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How to force Windows Vista to use my flash memory for ReadyBoost ?

Windows Vista's ReadyBoost is a new concept in adding memory to a system. You can use non-volatile flash memory, such as USB flash drives, SD memory card, and Memory Stick Duo Pro, to improve performance and system responsiveness. The flash drive serves as an additional memory cache that can theoretically be accessed much more quickly than data on the hard drive.

When a flash drive is first inserted into a port, Windows Vista checks to see if its performance is fast enough to work with Windows ReadyBoost. Some cards are not properly identified, and some are deemed too slow by Windows. It is sometimes useful to override the default setting and force the device to be compatible with ReadyBoost. You can do that using the simple steps below:

1. Plug in the device.
2. Open the Ready Boost tab on the device properties
3. Select "Do not retest this device"
4. Unplug the device
5. Open the Registry (Start > Run > type: regedit)
6. Expand: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ EMDMgmt
7. Find your device
8. Change Device Status to 2
9. Change ReadSpeedKBs to 1000
10. Change WriteSpeedKBs to 1000
11. Plug in the device, and enable Ready Boost!

  User Reviews/Comments:
by JpotatO - 2015-06-28 22:55
Thanks for the tips!

I tested on my Windows 7 Ultimate x86 with 2Go of RAM, I only used a 2Go SD Card formatted as NTFS, d'ont see any changes on this computer… but I have an old Laptop that have 512K of RAM and Run vista x86, think to try your guide and see what it's doing.

oh, for info I needed to create new values in my Regedit to "Bypass" the ReadyBoost:

0. I make a backup of my Registry.
1. I searched my device in the Regedit (using the free software "REG"), and then unplugged my device.
2. I set the DeviceStatus at 2 (Decimal).
3. I created the DWORD value named ReadSpeedKBs and set it to 1000 (decimal).
4. I created the DWORD value named WriteSpeedKBs and set it to 1000 (decimal).
5. I connected my 2Go SD Card, and selected "Use fully for ReadyBoost" (sorry the French to English translation may be false), finally validated the thing.

[!] There isn't any option on W7 to disable the ReadyBoost checking of the device, then I only unplugged in after making a new test.
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