RAM File System for Windows

The next generation of RAM disk technology

SoftPerfect RAM File System is a high-performance storage solution that keeps your files entirely in the computer memory. It goes a step further than a traditional RAM disk. Instead of creating a virtual block device and formatting it with NTFS or exFAT, RAM FS is a real file system that lives directly in RAM. This removes a whole layer of overhead, so it is faster than any physical SSD and faster than a conventional RAM disk as well.

A traditional RAM disk presents a block of memory as a virtual drive that Windows then formats with a standard file system. Every read and write has to travel through that file system and a block layer before it reaches your data. RAM FS is the file system itself. Your files live directly in memory with nothing in the way except a fast memory copy. In short, it is the RAM disk idea done properly.

The most popular way to use an in-memory drive is to move temporary files onto it. Windows, web browsers and many applications write temporary files all the time. When you redirect those files to a RAM FS volume, everything that uses them runs faster, your SSD is spared a great deal of writing, and the usual clutter of leftover temporary files never lands on your permanent drive. It is the simplest way to get more speed and a longer life out of the hardware you already have.

Key features

A true in-memory file system with no block-device, storage-stack, NTFS or exFAT overhead.
Outstanding performance that beats both a physical SSD and a conventional RAM disk.
Instant copies with reflinks. Duplicate multi-gigabyte files in a fraction of a second while using no additional memory.
Transparent compression to fit more data in the same amount of RAM.
Persistence when you need it. Save a volume to an image file, mount it automatically at start-up, and save it on a schedule. Smart sync writes only what changed, so saves are quick and your SSD does less work.
Live resizing of a mounted volume with no need to dismount.

Five good reasons to use RAM FS

Higher computer performance. Redirect Windows temporary files, web-browser caches and other temporary data to RAM FS. Because memory is far faster than any drive, everything that relies on those folders speeds up.
A longer life for your SSD. Temporary files go to memory instead of your solid-state drive. Fewer writes means less wear, which matters because SSDs have a limited number of write cycles.
Less junk on your permanent drive. Many applications leave temporary files behind long after they are needed. A RAM FS volume is cleared every time you restart or shut down, so that clutter never builds up on your real drive.
Less fragmentation. Since temporary files never touch your permanent storage, its file system stays tidier over time.
Better privacy. Sensitive temporary data can live on a RAM FS volume that is wiped completely when the computer is turned off or restarted.

Faster than an SSD, faster than a RAM disk

An SSD is fast, but it is still flash reached over a bus, so small operations wait on its latency. A RAM disk is quicker because it lives in memory, yet it still dresses that memory up as a disk and runs NTFS and a block layer over it. RAM FS keeps the memory and throws away the disk: no virtual block device, no file system on top, just a file system that already lives in RAM. Fewer layers to cross means less time per operation, which is exactly what the numbers show.

+ See expected performance

What you do	vs RAM Disk	vs the SSD
Create or delete a lot of files	2-3× faster	4-6× faster
Copy files within the same drive	3-5× faster	9× faster
Small random direct reads and writes (unbuffered I/O)	2× faster	up to 90× faster
Everyday application reads and writes (buffered I/O)	5-10× faster	5-10× faster

Even more for power users, developers and creators

Once the everyday temporary files are taken care of, RAM FS is a natural fit for more demanding work as well:

Faster builds. Redirect compiler and linker output and intermediate build files to RAM FS to cut build times.
High-performance databases. Keep temporary tables, indexes and test databases in memory.
Continuous integration. Check out, build and test entirely in RAM for faster pipelines.
Scratch space for creative work. Point video, photo and 3D applications at RAM FS for their scratch, cache and render files, so heavy edits and exports are limited by your CPU and GPU, not your disk.