PC Drivers & Software

[johan501]

Hi everyone!

First I want to say that I'm new here and English is not my main language. My English is not very good.

Specs below.

So, I have an MSI motherboard with Ryzen 5 2600. I have multiple drives in my gaming pc, 2x m.2 SSD, 2x HDD and 1x 2,5inch SSD. I installed StoreMI and I am using it for Data drives only (not bootable). A 2TB HDD combined with a 120GB Sandisk 2.5inch sata SSD with the 2GB RAM cache enabled. The benchmark CrystalDiskMark showed higher speeds, but when I load a game, its just a little faster then the other HDD (3TB). Even file transfers seems to be slowed down, but I am really sure if that is the case.

I installed Just Cause 4 on 3TB HDD (without StoreMI) and started the game. Stopwatch in tablet on when I click play and ends in menu of the game. That was about 71 seconds.

Then 3 times on the StoreMI combination;

First 85 seconds, then 65 and last one was 64 seconds.

My questions:

1. Why not a real improved speed like the advertising?
2. Does it depends on hardware? (I mean like diffrent types of 2.5" ssd's)
3. Or is it just like an SSHD? I don't fully understand what StoreMI exactly does.
4. And does someone know why only 2GB of RAM cache? I have a lot more to spend for that (32GB)

Gaming PC specs:

AMD Ryzen 5 2600

MSI X470 Gaming Plus

32GB of DDR4-3000MHz RAM

GTX 1070

Seasonic 550w PSU

1x 240GB M.2 NVME SSD (Windows 10)

1x 500GB M.2 Sata SSD

1x 3TB HDD

1x 2TB HDD combined with the 2.5" 120GB SSD

If I'm doing something wrong, just say it.

[noodles59]

You combine slow HDDs with M.2s and really wonder everything gets slower?

Your HDDs make a 200MB/s at most while M.2s can do up to 3500MB/s - you really wonder?

It's like chaining a snail to a dog (in a race) and asking why is that dog so slow?!

[johan501]

First, show some respect. Is not that difficult.

Second, I had a serious question and that's not a serious answer.

3th: I am not here for such replies.

4th: HDD with 2.5 inch ssd, so you didn't read everything

Do you what StoreMi is?

I quote of the AMD website:

"Storage Acceleration. Intelligently Managed."

"Start games up to 2.8X faster. Boot Windows up to 2.3X faster. Load apps up to 9.8X faster"

StoreMi is to combine a slow HDD with an SSD to get the faster speeds..

If you don't can reply with some respect and with an serious answer about my question: i don't want your reply. I ignore people like you. Don't get me wrong, it's only with people who don't take me serious and don't know what respect really is. But you can and you know that, right?

[noodles59]

Can't take any humor? Okay!

Btw, my answer is valid since it reflects your situation perfectly! You can't make a slow HDD fly by combining it with an SSD but you now found out that even StoreMI got its limits

[johan501]

Was that humor?! Sorry! I have autism and because of them I often can't see the diffrence between humor and not-humor.

Yeah I get it, but StoreMi (webpage) says it's up to xX faster. And you say that if I combine a HDD with SSD is does not get much faster? While webpage says it does? Sorry, it's unclear. And sorry for my bad English.

With StoreMi it seems a little slower then before, but don't know if that's really real or not.

If StoreMi webpage says things loads faster and it's not or maybe 1 second, isn't that a little bit misleading?

[black_zion]

Why not a real improved speed like the advertising?

As is stated on the AMD StoreMI webpage four times, "Results may vary by system configuration".

Does it depends on hardware? (I mean like diffrent types of 2.5" ssd's)

Faster hardware means faster performance. AMD's benchmarks used Samsung Pro SSDs and WD Black SSDs. If you're using bargain basement components, then you're still going to be slow. Also, just because you have an NVMe drive doesn't mean you have NVMe performance, a Samsung 960 Pro and a WD Blue NVMe perform quite differently, for example.

Or is it just like an SSHD? I don't fully understand what StoreMI exactly does.

To quote AMD's StoreMI webpage, "As you add more and faster drives to your PC, AMD StoreMI technology automatically pairs your most-used files with the fastest storage for peak performance. You can also use up to 2GB of RAM as a last-level cache for ultra-fast data." So yes, it works exactly like an SSHD, over time your most used files are moved to the SSD while the rest remain on the slow HDD, meaning it takes much longer to access those files.

And does someone know why only 2GB of RAM cache? I have a lot more to spend for that (32GB)

It's a limitation of the free software.

High performance 2.5" SSD's are very inexpensive these days, 1TB drives can be found easily under $150, and that's what you need to have your games on, and high performance NVMe drives are also dropping quite quickly, a 512GB can also be found under $150, and that's what you should have your OS on. Bulk storage HDDs, that's for your media files.

[johan501]

yeah I know. But I thougt there was enough performance, not a little. That's why i'm here, to ask things about it.

Ah yeah I see. But clearly, you didn't read the whole story... I said: 2TB hdd combined with 2.5inch sata ssd.

Windows is on nvme ssd (m.2), First Data drive (2TB) is combined with 2.5 inch 120GB ssd, and then I have a 3th Data drive of 3TB and 4th drive for data and games. The last one is a m.2 sata 500GB ssd.

Okay, now I understand it better now I know it's more like an SSHD, thanks. 

So, because StoreMI is free, I have only 2GB to use. Is there a paid version of StoreMI?

Yeah, SSD gets cheaper and cheaper. But for me it's in euros .

Thanks for the info, it's more clear now.

[black_zion]

There are paid versions of RAM disk programs, AMD has one in conjunction with Dataram, but as far as using a larger RAM buffer on top of StoreMI, you're not going to increase performance more.

[noodles59]

 I got 16GB system ram and can tell that this Standard ram disk makes no difference let alone when power fails all data is gone.

[johan501]

What has Radeon RAM disk to do with StoreMI? Yeah I know what it is, but I never talked about it. I don't understand why you come with that?

[black_zion]

Because you said you had 32GB of RAM and wanted something to do with it.

[johan501]

Yeah for StoreMI. StoreMI can use 2GB of ram and no more then that. I just want to use more then 2GB for StoreMI because I have 32GB, but it has the 2GB limit. I just don't know why. I think it should be possible to enable more, like 4GB instead of the 2GB

It's all about StoreMI. 

[obts]

I have been using StoreMi when it was launch.

To get the best result is M.2 SSD + HDD.

Your system is C+D+E+F = WOW....

Still using a stand alone C as boot drive. There is some serious redundancy on C.

The mindset of using C as boot only is a legacy more than 10years old. This is due to Windows Crashing and Blue Screen. Since Windows 7, the OS rarely crash till unrecoverable especially with restore point.

It is quite safe to set up as follows :

C :\ 1x 240GB M.2 NVME SSD (Windows 10) + 3TB HDD = StoreMi bootable = dun worry its very safe

D: \ 1x 500GB M.2 Sata SSD

E: \ 1x 2TB HDD 

Extra piece 2.5" 120GB SSD 

Reason - with your storage capacity - dont let 120GB complicate your setup. Better use this 120GB SSD on another system.

Tqvm

[johan501]

Yeah, If i want it that way it's my choice. The nvme SSD is not only for Windows, some game too. I like to get the Boot drive completly seperate like now. 

I don't want a M.2 + HDD for StoreMI.

I don't asked the thing you said. Don't get me wrong, it's not very logical for me. Maybe it's logical for everyone, but not for me. The 120GB sata 2.5inch ssd + 2TB is more to test it first, to see the performace. For now I leave it as it is (my choice), maybe later a diffrent setup.

Later this year or next year I want more HDD, total of 4 + maybe some extra SSD. Why? Because I want that.

[obts]

Good enough. 

Hope it answer your original question on why its slow using StoreMi. 

StoreMi Tier Drive will always be slower than 2.5" SSD.

Hope you get the expertise to setup a bootable StoreMi and get the most out of StoreMi.

Tqvm

[johan501]

My question was already answerd. StoreMI is more like an SSHD.

"Hope you get the expertise to setup a bootable StoreMi and get the most out of StoreMi."

Why? I said I don't want it. I can already do that with or without help (like internet).

There is a diffrence between I don't want it and I can't do it you know?

[colesdav]

Hi, 

You may want to look at this: http://www.enmotus.com/amd

I am using ROG RamDisk 2.0 and ROG RamCache II on ROG Crosshair Hero VII motherboard and it makes a difference for sure. 

I am not too happy about all of the warnings with AMD StoreMI so there is no way I am going to use it for a main boot disk.

I will be testing it though. 

Bye.  

[johan501]

Hi,

Thanks, but that is the same as StoreMI? But diffrent name for AMD?

I see that the more expensive version can use 4GB of ram, instead of 2GB with StoreMI.

Yeah, RAM is much faster, but I don't want a ramdisk.

I'm using StoreMI only with non-bootable drives. I have a 240GB m.2 nvme drive for Windows 10 and I like it the way it is.

[colesdav]

Hi,

RE: FuzeDrive for AMD Ryzen 

Your questions:
(1). But that is the same as StoreMI? But diffrent name for AMD?

Yes. StoreMI is AMD brand version of this tech.

FuseDrive Basic is the lowest performance offering.
StoreMI is like FuseDrive Basic but supports 256GB Fast Tier SSD.

FuseDrive Plus  looks like the one you are interested in. More "FuzeRam" - 4GB and largser Fast Tier SSD,
but if you want it you have to pony up sixty greenbacks for it. 

(2) RE: I see that the more expensive version can use 4GB of ram, instead of 2GB with StoreMI.
Corrrect. That's why I pointed you to it.

(3). RE: Yeah, RAM is much faster, but I don't want a ramdisk.
OK if you use the "FuzeRAM" you are using part of your RAM as highspeed Ramdisk as part of the overall StoreMI / FuzeDrive solution.
StoreMI / FuzeDrive will allow Machine Intelligent solution to optimize most frequently used files on the "FuzeDrive" first then on the "Fast Tier SSD"  then on the big slow hard drive. The technology is very similar to that used on SSHD's.

(4). More information here:   https://community.amd.com/community/gaming/blog/2018/01/10/faster-easier-simpler-storage-technology-... 

Bye.

[johan501]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I will give a shorter answer, my Engilsh is not very great. 

For me it's in euro's, I believe €55 instead of €60. I don't think I am going to buy it, is too expensive.

So FuzeRam is a small ramdisk? Didn't know that, kind of. Don't know wht but I thought you meant RamDisk, something like FuzeRAM with StoreMI (3 things), but is more like 2 thing? RamDisk (fuzeram) + StoreMI (for combining 2 drives).

Thanks for that link, I will read it when possible.

[colesdav]

Hi,

If you want something similar but cheaper you can try Download PrimoCache.
I use Primo Ramdisk - Powerful Disk Emulator to Create Ultra-Fast RAM-Disks  on my Intel PC's and I also use
PrimoCache - Excellent Software Caching Solution to Accelerate Storage on those PC's to speed up large file transfer. 

Bye.

[benman2785]

dude - you need to start that game 3-6x until those files are copied to the ssd via storemi
otherwise your simply read from hdd...
btw that copy of files also takes a while...

[johan501]

"Dude" Its like an SSHD I know.

It has to learn, I know.

Was sure before I posted this topic, now I'm am because of this topic.