Both the MS DOS Ramdrive and the Franck Uberto Ramdisk can be used on a variety of DOS versions and in Windows.
MS DOS Ramdrive
The MS DOS version, RAMDRIVE.SYS, must be setup in the CONFIG.SYS file. You can have multiple Ramdrives, each with different sizes and specifications. However, the drive letter used is the first available after the physical hard drive letter, the Doublespace letters and some third-party programs such as Norton Diskreet. Consequently, the letter(s) can change as you change the configuration. Since many programs need a specific path when they are installed, this can render them inoperable as you make changes.
The MS DOS Ramdrive is limited to a maximum size of 32mb. So even if you have a lot of memory, you can't make a large Ramdrive.
The Franck Uberto Ramdisk
The Uberto Ramdisk Program is very flexible. It can create Ramdisks up to 2gb (if you have a computer with that much memory). You can load the program in the CONFIG.SYS file, the AUTOEXEC.BAT, or from the command Prompt. You can use XMS memory or EMS memory.
If you load the Uberto Ramdisk in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, a batch file or at the Command Prompt, you can assign the drive letter to use. Of course it must be a letter not already used or reserved.
From the Command Prompt, you can change the size of a Ramdisk, unload it or create it with a different drive letter. While you can have both MS DOS Ramdrive and Uberto's Ramdisk loaded at the same time, you can only create one Uberto Ramdisk at a time.
Ramdisk and Windows
Both the MS DOS Ramdrive and Uberto Ramdisk can be accessed in Windows. If your Windows permits you to exit to the DOS Prompt without rebooting, you can change, unload, or create a Uberto Ramdisk.
Ramdisk and Disk Compression
You can increase the effective size of a Ramdrive or Ramdisk with MS DoubleSpace or MS Drivespace. With DOS 6.x you can copy a file to the Ramdisk or Ramdrive them Mount it. You cannot Automount it in any version because it is not there at boot.
In Windows 95 and up, you can only mount the drive in Windows. You can copy a CVF (Compressed Volume File) at DOS before Windows starts, and Windows can automatically mount it when it starts.
In Windows 3.1 and 3.11, you must mount the CVF before you start Windows. And you must exit Windows before you can unmount or change the CVF.
PoliTalk Technical Menu
Updated September 30, 2000
