USB drive doesn’t really increase your RAM but it just increases the access time to fetch data from hard disk. There is a huge time difference while accessing data from a magnetic disk(HDD) and a flash memory(USB drives).
A typical hard disk takes 10times more time compared to USB drives to serve the requested data.
To use the advantage of the access time of USB drives, some part of USB drive’s memory is used as hard-drive cache memory, meaning, recently accessed file addresses or contents of your system are stored in your USB drive memory. If there is another request to access already opened files or data, the CPU will look into USB drive memory and it fetches from it, instead of requesting Hard disk to serve the request.
This method was useful when the system RAM used to be 256MB or 512MB. But nowadays we can see a significant improvement in RAM capacity ranging from 2-4GB on average and with this capacity any OS first fills up your RAM then goes for USB drive memory.
Contents
Steps to follow
- Rename your thumb drive as “RAM DRIVE” or something similar, so you can see which drive is being used as RAM.
- Click on Advanced, and then Edit
.Click on your thumb drive above, and select “user-defined size.” Here you can see the size of your flash drive. - Calculate the size of the flash drive, and subtract 5 Mb
.Type this number in the first box. In the second box, type in the same number. - Click Set and confirm all your settings, applying them wherever you can
.Restart your computer. You are done
Pros and Cons of USB Flash Drives
Even though flash drives come with all of these powerful capabilities in an astounding pocket-sized package, are there any setbacks that come with these tiny devices? Are there any cases in which it may be better to use another form of storage, like cloud-based storage?
Pros
Ease of Use
Handheld and lightweight, flash drives fit inside the smallest of pockets, purses, and bags. They do not require any charging, so they can be taken anywhere and used without any accessories. This benefit makes flash drives the perfect alternatives to carrying around a laptop, or any other device that takes up space or needs battery charging. In addition, more control over their information can help them maintain productivity even if an Internet connection fails
Speed and Versatility
Another benefit of USB flash drives are their efficiency and versatility. Flash drives can transfer files at relatively fast speeds, especially since they are not dependent upon Internet connections. They are able to run several different types of applications, including operating systems.
The affordability, portability, and compact size of USB drives also make them great for business. Instead of disseminating promotional materials like videos or photographs through brochures, CDs, or DVDs, marketing professionals can place dynamic content on flash drives that can be customized with company logos on the exterior and easily fit into promotional tote bags.
Security
USB flash drives can come equipped with advanced functions like security protection. Many are designed with password-restricted access, requiring a password to be entered in order to open files on the drive. However, to prevent any vulnerability, the drive should be removed through proper ejection from the device it’s connected to after each use.
Affordability
Flash drives are easy to find and purchase anywhere in a modern country, and shops which even have flash drives on display in checkout lines. They are also very affordable, with very low prices.
Although flash drives can get more expensive with premium features like password protection and encryption, in general, flash drives can be good cost-effective or short-term alternatives to external hard drives.
Cons
Malware Risk
Although flash drives aren’t vulnerable to hacking the way that cloud storage drives are, they are not completely immune from attacks. If a flash drive is connected to a computer that is infected with malware, then it is at risk for also being infected, putting the data stored on the drive at risk of corruption or theft.
Hackers are also creating viruses specifically designed to be transmitted through USB flash drives to launch large-scale attacks that allow them to commandeer computers, secretly modify files, or install malware on the computers. The best defense against this type of threat is to use your flash drive only on devices you trust, and to transfer information onto your drive from credible sources only.
Vulnerability to Loss and Destruction
While the tight size of flash drives makes them excellent for travel and space saving, it also makes them vulnerable to loss, theft, or destruction. Flash drives can easily slip through a partially unzipped purse, someone can snatch a drive out of the USB port of a laptop within seconds without anyone noticing, and a flash drive can easily fall to the ground and get rolled over by a car. Unless you have the data on your flash drive backed up on another source, then the information on a lost, stolen, or destroyed flash drive is permanently lost and unrecoverable.
For this reason, it’s especially important to store flash drives in secured compartments and to close bags carrying them properly. Many flash drives include convenient lanyards so they can be hung around the neck, as well as key rings so they can be attached to keys to keep them handy.
Limited Life Span
The main factor determining the life span of a flash drive is how often it writes and erases data. A flash drive can last as long as 10 years. However, if it is used often enough, it can have a brief life span as short as a few months to a year. In addition, many flash drive users report having defective flash drives that die after a couple of uses or within one week. Furthermore, certain components of flash drives in general are not designed with the same robustness as those of larger devices like hard drives.
For this reason, USB flash drives are not ideal backup storage devices. As evidenced from their design and features, they are more suited for transporting data between devices or storing data on a short-term basis.