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Home > Windows Vista Help > Frequently Asked Questions

Why won’t my USB flash drive work with ReadyBoost technology to speed up Windows?

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Published on 24 January 2007

You need a minimum of around 256MB of free storage space on your flash drive. It also needs to be able to access the drive at a minimum speed, and your flash drive may not meet this criteria.

Flash drive under spec

The Flash is too slow - USB sticks need to be a certain size and speed in order to boost memory in Windows Vista
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Jack Stein
Which 2/4MB USB sticks are suitable?
Brand names please.
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25/02/07 | 01:33
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Irishman
Verbatim 1Gb USB flash. Argos £14.99, works a treat..............
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05/03/07 | 02:04
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hellenic
I use a USB Flash of 1GB capacity and I connect it to a USB Hub. Unfortunatelly my computer does not support USB 2.0 interface. This is the cause why I do not support ReadyBoost?

Viva Greece!
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16/03/07 | 10:28
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raider1967
The Verbatim 1Gb Flash from Argos (£15) worked first time and appears to have improved performance, although havent really put it thru its paces yet. Using it to improve existing 1GB Ram on Laptop
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19/03/07 | 03:32
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Val
I have a 128 mb flash drive and it worked !!
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25/03/07 | 04:55
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EwanV1970
There is an article on this site about using low spec flash drives. Here's the link: http://www.windowsvistamagazine.com/UK/05582469248596696351/use-any-usb-stick-to-readyboost-your-computer.html
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29/07/07 | 04:31
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Icute1
Atache Pro 1Gb works Perfect!!!!!!
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16/10/07 | 07:17
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anandk
The baseline requirements are :
The USB Key must be at least USB 2.0
The device must be able to do 3.5 MB/s for 4 KB random reads uniformly across the entire device and 2.5 MB/s for 512 KB random writes uniformly across the device.
The USB Key has to have at least 230mb of free space

The ReadyBoost Compatibility List is a pretty exhaustive list of some ReadyBoost compatible drives.
More at http://www.winvistaclub.com/f1.html
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03/12/07 | 11:52
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Haystack
I have a Imation 256MB Flash Drive and Vista ultimate will not use it, every time I plug it in Vista looks for a driver (which it can not find)
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04/02/08 | 04:35
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slowhandjoe
I've noticed that larger volume drives don't seem to work the same with Readyboost. I have a very high performance Lexar 4Gb drive , with a 150X classification which Readyboost tells me isn't fast enough to use as a Readyboost drive, yet lower spec 2Gb drives work really well with it?
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12/02/08 | 05:09
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websterphreaky
I have a 4GB Kingston "DataTraveler" that Vista is happy with using as a ready boost drive. Unfortunately, it is like most larger volume flash drives, too damn big to be sticking out the side of a notebook. I like the Sony MicroVault Tiny much better.
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12/04/08 | 02:30
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websterphreaky
The ultra miniature Sony 2GB "Micro Vault Tiny" works great especially if you have a notebook and don't want some big USB dongle hanging off the side.

BUT Beware that the 4GB version is NOT compatible with Ready Boost for some reason and Sony doesn't warn you of that.

Rhyme me this - If Macs and OS X are so wonderful and advanced, why don't they have instant extra RAM add-on capability - Ready Boost? Lame rhymes with shame (on Apple Mac vs PC)
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10/04/08 | 03:33
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