Tamero IT Consulting & Services

External memory gives an operating system a performance boost.

Microsoft's next version operating system Vista will allow users to add memory to their computer through the use of USB memory keys.

The option is part of a technology called Superfetch, which is designed to make the next version of Windows run faster over time. Superfetch adds the memory on the USB key to the system's virtual memory, which in turn is used to preload applications and data which the user accesses frequently.

The USB option offers the ability to upgrade your system's memory even if there are no physical memory slots available, thus allowing desktop and laptop users the ability to increase system speed. The user can still remove the memory key at any time without affecting the system's stability.

To prevent security issues, the information is encrypted on the USB key to prevent data leaks. Superfetch is one of several new ways in which Windows Vista is designed to increase system performance. Other new technologies will include an auto defragmenter and a visual tool that will allow users to easily spot system performance bottlenecks.