Here's how I got ARMA2 to perform smoothly using RAMDISK

[Barso 10]

Can anyone suggest which ramdisk to purchase for 12GB ram for windows 7 64 bit?

This info looks great and I cannot wait to try arma 2 with it.

When I strat arma 2 with this does it load the files into ram and how do I free the ram up again?

Do I need to restart or does it leave the ram when I exit the game?

[qwertz 10]

Can anyone suggest which ramdisk to purchase for 12GB ram for windows 7 64 bit?

This info looks great and I cannot wait to try arma 2 with it.

When I strat arma 2 with this does it load the files into ram and how do I free the ram up again?

Do I need to restart or does it leave the ram when I exit the game?

There's many products that work. Under 64bit, you don't have to use an advanced product that can use "hidden" RAM, i.e. RAM above the 32bit barrier.

Amongst the advanced products, I have only tested Dataram RAMdisk (http://memory.dataram.com/products-and-services/software/ramdisk) and Superspeed Ramdisk Plus (http://www.superspeed.com/desktop/ramdisk.php).

The Dataram is free for up to 4GB Ramdisk size, and you can send them an email and ask for a unlock key (I got one for free) to use more than 4GB size. The Superspeed has no free version, but a 15 days trial.

All in all, they are both working well, with a few differences:

a) Both can support >4GB adressing on 32bit, however, if hidden RAM is enabled, Dataram starts counting at exactly 4096MB (so with 12GB, you can only create a 8GB ramdisk), whilst Superspeed can mix both the RAM below and above the 4GB barrier (so I can create a 8.5GB ramdisk which is what you need for a full ArmA2 install)

b) Both have a nice user interface and wizards so its easy to set them up

c) SuperSpeed is ca. 30% faster than Dataram (but for ArmA2, both are fast enough by far)

d) SuperSpeed costs $60-$90 after 15 days trial

Some products I have not tested (yet) myself but I have read good things about:

Qsoft RAMdisk:

(http://www.ramdisk.tk/) Seems not to be backed by a "real" company but seems to be a good (russian?) product. Prices between $10 and $25 (for the full version, that is - there is a free lite version). It seems that some others here in the forum have tried this one.

Romex VSuite Ramdisk:

http://www.romexsoftware.com/ is a pretty new product from China but seems to be very feature rich and recieves a lot of good feedback. Prices between $30 and $100.

Gavotte RAM disk:

(http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/05/27/free-ramdisk-for-windows-vista-xp-2000-and-2003-server/)

This is a "hack" of the original Microsoft ramdisk froma Japanese guy that enables a full feature set and is free. I have heard good things, but this is probably more for people who like to fickle around and use the CMD and RegEdit. Also make sure you download the newest version from the internet (dont forget to scan for malware!) - the original developer website is in japanese (http://www10.atwiki.jp/gavotterd/).

It really depends on what you need - some products might have features that you might prefer over others. Important features for me are:

1) Needs to be able to use "hidden" RAM in 32bit (using XP32 for ArmA2) - you don't need that feature on 64bit

2) Should be able to load and save and image of the ramdisk so you don't have to set it up again and copy the game files every time

3) Automatic loading is less important for me

When I strat arma 2 with this does it load the files into ram and how do I free the ram up again?

When you are in Windows, you can just load the backup image of your ramdisk with the relevant program before launching ArmA2. Then you unload it again (or save it, if you want to keep changes) when you are done. That simple.

Some products have automatic loading/unloading during Windows bootup/shutdown, but I have had errors with this functions at times (probably a timeout because it takes a long time to load/save 8.5GB to disk).

Last, a word of caution: Always have a backup of any data you are putting on the ramdrive that you want to keep - a RAMdisk is inherently not useful for long term storage, with or without autosave.

You should in any case read the websites and descriptions, compare features and use trial versions before making a buying decision - I am afraid there is no product that is "right" for everyone.

Have fun!

Edited December 31, 2009 by qwertz

[froggyluv 2130]

I have 4 gigs ram and am unfortunately running Vista 64. Right now, I have a Ramdisk at 1.5 Gb but would like to make it slightly larger, maybe 2GB. What is the risk and costs of upping this limit and what exactly is the limit?

Edited October 21, 2009 by froggyluv

[tcp 10]

Reserved RAM (System) ~0.8GB

ArmA2 anywhere from 1-2GB

Leaves 1.2-2.2GB for RAM disk

However background programs and services consume at least 0.2GB even if you close everything and disable a lot of applications. (Also, virtual File Cache, but it shouldn't be active if nothing else is running)

I would say you're already at your max at 1.5GB with "only" 4GB RAM.

[frag85 10]

i've got 6 gb, so i was going to try putting 2-2.5gb of the most accessed and most used PBO's there.

Hey Luhgnut, that great to know (although in 99.9% all "tweaking tools" that claim to know better than windows how to manage its cache and RAM are snakeoil at best).

Please note though that this little to do with what we discuss here as far as I can judge - this tool does not help to keep your texture and asset files in RAM. :j:

This is very true, most of those "tweak tools" and guides out there are just junk. I could have sworn that most of the things in cacheman do very little for anything newer than the Win98/ME. Cacheman greatly depends on the system i guess, for my systems it has NEVER given any advantage over default out-of the box install with everything non-vital turned off.

Luhgnut, do you have a lot of 'crap' running on your system? cachemane probably never did anything for me because my XP systems sit at about 14processes 125mb of ram usage at boot, with the taskmanager running.

EDIT: here is an overlay of the hard drives used in the above video comparing my 7200 drive to a 10k rpm drive.

(GREEN=Raptor, BLUE=7200)

edit2: now imagine that ArmA supported large memory addressing and could load as much data as you had ram. it would hardly ever unload any data, or even have the option of loading it all into ram from the start! i would gladly wait 2x or even 3x as long for a mission to start(if you look at it now, a1/a2 don't take that long to initially load) if it would use all my ram and run silky smooth. although people with less ram would still be stuck.

Edited October 22, 2009 by frag85

[liquidpinky 11]

Thanks very much for guide as I was over my head but I followed your guide to the T and everything seems to be working albeit on a much smaller scale ie.1.5 gb.

With the SymLink, is there any need to add any paramter ie. @Ramdrive/addons, to the startup line? That part confused me. Also, what is the advantage of using Ramspeed Plus as opposed to the basic? In Ramspeed should the "Zero at Remove" box be checked and what does that do?

So far it looks like flying is smoother but I'll have to test it some more.

Thanks again!

Sorry for the late answer, no need to add the parameter.

This symlink can be used on anything within your PC if you wanted, I would refrain from OS though.

I checked the Zero box as well, not 100% sure on it but I think it is to stop corrupted RAM data. Although how it can stay in memory is beyond me.

[m1c4d0 0]

Dummies Guide, by a dummy.

Download this app for the symlinks, saves a lot of time and hassle for those like myself who really have not a clue.

Link Shell Extension

Go to the downloads section and get whatever one is for your OS/system.

Install as per the installation instructions on the page linked.

All the instructions for using are also on that page but I will guide you through it anyway.

Fist off create a new folder for putting the files you want separated from the main game folder.

The ones I moved were the following as they are most likely the main streamed ones, these are all located in the file called addons in the main game directory.

Cut and paste these files in your new folder and keep it somewhere as backup, you also need it to reload into the RAMdrive depending on how you use it.

buildings.pbo

buildings2.pbo

Buildings2_Ind_CementWorks.pbo

Ca.pbo

chernarus.pbo

chernarus_Data.pbo

chernarus_Data_Layers.pbo

misc.pbo

misc2.pbo

misc3.pbo

plants2_Bush.pbo

plants2_Clutter.pbo

plants2_misc.pbo

plants2_Plant.pbo

plants2_Tree.pbo

Roads2.pbo

rocks2.pbo

signs2.pbo

structures.pbo

utes.pbo

water.pbp

water2.pbo

The above files totals at 3.21gb altogether so I went for a 4gb RAMdrive, you can chop and change to suit yourself or do some testing and see what ones really are used most. Don't bother moving the .bisign files, no point doing it really.

Ramdisk time:

I used RamDisk Plus but it only has a 15 day trial period, during which time I hope qwertz comes up with the best choice of software to use then I will switch to it. ;)

I created a 4096mb NTFS format disk within the RAM, easily done with RamDisk using the set-up wizard.

I then placed a copy, I repeat copy, of my new folder with the removed game files in the newly created RamDisk which I named R: just to make it easy for myself. Comes in handy to remember the drives name later in case you need to reinstall it.

Now I go inside this new folder and select all, make sure you installed that linked software first. ;)

Right click and you have a new option "Pick link source", click on this option then go to the origonal Addons folder in the game directory and go inside to the remaining files.

Right click once in the folder and you get a new option "SymbolicLink", click it and this creates the links to all the files simultaneously.

Important shit:

Bear in mind, don't disable pagingfile. Either create it on an unused drive or cheekily add it to the remaining memory in the RamDrive. The game will crash within a few minutes of loading and playing if you disable the pagefile altogether as I found out the hard way.

The symlink tool can be used in the same way for just splitting the game files over multiple drives, again make sure you have paging enabled or it also crashes. I tested on a second HDD before creating a RamDisk and found this out the hard way too.

For those with 8gb like myself who used msconfig to lower the Ram to get rid of the texture bug, re enable your full Ram again as you will need it. You can use the -winxp command to sort out the texture problem or either that have less Ram for the drive, it's up to you but I went for drive myself.

What next you ask?

Go play the game and enjoy the smoothness you fool.

Anyone checked which files are the most system eaters?

[sniper pilot 36]

It is plain idiocracy that ArmA2 uses barley any RAM at all and instead uses the HD for every little second of data. Thanks to that my Hard Drive is burned out and I am in the market for a new one.... :mad::confused:

*Some sarcasm due to my very crappy HD but still....

Edited November 4, 2009 by Sniper Pilot

[An Fiach 10]

This should help some of you http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/flash_drives/ocz_throttle_esata_flash_drive

[evilfury 0]

Write speed 90mb/s and read speed 30mb/s. Do you think that is enough? I can get 8GB model for 55€.

[mrcash2009 0]

Write speed 90mb/s and read speed 30mb/s. Do you think that is enough? I can get 8GB model for 55€.

It is pretty fast especially when you realize you have it the wrong way around :)

Although its "up to" as in the small print:

*NOTE: Rated speeds are based on eSATA bus performance. When used in USB mode, speeds will vary.

Edited November 5, 2009 by mrcash2009

[evilfury 0]

Your post is a little confusing for me. So the read speed should be 90mb/s?

[lt_darkman 0]

I posted on this a while back. Have a look...

My post

Other thread

P

[evilfury 0]

So darkman is it worth buying it for arma?

[lt_darkman 0]

Depends on your system spec at the moment.

If you've got a decent SSD or velociraptor RAID setup, no as they'll probably be quicker.

If you've got a 7200rpm hard drive and an eSATA port on your mainboard, yes I'd say it would be a noticeable improvement. And you can use it as a USB stick when you're out and about too.

I don't have one of these though, I have Arma2 on my SSD RAID 0 drive so wouldn't see any benefit. I did notice a significant improvement when I moved my Arma2 installation from my Samsung F1 drive onto the SSD array.

P

[An Fiach 10]

Put it this way, an SSD will have you in a mission while an HDD will still have you at the splash screen. If you don't have an e-sata port though I wouldn't bother as USB won't be fast enough to take advantage.

[shuko 59]

Upgraded from E6600 and 6GB to i7 920 and 12GB, from which I made a 4GB ramdrive. Using the same gfx card (4850x2) fps in chernogorsk went from 15-20 to around 40. Smooth and no flickering. <3

Edit: With moving rest of the addons to a faster HDD (raptor) and using latest beta, FPS is either at 30 or 60 when playing in windowed mode. Something to do how arma is coded probably as it basically switched directly from 30 to 60 and vice versa depending on where the unit is looking.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Shuko

[Alexrey 10]

Okay, this may have been asked before, so I'm sorry if it has: the OP said he put his Arma II folder into the ramdisk folder. Now what happens if we don't have 8.5GB of RAM (I only have 4)? Is that the end of the road for us or is there something else we can do?

[liquidpinky 11]

Okay, this may have been asked before, so I'm sorry if it has: the OP said he put his Arma II folder into the ramdisk folder. Now what happens if we don't have 8.5GB of RAM (I only have 4)? Is that the end of the road for us or is there something else we can do?

Yep, use the latest beta patch. I no longer need to use the RamDisk any more and only have a 2gb one I use as a pagefile. Very little stuttering at all now, even if I am looking side to side very quickly there is no noticable difference.

[zaira 10]

I posted on this a while back. Have a look...

My post

Other thread

P

M8 no offence, but that thing wont be good for arma2.

Seq read and write are not important, and they are low on that thing...

Just check random read and write here http://www.legitreviews.com/article/877/4/

[evilfury 0]

Yep, use the latest beta patch. I no longer need to use the RamDisk any more and only have a 2gb one I use as a pagefile. Very little stuttering at all now, even if I am looking side to side very quickly there is no noticable difference.

What initial size and maximum size did you put? Mine 2Gb ramdisk is too small for pagefiles if I set it on system manage file.

[froggyluv 2130]

My Ramdisk Plus trial expired and the retail is just to steep $100 US or so.

I found this version which seems to be free http://memory.dataram.com/products-and-services/software/ramdisk

but the problem is the Link extension Shell or whatever won't work. Meaning, when I click on a file in the newly formed ram drive, I have no option to Pick Link Source

Does that only work with certain Ramdisk programs?

[.kju 3239]

Why not use absolute mod path? -mod=r:\@RamDrive.

[Elkevo 10]

old drivers worked but game crashed every 20 mins, but now i have windows 7 and only have new drivers so now I have no textures and was same for new drivers on vista, is that kinda tha same problem u were having or somthing else?

I have 2 gtx 295's, I core 7, 3ddr, 12 g ram

[froggyluv 2130]

Why not use absolute mod path? -mod=r:\@RamDrive.

because I didn't know :D

Thanks!