RAMDRIVE.SYS--Notes

Using conventional memory

Although specifying a memory type is optional, it is strongly recommended.  
If you omit both the /E and /A switches, RAMDRIVE.SYS uses your system's
conventional memory. It is not a good idea to use conventional memory for a
RAM drive, because this reduces available work space for programs. However,
if you don't have extended memory, expanded memory, or a hard disk drive,
you might want to use conventional memory for a RAM drive. A RAM drive can
increase the speed of a floppy disk system significantly enough that it may
be worth the loss of some conventional memory.

Using extended memory

If your system has extended memory installed (starting at the 1-megabyte
boundary), you can use this extended memory for one or more RAM drives. For
RAMDRIVE.SYS to use extended memory, you must first install HIMEM.SYS or
another extended-memory manager that conforms to the
Lotus/Intel/Microsoft/AST eXtended Memory Specification (XMS). In your
CONFIG.SYS file, the DEVICE command that installs the XMS extended-memory
manager must precede the commands that install the RAM drive.

Using expanded memory

For RAMDRIVE.SYS to use expanded memory, you must configure your system so
that it provides expanded memory. In your CONFIG.SYS file, the DEVICE
command that installs the expanded-memory manager (such as EMM386.EXE) must
precede the DEVICE command that installs RAMDRIVE.SYS. The expanded-memory
manager must conform to the Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory
Specification (LIM EMS).

Increasing the efficiency of a RAM drive

For the best results with a RAM drive, you can define a TEMP environment
variable and set it to a directory on the RAM drive. If you use Windows, be
sure the RAM drive is at least 2 MB in size; otherwise, there might not be
enough space to create temporary files for printing.

Compressing a RAMDrive

To compress a RAMDrive, use the <DRVSPACE /CREATE> command. Although it is
possible to compress a RAMDrive by using the DRVSPACE /COMPRESS command, it
is not recommended. Due to the inherent volatility of a RAMDrive,
DriveSpace's automatic recovery mechanisms cannot work on a RAMDrive.

If you compress your RAMDrive, make sure the DEVICE command for RAMDRIVE.SYS
appears in your CONFIG.SYS file before the DEVICE command for DRVSPACE.SYS.
Otherwise, the compressed RAMDrive will not be automatically mounted when
your computer starts.