# Linux Swap File

## VinzC

Hi all.

I've always wondered why putting the swap file onto the disk given the poor speed of conventional hard drives. Has anyone tried to put the swap file in memory?

Thanks for your feedback.

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## SnakeByte

hi,

you know what swap is used for, do you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swap_space

Or are you referring to memory holding PCI devices?

regards

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## muhsinzubeir

swap is not compulsory, if you have sufficient memory just dont use swap.Then its exactly using memory en thats faster just like the way u wanted it   :Wink: 

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## VinzC

Aah... if I had put "Warning! Joke ahead!" in the title would it have been *that* funny?  :Laughing: 

So yes, I've just read about solid-state drives; that's what made me think of that joke. Sorry, I couldn't resist...

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## Akkara

I've wondered how well swap compresses... and whether there'd be any advantage to "swapping out" through a compressor and right back into (less) memory.

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## alex.blackbit

very funny, VinzC.

i read somewhere that micro$oft put a feature into vista to automatically put swap space on attached usb thumb drives, if you like.

although i don't know how well that works.

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## stelth

 *alex.blackbit wrote:*   

> very funny, VinzC.
> 
> i read somewhere that micro$oft put a feature into vista to automatically put swap space on attached usb thumb drives, if you like.
> 
> although i don't know how well that works.

 

It's called ReadyBoost. As for actual, real world speed improvements, I have no idea. Seems like a waste of a good thumb drive to me.

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## VinzC

 *alex.blackbit wrote:*   

> i read somewhere that micro$oft put a feature into vista to automatically put swap space on attached usb thumb drives, if you like.
> 
> although i don't know how well that works.

 

Hehe, nice one too  :Very Happy: .

EDIT: I was about to laugh when I thought «what about suddenly removing the USB key...» but it looks like they've done it  :Shocked:  ! ah, Micro$oft definitely invents any^Weverything (--> Hot-swap Swap or HotPlug™ Swap©).

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