Problems creating first RAM disk and mounting image
4 posts · Closed
I seem to be having problems creating my first RAM disk:
- I click Add. I enter size: 16000 Drive letter: R. The "Save Contents" box is grayed out.
- I enter an image file name: SP_RamDisk.img. The "Save Contents" box is now selectable, so I check it.
- I click "Okay." It says, "Specified image file does not exist."
What is the correct procedure for creating an image and mounting it? And how do I get it to mount automatically at boot time?
First of all, it is important to note the crucial difference between disks and images. Images are not RAM disks, they are just files that contain a file system, files and folders. There is no way to mount an image at boot time. Manipulations with images are generally for setup purposes (e.g. you can create an image with predefined contents). However, if you create a RAM disk and use an image created earlier, the RAM disk should be automatically mounted at boot and populated from that image file.
If you want to create an image-based RAM disk, you would need to create the image file first. Just specifying its name is not sufficient. Depending on what you want to achieve, the following articles may help:
How to create predefined files, folders and permissions on a RAM disk
How to create persistent RAM disks with contents preserved between sessions
I do not understand... These two statements seem contradictory:
There is no way to mount an image at boot time
...and...
if you create a RAM disk and use an image created earlier, the RAM disk should be automatically mounted at boot and populated from that image file.
What is the procedure for setting things up so there is always a drive R: that is a RAMdisk?
There is a difference between mounting an image and mounting a RAM disk.
The main menu items under Image are for creating an image file, associating it with a drive letter (mounting) and dissociating from a drive letter (unmounting). These menus are normally only used in preparation of an image file.
The main menu items under Disk are for creating RAM disks. Those RAM disks can be based on an image file, or can be empty - whichever you choose. RAM disks are mounted automatically upon boot or upon logon, depending on the type of disk you created.
If you simply want to create an empty RAM disk that always mounts on boot to the same drive letter (e.g. R), you do not need to use images at all. The procedure is simple, as follows:
- Choose Disk - Add Boot Disk from the main menu.
- Set a desired size. Do not enter the image name.
- Choose R:\ as the drive letter.
- Choose the file system. We recommend exFAT or NTFS.
- If necessary, enter folder names to be created.
- Press OK.
That's it pretty much it - you will see a disk associated with R:\
After a reboot, an empty RAM disk will be there (since it's a RAM disk without any image, all its contents will always disappear on reboot).