SoftRAM
Encyclopedia
SoftRAM and SoftRAM95 were system software products which claimed to "double" the available memory in Microsoft Windows
without the need for a hardware upgrade. However, it later emerged that the program didn't even attempt to do what it claimed to do. In July 1996, the developer, Syncronys, settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission
of "false and misleading" claims in relation to the capability of the software. The product was rated the third "Worst Tech Product of All Time" by PC World
in 2006.
. It was launched in May 1995 and would go on to sell over 100,000 copies.
Most memory errors in Windows 3.x were caused by the first megabyte of memory in a PC, the conventional memory
, becoming full. Windows must allocate a Program Segment Prefix
(PSP) in this area of memory for each program started. Some utilities prevented DLL
s from allocating memory here, leaving more space for user programs. This was a standard technique also used by other memory optimisation tools. SoftRAM also claimed to increase the amount of virtual memory
available by compressing
the pages of virtual memory
stored in the swap file on the hard disk, which has the added effect of reducing the number of swap file reads and writes. The software also increases the size of the Windows page file, something easily achievable for free and without the use of additional software by changing system settings.
and was released in August 1995. The company sold over 600,000 copies of SoftRAM95 at a list price of USD $79.95, GBP
£60 or 170 DM.
When Windows 95 was launched, it was widely reported that software for the operating system would be "memory hungry", requiring at least 4 megabyte
s of RAM and preferably 8. Syncronys positioned SoftRAM as a cheaper alternative to buying more memory for those who would otherwise be unable to run Windows 95.
disassembled the program and determined that it did not even attempt to do what it was meant to do. In fact, the data passed through the VxD
completely unaltered so that no compression whatsoever could have taken place. The actual drivers were in fact slightly modified versions of code examples taken from Microsoft's "Windows Development Kit". Still, the program would try to pretend that it increased system resources, by silently increasing the size of the swap file on Windows 3.1 and by giving false information on the current state of the system. Even worse, the program was compiled with the debug flag on and so runs slower than the original driver from Microsoft. A further test by PC Magazine
revealed that SoftRAM took the same amount of time to move through systems that contained varying amounts of RAM; leading the magazine's technical editor to call SoftRAM completely "devoid of value". Another study by Dr. Dobb's Journal
came to the same conclusions. Tests by PC World determined that the program did little more than increase the size of the hard drive cache--something that a knowledgeable user could easily do without buying additional software. Furthermore, the company used the "Designed for Windows 95" logo on the packaging when the product had not been approved by Microsoft for use with the operating system.
The Federal Trade Commission
began an investigation in late 1995. It ultimately concluded that Syncronys' claims about SoftRAM were "false and misleading". It also concluded that "SoftRAM95 does not increase RAM in a computer using Windows 95; nor does the product enhance the speed, capacity, or other performance measures of a computer using Windows 95". The investigation prompted the company to recall
both SoftRAM and SoftRAM95 from the market in December 1995. Several individual customers filed suit against the company as well. Syncronys settled with the FTC and the suing customers in 1996. As part of the FTC settlement, it agreed to give rebates to any customers who requested them.
Syncronys eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1999 after releasing other poorly received tools. A large number of its creditors were customers who hadn't received their rebates for SoftRAM.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
without the need for a hardware upgrade. However, it later emerged that the program didn't even attempt to do what it claimed to do. In July 1996, the developer, Syncronys, settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
of "false and misleading" claims in relation to the capability of the software. The product was rated the third "Worst Tech Product of All Time" by PC World
PC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
in 2006.
SoftRAM
SoftRAM was designed for use with Windows 3.xWindows 3.1x
Windows 3.1x is a series of 16-bit operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers. The series began with Windows 3.1, which was first sold during March 1992 as a successor to Windows 3.0...
. It was launched in May 1995 and would go on to sell over 100,000 copies.
Most memory errors in Windows 3.x were caused by the first megabyte of memory in a PC, the conventional memory
Conventional memory
In DOS memory management, conventional memory, also called base memory, is the first 640 kilobytes of the memory on IBM PC or compatible systems. It is the read-write memory usable by the operating system and application programs...
, becoming full. Windows must allocate a Program Segment Prefix
Program Segment Prefix
The Program Segment Prefix is a data structure used in DOS systems to store the state of a program. It resembles the Zero Page in the CP/M operating system...
(PSP) in this area of memory for each program started. Some utilities prevented DLL
DLL
DLL may refer to:* Data link layer, a layer in the OSI network architecture model* Delay-locked loop, a device to reduce clock skew in digital circuits* Doubly linked list, a data structure in computer programming...
s from allocating memory here, leaving more space for user programs. This was a standard technique also used by other memory optimisation tools. SoftRAM also claimed to increase the amount of virtual memory
Virtual memory
In computing, virtual memory is a memory management technique developed for multitasking kernels. This technique virtualizes a computer architecture's various forms of computer data storage , allowing a program to be designed as though there is only one kind of memory, "virtual" memory, which...
available by compressing
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
the pages of virtual memory
Virtual memory
In computing, virtual memory is a memory management technique developed for multitasking kernels. This technique virtualizes a computer architecture's various forms of computer data storage , allowing a program to be designed as though there is only one kind of memory, "virtual" memory, which...
stored in the swap file on the hard disk, which has the added effect of reducing the number of swap file reads and writes. The software also increases the size of the Windows page file, something easily achievable for free and without the use of additional software by changing system settings.
SoftRAM95
SoftRAM95 was designed for Windows 95Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
and was released in August 1995. The company sold over 600,000 copies of SoftRAM95 at a list price of USD $79.95, GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
£60 or 170 DM.
When Windows 95 was launched, it was widely reported that software for the operating system would be "memory hungry", requiring at least 4 megabyte
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
s of RAM and preferably 8. Syncronys positioned SoftRAM as a cheaper alternative to buying more memory for those who would otherwise be unable to run Windows 95.
FTC investigation
In December 1995, the German computing journal c'tC't
c't – Magazin für Computertechnik is a German computer magazine, published by the Heinz Heise publishing house. Originally a special section of the electronics magazine elrad, the magazine has been published monthly since December 1983 and biweekly since October 1997...
disassembled the program and determined that it did not even attempt to do what it was meant to do. In fact, the data passed through the VxD
VxD
VxD is the device driver model used in Microsoft Windows/386, the 386 enhanced mode of Windows 3.x, Windows 9x, and to some extend also by the Novell DOS 7, OpenDOS 7.01, and DR-DOS 7.02 multitasker...
completely unaltered so that no compression whatsoever could have taken place. The actual drivers were in fact slightly modified versions of code examples taken from Microsoft's "Windows Development Kit". Still, the program would try to pretend that it increased system resources, by silently increasing the size of the swap file on Windows 3.1 and by giving false information on the current state of the system. Even worse, the program was compiled with the debug flag on and so runs slower than the original driver from Microsoft. A further test by PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
revealed that SoftRAM took the same amount of time to move through systems that contained varying amounts of RAM; leading the magazine's technical editor to call SoftRAM completely "devoid of value". Another study by Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal was a monthly journal published in the United States by CMP Technology. It covered topics aimed at computer programmers. DDJ was the first regular periodical focused on microcomputer software, rather than hardware. It later became a monthly section within the periodical...
came to the same conclusions. Tests by PC World determined that the program did little more than increase the size of the hard drive cache--something that a knowledgeable user could easily do without buying additional software. Furthermore, the company used the "Designed for Windows 95" logo on the packaging when the product had not been approved by Microsoft for use with the operating system.
The Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
began an investigation in late 1995. It ultimately concluded that Syncronys' claims about SoftRAM were "false and misleading". It also concluded that "SoftRAM95 does not increase RAM in a computer using Windows 95; nor does the product enhance the speed, capacity, or other performance measures of a computer using Windows 95". The investigation prompted the company to recall
Product recall
A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence and to improve or avoid damage to publicity...
both SoftRAM and SoftRAM95 from the market in December 1995. Several individual customers filed suit against the company as well. Syncronys settled with the FTC and the suing customers in 1996. As part of the FTC settlement, it agreed to give rebates to any customers who requested them.
Syncronys eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1999 after releasing other poorly received tools. A large number of its creditors were customers who hadn't received their rebates for SoftRAM.