Windows 10 is one of the optimized versions of the Windows operating system that works well enough even for low-end PCs. But on some occasions, such as running a file that requires optimal performance from the CPU and GPU, you may notice some problems, delays/lag.
How to speed up Windows 10 with ReadyBoost
In case you think it is time to improve the performance of our PC such as RAM bumping or using a more powerful chip, but one thing that worries are the expenses that must be incurred to achieve all this. So, if you’re one of those troubled due to delays and undersized performance of your system and at the same time you’re not able to bear the expenses to buy new components, this article is for you.
The technique we are going to show you is called “ReadyBoost”. It was announced for the first time during the “Windows Vista” release in 2007. It was essentially a disk caching feature that was introduced to make Windows Vista more compelling. 10 years later, it has made its way through all the iterations of Windows and is also present in Windows 10.
How to speed up Windows 10 with ReadyBoost – What is ReadyBoost?
ReadyBoost uses a service called SuperFetch. SuperFetch uses an algorithm that determines which files need to be cached. The cache can include system files, application files and user documents. Now, when these files are needed, instead of reading the files from the disk drive, they are read from the ReadyBoost cache. If a file is modified on the disk drive, it is also changed to the cache and vice versa.
How to use Windows 10 with ReadyBoost
Some aspects to consider:
- It is not mandatory that you have to sacrifice a USB drive for the function. You can use a portion of it to store the cache file and normally use the rest of the drive.
- Windows can use up to 4 GB on a USB drive formatted as FAT32. The limit expands to 32 GB in the case of USB drives formatted NTFS.
- Using a slower flash drive on your hard drive will not speed up Windows by using ReadyBoost. So, you could consider a USB 3.0 stick for the ReadyBoost function.
- If your PC has more than 8 GB of RAM, you probably do not need the function because the RAM will have enough space to store the cache.
- USB drives have limited read / write cycles. Thus, repeated use, as in the case of ReadyBoost, would reduce their life expectancy.
- The data on the device is automatically encrypted using Advanced Encryption Standard-AES 128. Therefore, if you lose your device, you will not have to worry about someone accessing the data.
How to speed up Windows 10 with ReadyBoost
- Install the USB flash drive in the PC.
- Open your “File Explorer”.
- Go to your “This PC” (for Win10 users) or “My Computer”.
- Right-click on the USB drive you want to use as a ReadyBoost device
- When you right-click on the USB drive, a popup menu should appear on the screen. Select “Properties” from the popup menu. A new window should appear on your screen.
- In the “ReadyBoost” tab, select “Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost” if you do not intend to use the USB drive for other purposes. Otherwise, select the “Use this device” radio button and use the slider to reserve space for the function.
- Click “OK” to complete the operation.
- Now, Windows may take some time to analyze and configure its requirements before configuring the USB drive as a ReadyBoost unit.
Conclusion: ReadyBoost is not the perfect solution for your PC’s sub-par performance. You may not notice if you have more than 4 GB of RAM or an SSD. However, if you are running with a PC with hardware configurations with medium / low gamma characteristics, you may experience increased performance.
Let us know how things went after trying the ReadyBoost feature on your PC. Leave a comment below if you like!