Loading SMARTDrive Low May Improve Speed w/ Double Buffering (81965)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows 3.11
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q81965

SUMMARY

If double buffering is enabled for SMARTDrive version 4.x or 5.x, a significant performance gain can be achieved by loading SMARTDrive low.

MORE INFORMATION

If double buffering is required, it must be loaded from the CONFIG.SYS file as in the following example: 
    DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER
NOTE: This only loads the double buffer driver. It does not load the disk cache portion of SMARTDrive, and cannot be loaded high.

To force SMARTDrive to load into conventional memory, use the /L parameter in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, as in the example below. 
     SMARTDRV C: D: /L
When double buffering is enabled for SMARTDrive, system performance decreases. This is expected, due to the nature of adding an additional buffer to handle all disk reads and writes through conventional memory.

Loading SMARTDrive into low memory is quicker than loading it into an upper memory block (UMB) because this eliminates the additional step of buffering from the UMB to conventional memory.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/26/2003
Keywords:KB81965
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.