how do PC games load and run from HDD?

[arifn82]

hello all. i need some information here. i m looking for best gaming optimization from my pc. .i have two hdds in my pc . 1st one is WD green and i use windows 10 from this hdd. and 2nd one is hitachi and i keep all my games here. is this ok for gaming's best performance if i run run all games from this 2nd hdd??i need to know how games run/buffer/ cached from hdd's. someone said that while i run a game, the game data becomes cached/ buffered to C drive or they actually run from c Drive? or its just ok for me >? my pc specs are i3 2100+H61 mobo (3Gbps sata speed)+8GB 1333mhz ram+GTX950 xtreme.. thanks in advance guys,...

 

[kanewolf]

The only difference in the HDDs will be rotational speed. The Hitachi is probably 7200RPM the Green is 5400RPM (I think). I think that you are over analyzing this problem. You have many factors limiting your performance. Which of your two hard drives is probably the least of your limitations.

The Hitachi will probably be fastest. Just relax for a few seconds while loading, and think about how to get $$$ to add an SSD or upgrade the whole thing...

 

[boosted1g]

If data is on say Drive D, it only gets cahced on C if it is having to use C as virtual memory to compensate for low memory, with 8gb you should be fine.
Now if say you had the game installed on C but maps loaded on D then it may end up caching on C.

As kanewolf said the difference in hard drive speeds is not going to be limiting factor in your build.

 

[James Mason]

5400rpm HDDs can actually negatively affect game and OS performance. They're for data storage, not for apps or programs.

 

[0ldsch00l]

THe cache on your HDD is to stream to RAM and CPU on the fly, in AMD they call it shader cache, best to leave on, but works better with SSDs. Page file is also stored on HDD, but in general when a game map is loaded it stays in RAM, HDD acess causes hiccups, hence when your low on RAM it starts to access HDD and you get hiccups.A good solution to 100% smooth no stutter is to remove HDD from equation even the SSD and add a RAMdrive, you need a lot of RAM but basically it allocates some RAM and system sees the RAM as a new HDD and performs yes more then 10 times faster then a PCIex SSD. Put the page file on the RAMdrive and if posible and I will find out if AMD shader cache can be allocated to RAM drive as wel

 

[James Mason]

If you have a ton of ram, you shouldn't need a pagefile.
And turning it into a ramdrive is... just limiting the ram you have access to.

 

[0ldsch00l]

If you have a ton of ram, you shouldn't need a pagefile.
And turning it into a ramdrive is... just limiting the ram you have access to.

Ohh we can debate hours about page file on or off whether there is RAMdrive or not

FInal conclusion says leave it on even with 64 gb of RAM, why? Some programs need page file despite having overkill RAM. RAMdrive of only 4gb will take care of pagefile on there, you can have 16gb with 12 left over if u give page file 4gb