks take longer compression time during shutdown save?

[Support]

1.) So what then is the use of the Compact Mode tick box if it is ONLY enabled with Smart Image and disabled ONLY for Plain/Compressed Image?

Please think the case that no image file is associated.

2.) If Plain and Smart Image automatically uses Quick Save mode, what is the difference between these two?

[
Plain Image is recommended. Smart Image is used for 1) backward compatibility, 2)"compact mode" and 3) future hyrid disk imaging.

3.) Generally, higher-size RAMDisks take longer compression time during shutdown save?

Not exactly. The compression time is also related to the data.

[kevindd992002]

1.) So what then is the use of the Compact Mode tick box if it is ONLY enabled with Smart Image and disabled ONLY for Plain/Compressed Image?

Please think the case that no image file is associated.

2.) If Plain and Smart Image automatically uses Quick Save mode, what is the difference between these two?

[
Plain Image is recommended. Smart Image is used for 1) backward compatibility, 2)"compact mode" and 3) future hyrid disk imaging.

3.) Generally, higher-size RAMDisks take longer compression time during shutdown save?

Not exactly. The compression time is also related to the data.

Ok. So in essence, plain image has a BETTER performance than smart image? It's just that smart image has a smaller size on disk than plain image when saved?

But without compact mode, when I right click the RAMDisk it will allocate the memory fully, right?

[Support]

plain image has a BETTER performance than smart image? It's just that smart image has a smaller size on disk than plain image when saved?

Yes.

But without compact mode, when I right click the RAMDisk it will allocate the memory fully, right?

Yes, the operation sequence "Right-click and then select Properties" on windows Vista/7 will possibly cause lots of memory allocation, but not fully.

[kevindd992002]

plain image has a BETTER performance than smart image? It's just that smart image has a smaller size on disk than plain image when saved?

Yes.

But without compact mode, when I right click the RAMDisk it will allocate the memory fully, right?

Yes, the operation sequence "Right-click and then select Properties" on windows Vista/7 will possibly cause lots of memory allocation, but not fully.

When you say "performance", what kind of performance? How is plain image better than smart image?

So with quick save, the program will only write small amount of stuff to update the image file therefore saving lots of excess writes for my SSD?

After doing the "Right-click and select Properties" and the program causing lots of memory allocation, will the program still release the unused allocation when I delete a file?

[Support]

So with quick save, the program will only write small amount of stuff to update the image file therefore saving lots of excess writes for my SSD?

see http://www.romexsoftware.com/en-us/prim ... quick-save

After doing the "Right-click and select Properties" and the program causing lots of memory allocation, will the program still release the unused allocation when I delete a file?

No. They are two things. Ramdisk only release the memory holding the deleted file.