Windows PC Accelerators: Performance Technology for Windows Vista
Windows Vista includes a collection of performance-enhancing features called Windows PC Accelerators that address responsiveness issues related to demand paging.
Windows SuperFetch memory management technology intelligently maintains optimal memory content based on historic usage patterns on the Windows-based PC, allowing Windows Vista to make intelligent decisions about what content should be present in system memory at any given time. SuperFetch also allows Windows Vista to detect and evade troublesome memory usage patterns that would otherwise push higher priority content out of memory.
Windows ReadyBoost-capable Flash Devices extend the disk caching capabilities of Windows Vista main memory. ReadyBoost-capable devices can be implemented as USB 2.0 flash drives, Secure Digital (SD) cards, or CompactFlash cards. Using ReadyBoost-capable flash memory devices for caching allows Windows Vista to service random disk reads with performance that is typically 8-10 times faster than random reads from traditional hard drives.
An external ReadyBoost-capable device might be removed at any time, but ReadyBoost technology ensures there is no interruption of system service or loss of data. All data writes are made to the hard disk before being copied to the flash device, so every bit of data held within the flash device is safely duplicated on the hard disk. ReadyBoost also encrypts the content for use only on the PC system where the data was generated.
Windows ReadyDrive and Hybrid Hard Disk Drives are standard hard drives that include both rotating media and an integrated cache of non-volatile flash memory (also known as NVRAM). This cache buffers disk writes and allows the disk drive to stay spun down for longer periods of time to increase battery life and the overall reliability of the drives in mobile systems. Serving data from the non-volatile cache increases the performance of the boot and resume processes as well as disk- and memory-intensive applications by avoiding the latency of random disk I/Os.
Windows PC Accelerators
 | Windows PC Accelerators |
 | Using Memory in Your Storage Device to Speed Up Your Computer |
| Windows Vista Performance Enhancements |
Performance and Assessment - WinHEC 2006
Technology Specifications
 | ATA8-ACS Command Set for Controlling NV Cache |
| NV Cache Manager Structures in Windows Driver Kit |
