Would KSP Run Faster on a RAMDisc?

[OddFunction]

Speed Increase of RamDisc versus HDD and SSD 

https://www.raymond.cc/blog/12-ram-disk-software-benchmarked-for-fastest-read-and-write-speed/

example program:

https://www.softperfect.com/products/ramdisk/

 

Would this benefit KSP in any way? Perhaps with the stutter?

[stibbons]

It helps with startup time. I wouldn't expect it to make much difference at runtime, as assets aren't dynamically loaded. But running some tests yourself isn't too hard.  

[Carraux]

And KSP uses hell of a lot of RAM during runtime (when using mods). So you need twice a hell of lot of RAM...

I wouldn't do this below 16GB.

[Green Baron]

No.

A program runs from random access memory, but a ramdisc is addressed like a discdrive. If you have much i/o, like from a huge database, then a ramdisc could help. Ramdiscs were vastly used in the late 80's and 90's. But today's discs normally are fast enough and modern os's have better means for speed and redundancies. Also, bootloaders may use ramdisc during initial startup, when the disc i/o system is not yet ready.

As for KSP: a fast processor (number threads is not that decisive), min. 8GB ram and if you use many textures / part packs a graphics card with a lot of graphics ram speed things up.

 

Edit: initial loading might be a little faster, but you have to load the ramdisc from disc first, so all in all you'll be slower at first loading, a little faster at sequential loading if you leave the ramdisc in ram all day long. But you loose ram that is probably better used as ... well ... as ram.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Green Baron

[Speadge]

my ssd never gets in real trouble with KSP loading. Its ALWAYS either the cpu or gpu/vram (even gpu goes up to 100% ON LOADING, its a gfx970).

so depending on your mods (eve / parts) u might be best with a real good cpu AND gpu (i know many ppl say u dont need a gpu that is THAT good - but those ppl never played 4k :D)
im on 5760x1080, almost all the time below 60fps, cause my gfx970 cant keep up with the game (even without visual overhauls)

so:

-good cpu
-low resolution
-ssd is fine
 

 

[kBob]

And besides the above, unless you leave your computer on 24/7 every time you boot it's going to have copy everything into the RAMdisk which slows booting and when the computer shuts down it has to copy everything (or least anything that has changed) to your hard drive slowing the shutdown and risking loosing everything that has changed if you have to abnormally shut the computer down (i.e. hit the reset button) or have it setup to copy any changed files to the hard disk as they happen but that adds overhead.

Edited June 30, 2016 by kBob

[genericeventhandler]

I've tried it, and no it's not worth doing. In 1.0.5 it was because of the number of crashes you used to get, helps with re-startup times,  Now I get very few crashes so not worth it at all.

[cantab]

It's unlikely to make much difference. As discussed, KSP loads pretty much everything at the start. Although if you use Kopernicus and planet packs there's a load-on-demand system, maybe ramdisk would help there.

If the time to load the game again after a crash is a problem, and you have plenty of RAM, then it may be viable to instead keep a second instance of the game running as a "hot spare".

[Corona688]

It's been almost exactly 30 years since ramdisks ceased to be a performance boost in most situations.  Modern operating systems do it for you without you having to ask.  That's why KSP loads so much faster the second time you run it than the first.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Corona688

[eataTREE]

KSP doesn't do a lot of disk reads or writes at runtime, so making your disk faster isn't really going to help all that much. Like most games and simulations KSP is cpu-bound rather than I/O-bound (i.e. the limiting factor is the speed of your processor and graphics card, not the speed of your disk).

As others have pointed out, modern operating systems provide a memory-based disk cache that effectively gives you all the benefits a ramdisk would give you anyway.

The easiest way to improve your KSP performance is to run 64-bit if you aren't already. The next-easiest is to add more RAM unless you're already up to 16GB. Beyond that you are looking at upgrading your CPU, mainboard, and/or graphics subsystem.