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Can I Expand Laptop RAM Using External Ports Like USB or Thunderbolt If No RAM Slot?

mamatata99 24983 9
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Can I expand a laptop's RAM through external ports like USB or Thunderbolt if it has no RAM slot?

No, you cannot add real RAM to a laptop through USB or Thunderbolt if it has no RAM slot [#3644247] Windows Vista ReadyBoost does not increase the amount of RAM directly; it only stores data on a portable drive for the memory manager [#3644432] In theory you could connect a USB RAM-disk and use it as swap, but that is not real RAM and was described as a poor solution [#3644298] Even then, USB transfer speed is far slower than RAM, so the computer would slow down a lot [#3644641]
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  • #1 3644214
    mamatata99
    Level 11  
    Posts: 23
    Rate: 5
    Is it possible to expand the RAM (via external ports) if the laptop does not have such a slot for installing an additional RAM memory stick?
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  • #2 3644247
    Robert B
    Level 43  
    Posts: 22594
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    There aren`t such a possibility.
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  • #3 3644298
    pmichniewski
    Level 18  
    Posts: 242
    Help: 22
    Rate: 5
    No, well... if you insist, it would be possible... You can connect a RAM disk to USB (probably not available, but it can be done) and use it as a swap, but think for yourself how much sense it makes. :D
  • #4 3644309
    jankolo
    Rest in Peace  
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    pmichniewski , does your friend distinguish RAM from RAM-disk?
  • #5 3644403
    kaczor91
    Level 13  
    Posts: 108
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    In Windows Vista this is possible. The function is called Ready Boost - you connect a USB flash drive and it works as additional RAM memory.
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  • #6 3644432
    jankolo
    Rest in Peace  
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    kaczor91, my friend, don`t write nonsense! If your friend has read anything about Ready Boost technology, please read it again, but this time ALL LETTERS.
    I quote from Microsoft:
    This technology does not use the memory on portable drives directly to increase the amount of RAM (due to the huge performance disproportion), but saves data there for use by the memory manager.
    And the whole article is here: http://www.microsoft.com/poland/technet/article/art025.mspx
    In the future, let your friend first consider the BASIC function of RAM and then make brilliant discoveries.
  • #7 3644475
    kaczor91
    Level 13  
    Posts: 108
    Help: 4
    Rate: 17
    Jankolo, thanks for the info. Apparently I need to change my source of information ;) .
  • #8 3644641
    merlin
    Level 10  
    Posts: 23
    Rate: 2
    kaczor91 wrote:
    In Windows Vista this is possible. The function is called Ready Boost - you connect a USB flash drive and it works as additional RAM memory.


    Let me think about it, my friend, even with USB 2.0 and a fast flash drive, data transmission is slow compared to a disk, not to mention data transmission from and to the RAM. Even if it were solved IT-wise, the effect would be that the computer would slow down a lot.
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  • #9 3647046
    pmichniewski
    Level 18  
    Posts: 242
    Help: 22
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    jankolo wrote:
    pmichniewski , does your friend distinguish RAM from RAM-disk?


    My friend can tell the difference :P I expressed myself a bit wrong. I meant a pen-drive with RAM instead of Flash. That`s why I wrote that such a thing does not exist, although it can be achieved with the right self-persuasion. I just doubt the wisdom of this solution :D
  • #10 3647410
    mamatata99
    Level 11  
    Posts: 23
    Rate: 5
    Many thanks for explaining the topic. I need to get a new laptop.
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Topic summary

LABEL_AI_GENERATED
The discussion centers around the possibility of expanding RAM in laptops that lack additional RAM slots. Responses indicate that traditional RAM expansion is not feasible through external ports. Some users mention the concept of using a USB-connected RAM disk or USB flash drives with Windows Vista's ReadyBoost feature, which allows a USB drive to act as a cache rather than directly increasing RAM. However, it is clarified that ReadyBoost does not provide additional RAM but rather optimizes data access. The consensus is that while there are workarounds, they do not effectively replace or expand physical RAM, and performance may suffer due to slower data transfer rates compared to internal RAM.
AI summary based on the discussion. May contain errors.
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