Hello again!
I have been messing around with the ability to store entire programs into the computers RAM and run them from there. Thus being like solid state storage, but many times faster. (The program gives you the ability to save stuff as an image of which the system will just reload into ram when the computer is reset, but I have not played with that function)
So here is some information for the spec geeks:
i7-2600k @ 4.1Ghz
16GB DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-20) 1.5v
6970 2GB (res: 1680x1050)
1TB WD Black
2TB WD Green
1TB WD Green
XtremeGamer audio
Windows 7 Pro x64 SP1
Benching (with HD Tune Pro) the 2TB Green drive (my game drive), I receive an average read speed of 88.8MB and 118.3MB max. Benching my RAM with Passmark, I get an average of 3,705.76MB read and 11,56x.xxMB max. 11.5GB per second.....mmm.
Now the setup. With ImDisk (freeware), I created a 12GB “partition” in my RAM with the command:
imdisk -a -t vm -s 12G -m R:
This mounts the R drive with 12GB of space. Do note that this DOES NOT instantly create a 12GB file in your RAM. Think of it as another hard drive. The space will only be used if you use it. From here I just formatted with NTFS and a file table of 4096bytes.
Now for speed time!
I played these games through the RAM first, tried a different game, then ran the previous game on the HDD. Mainly to remove any cached files from ram, vram, etc. The times were clocked by me starting the test (level load, etc) and by starting my stopwatch. I stopped the watch as soon as the level loaded. Also, all games were tested with maximum graphical settings.
* Crysis: Would crash at start running from RAM, but loaded the level Relic in 31.45 seconds by the HDD.
* Crysis 2: Loading Semper Fi Or Die, 14.7 seconds by RAM, 19.50 seconds by HDD. Mild improvement.
* Doom 3: Starting a new game. 14.81 seconds by RAM, 13.47 seconds by HDD. My guess is due to the decompressing of the .pak files, the RAM activity slowed this one down a bit.
* Hard Reset: Loading the main menu: 3.23 RAM, 6.49 HDD. Loading the first level to the Hospital: 15.09 RAM, 31.88 HDD. Chopped in half! Now that is some speedy loading there!
* Portal 2: Loading the main menu: 1.17 RAM, 6.22 HDD. Loading the level The Reunion: 13.10 for the RAM and 22.40 for the HDD. Again, not a bad increase in speed there.
* Call Of Duty 4 MW: Loading the level War Pig: 2.81 seconds for the RAM and 15.13 seconds for the HDD. This honestly made me laugh for the load bar shot across the screen before the ranger shield finished coming into view! Nice improvement.
* Skyrim: Loading a save point just south of Dragons Bridge: 16.03 for the HDD, 9.14 for the RAM.
* Shattered Horizion: Loading the level Slingshot with max bots: 20.51 for the RAM, 22.56 for the HDD. Not a heavy improvement at all.
EDIT: * Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3: Loading the beginning to Mind The Gap: 5.88 for the RAM, 28.13 for the HDD. Again, big improvement for this old engine.
EDIT:
Battlefield 3:
The time to load the menu to the game:
HDD: 16.36 seconds
RAM: 11.16 seconds
Loading "Thunder Run" and skipping the cutscene as fast as possible:
HDD: 31.55 seconds
RAM: 24.46 seconds
EDIT: I would like to test RAGE, but i lack the ram to copy the game.
I was trying to think of games that I had that took some time to load and test them. The results were nice to say the least.
If your wondering how I moved the Steam games, use Steam Mover. FANTASTIC tool.
When done, I unmounted the RAM disk by the command:
imdisk -D -m R:
This removed the drive from existence.
Any further questions, just ask me!
Game on!
~CC5