Some applications, however, do not function as well with virtual memory, so customers need to read the application requirements before using any software product. RAM Disk A RAM disk is an area of your RAM that you set aside to act like a second disk drive. Like a disk cache, a RAM disk is so much faster than a hard drive because it's faster for your Macintosh to access data stored in RAM than on the hard drive. A RAM disk will appear on your desktop as a separate volume, just as if it were a second disk drive. Note that the RAM disk option isn't available on all Macintosh models.
Some people confuse a RAM disk with a disk cache.
Although most users don't need to create or use a RAM disk, it can be useful in special circumstances. The RAM disk won't empty itself if you choose the Restart command instead of the Shut Down command. Be sure to copy the final version of the document to your hard drive before you shut down. If you want to resize a RAM disk, drag any files on it to the Trash, empty the Trash, and then open the Memory control panel and use the slider to change its size. Now that you know how to set your Memory control panel for optimum performance, you can get the most out of the memory you have.