SoftRAM

SoftRAM was designed for use with Windows 3.1. It was launched in March 1995 and sold more than 100,000 copies.

Most out-of-memory errors in Windows 3.x were caused by the first megabyte of memory in a computer, the conventional memory, becoming full. Windows needed to allocate a Program Segment Prefix (PSP) in this area of memory for each program started. Some utilities prevented DLLs from allocating memory here, leaving more space for user programs. This was a standard technique also used by other memory optimization tools.{{cite web | url=http://www.drdobbs.com/parallel/inside-softram-95/184409937 | title=Inside SoftRAM 95 | author1=Russinovich, Mark | author1-link=Mark Russinovich | author2=Cogswell, Bryce | author2-link=Bryce Cogswell | author3=Schulman, Andrew | magazine=Dr. Dobb's Journal | date=August 1, 1996 | accessdate=May 9, 2016 | archive-date=May 8, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508235834/http://www.drdobbs.com/parallel/inside-softram-95/184409937? | url-status=live }} 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 increased the size of the Windows page file, something achievable by users who are aware of how to change relevant system settings, without the cost of additional software.

SoftRAM95 was designed for Windows 95 and was released in August 1995, selling more than 600,000 units. Its list price was USD $30.{{cite news |last= Dibbell |first= Julian |date= November 27, 1995 |title= A trick of memory? |url= https://www3.nd.edu/~kwb/nsf-ufe/Trick.of.Memory.SoftRam.html#:~:text=$30%20program%20that%20squeezes%20the%20necessary%20storage,a%20small%20Southern%20California%20company%20called%20Syncronys

|work= |location= |publisher= Time Magazine |access-date= February 7, 2025}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050411114903/http://www.heise.de/ct/95/12/100/ |archive-date=April 11, 2005 |title=Placebo forte! Was wirklich hinter SoftRAM 95 steckt | magazine=c't | language=German |date=December 1995 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |author1=Storm, Ingo T. | author2=Persson, Christian | author2-link=:de:Christian Persson}} English version: {{cite magazine|url=http://www.heise.de/ct/english/95/12/100/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050111011326/http://www.heise.de/ct/english/95/12/100/ |archive-date=January 11, 2005 |title=Placebo plus! The truth behind SoftRAM 95 | magazine=c't |date=December 1995 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |author1=Storm, Ingo T. | author2=Persson, Christian}}

When Windows 95 was launched, it was widely reported that software for the operating system would be "memory hungry," requiring at least 4 megabytes of memory and preferably 8 megabytes. Syncronys positioned SoftRAM95 as a cheaper alternative to buying more memory for those users who would otherwise be unable to run Windows 95.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In December 1995, the German computing magazine c't disassembled the program and reported it didn't do what was claimed in advertisements. Instead, data reportedly passed through the VxD unaltered with no compression, and the actual drivers were slightly modified versions of sample code from Microsoft's "Windows Development Kit". Still, the program purported to increase system resources by silently increasing the size of the swap file on Windows 3.1 and misrepresenting the current state of the system, leading the magazine to rate it as "placebo software."{{cite journal | url=https://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Placebo-forte-284374.html | title=Placebo forte! Was wirklich hinter SoftRAM 95 steckt | journal=C't | date=1995-11-11 | volume=1995 | issue=12 | page=100 | access-date=2020-05-10 | archive-date=2021-06-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617004844/https://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Placebo-forte-284374.html | url-status=live }} It was also reportedly compiled with the debug flag on, so it ran slower than the original driver from Microsoft. Another test by PC Magazine revealed SoftRAM95 took the same amount of time to move through systems that contained varying amounts of RAM.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/special/reports/sr1107.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223073540/http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/special/reports/sr1107.htm|title=SoftRAM95 Does Not Compress RAM In PC Magazine Lab Tests|author=Seltzer, Larry|date=November 7, 1995|archivedate=February 23, 2001|magazine=PC Magazine|accessdate=9 May 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Brian |date=January 19, 1996 |title=Software allegedly doubles trouble instead of memory |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9601/soft_ram |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020110191025/http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9601/soft_ram/ |archive-date=January 10, 2002 |accessdate=9 May 2016 |work=CNN}} A later analysis by Dr. Dobb's Journal concluded the same.

The Federal Trade Commission began an investigation in late 1995, ultimately asserting that Syncronys' claims about SoftRAM95 were "false and misleading" and 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". This prompted the company to recall SoftRAM95 from the market in December 1995. Several individual customers filed suit against the company as well. When Syncronys settled with the FTC in July 1996, it agreed to offer a US$10 rebate to customers who requested it.{{cite web |author=Kanellos |first=Michael |date=July 22, 1998 |title=SoftRAM 95 maker in Chapter 11 |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/softram-95-maker-in-chapter-11/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120144839/http://www.cnet.com/news/softram-95-maker-in-chapter-11/ |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |access-date=May 9, 2016 |website=CNET News}}

Syncronys filed for bankruptcy in July 1998 with $4.5 million of debt after releasing a dozen other poorly received tools.{{cite magazine|title=Syncronys's BigDisk Spells Big Risk|author=Spector, Lincoln| magazine=PC World|date=August 1998|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/7258/syncronyss_bigdisk_spells_big_risk.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821061946/http://www.pcworld.com/article/7258/syncronyss_bigdisk_spells_big_risk.html|archive-date=August 21, 2008|access-date=May 9, 2016}} The company's final release, UpgradeAID 98, claimed to allow users to downgrade from Windows 98 to Windows 95, duplicating an existing feature of Windows 98 for $39.95 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|39.95|1998}} in {{year}} dollars).{{cite web|author=IDG staff writers |url=https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/36201/pc_solutions/ |title=PC Solutions |website=ARN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212014934/https://www.arnnet.com.au/article/36201/pc_solutions/ |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |access-date=December 11, 2019 }} A large number of its creditors were customers who had not received their rebates for SoftRAM.

Syncronys replaced its board and leadership and operated under Chapter 7 bankruptcy until 2002. In 2006, the SEC revoked its securities and placed Syncronys in default for failing to file any financial reports since their 1998 Chapter 11 bankruptcy event.{{cite web |title=SEC: Order making findings and revoking registrations by default |url=https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2006/34-54632.pdf | date=October 20, 2006 |access-date=December 11, 2019 |website=SEC |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925225941/https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2006/34-54632.pdf |url-status=live }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=https://ftp.st.ryukoku.ac.jp/pub/published/oreilly/windows/win95.update/softram.html|title=SoftRAM95: "False and Misleading"|date=August 29, 1996|last=Schulman|first=Andrew|publisher=O'Reilly & Associates|accessdate=May 9, 2016}}
• {{cite web |author1=Raymond Chen |title=The inside story of the outside investigation of SoftRAM 95 |url=https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211111-00/?p=105897 |website=The Old New Thing |date=11 November 2021}}

Category:Utilities for Windows

Category:Computer system optimization software

Category:1995 software

Category:False advertising