NVMe Archives

Winsage

March 23, 2026

Microsoft blocks registry trick that unlocked performance-boosting native NVMe driver on Windows 11 — workarounds still exist to enable support, however

Microsoft has disabled a registry modification that allowed Windows 11 users to activate native NVMe support. This change was noted in the latest Insider builds of Windows 11. The registry trick had previously improved random write performance by up to 85% and enhanced random I/O across various drives and CPUs. However, it caused compatibility issues with third-party SSD management tools and could trigger recovery prompts from BitLocker. Users can still enable native NVMe support using a third-party utility called ViVeTool, which requires an elevated command prompt and a system reboot. The timeline for official native NVMe support in Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 26H2 is uncertain.

Winsage

March 19, 2026

Windows 11 Pro Lifetime License Drops To $12.97

Windows 11 Pro is currently available for .97, which is a 93% discount from Microsoft's standard price of 9. The minimum system requirements for Windows 11 include a 1GHz or faster 64-bit CPU with at least two cores, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, TPM 2.0, and UEFI with Secure Boot. Windows 10 is nearing its end of support, meaning it will no longer receive security updates, which poses risks for users. Windows 11 includes features like BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Group Policy management, and AI-assisted Copilot. Users upgrading from Windows 10 should back up their files and ensure drivers are current. Windows 11 offers performance enhancements for gaming, such as DirectStorage and Auto HDR. Keys priced low are often OEM or volume-license keys tied to a single machine and may not be transferable.

Winsage

March 11, 2026

Microsoft’s full screen ‘Xbox Mode’ will roll out to Windows 11 PCs in April

Microsoft has introduced the full-screen Xbox experience, initially showcased on the ROG Ally Xbox handheld, as a strategic effort to rival Steam's Big Picture Mode. This Xbox interface, now called "Xbox Mode," will expand to all Windows 11 devices, including laptops and desktops, in April. Initially available in select markets, Xbox Mode is designed to enhance user interaction with Windows 11 devices, allowing players to browse their game library, launch games seamlessly, utilize the Game Bar, and switch between applications effortlessly. At the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Microsoft announced plans to distribute Project Helix systems to developers next year, which will run both PC and console games and leverage AMD’s next-generation technology. Additionally, Microsoft introduced the Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) system for developers, aimed at reducing shader stuttering, and upgraded DirectStorage technology to support Zstandard compression for improved game loading times. Developers will also gain insights into integrating next-generation Machine Learning within Microsoft's DirectX gaming API.

Winsage

March 11, 2026

GDC 2026: Announcing new tools and platform updates for Windows PC game developers

Windows 11 will introduce Xbox mode on all PC form factors in April, providing a full-screen gaming experience. Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) will be expanded to all game developers, allowing for improved shader management and reduced stutter. DirectStorage will enhance asset streaming and storage efficiency with new compression techniques. DirectX is evolving to support machine learning in graphics, with new capabilities for integrating neural techniques. Updates to DirectX and PIX tooling will include standardized methods for capturing GPU data, shader-level breakpoints, and a new Shader Explorer tool. Most features will enter preview in May 2026, with broader availability later in the year.

Winsage

March 11, 2026

New Windows-native NVMe driver benchmarks reveal transformative performance gains, up to 64.89% — lightning-fast random reads and breakthrough CPU efficiency

Microsoft's native NVMe driver, initially released for Windows Server 2025, is now available for Windows 11, enhancing SSD performance. Users can achieve performance gains through registry tweaks. Benchmark tests showed significant improvements in random read bandwidth and input/output operations per second (IOPS). In a test with AMD EPYC 9754 processors and Solidigm P5316 SSDs, the following results were observed: - 4K Random Read: Non-Native Driver 6.1 GiB/s, Native Driver 10.058 GiB/s (+64.89%) - 64K Random Read: Non-Native Driver 74.291 GiB/s, Native Driver 91.165 GiB/s (+22.71%) - 64K Sequential Read: Non-Native Driver 35.596 GiB/s, Native Driver 35.623 GiB/s (+0.08%) - 128K Sequential Read: Non-Native Driver 86.791 GiB/s, Native Driver 92.562 GiB/s (+6.65%) - 64K Sequential Write: Non-Native Driver 44.67 GiB/s, Native Driver 50.087 GiB/s (+12.13%) - 128K Sequential Write: Non-Native Driver 50.477 GiB/s, Native Driver 50.079 GiB/s (-0.79%) Random read latency decreased significantly, with 4K and 64K read times dropping by 38.46% and 13.39%, respectively. However, 64K sequential write latency increased by 39.85%, while 128K sequential write latency rose by 12.43%. The NVMe driver also showed favorable CPU usage results during sequential read and write operations. It is not enabled by default in Windows 11, requiring users to make registry changes to activate it.

Winsage

March 6, 2026

Windows Server 2025 Native NVMe: Storage Stack Overhaul and Benchmark Results

On December 15, 2025, Microsoft announced native NVMe support in Windows Server 2025, marking a significant evolution in data management and access. The new architecture replaces Disk.sys with NVMeDisk.sys, allowing direct communication from the filesystem to hardware via StorMQ, eliminating latency and enhancing performance. Testing revealed increased read speeds, particularly in random 4K and 64K benchmarks, with significant reductions in average read latency and lower CPU usage during sequential operations. Write operations showed modest improvements. A registry modification is required to enable this feature, and caution is advised due to potential complications with NVMe drives when deduplication is enabled.

Winsage

March 5, 2026

Microsoft is fundamentally redesigning NVMe drivers for Windows; initial tests show significant performance shifts

Microsoft is developing a new NVMe storage driver for Windows 11 25H2 and Windows Server 2025, moving away from the existing storNVMe.sys driver to better align with modern I/O mechanisms. This new driver utilizes the IoRing framework to enhance efficiency by allowing the processor to manage multiple storage requests simultaneously, reducing latency and administrative overhead. Initial tests show significant performance improvements in random read accesses, particularly benefiting applications like databases and virtualization systems. However, sequential access performance may be lower due to ongoing optimizations. The new driver is currently in preview and not activated by default, with practical use limited until further refinements are made.

Winsage

February 22, 2026

Windows 12 Forecast Six Expert Predictions

Microsoft is preparing for the release of Windows 12, which is expected to feature an AI-native experience with deep integration of Copilot, showcasing capabilities like on-screen comprehension, voice activation, and task automation. The hardware requirements will be elevated, necessitating 16GB of RAM, rapid NVMe storage, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for advanced features. Windows on Arm is gaining momentum, with improvements in app compatibility and battery life, while a modular architecture called CorePC is being developed to facilitate faster updates and enhance security. Licensing for Windows 12 is expected to remain unchanged for consumers, with optional cloud-enhanced services available. The update cadence will increase, allowing for faster feature drops independent of major OS releases, with the Windows Insider Program continuing to test new features. Upon its release, Windows 12 will integrate Copilot, provide a more cohesive OS core, and support both x86 and Arm architectures.

Winsage

February 14, 2026

Windows 98 On A 2020 ThinkPad P14s Gen 1 Laptop

The x86 architecture allows users to run operating systems from the 1990s on modern hardware. Yeo Kheng Meng successfully booted Windows 98 SE on a 2020 ThinkPad P12s Gen 1 alongside Windows 11 and Linux from a single NVMe drive. He previously ran MS-DOS 6.22 on a 2020 ThinkPad X13. The main challenges included UEFI complexities and the need for compatible hardware drivers. Both ThinkPad models support UEFI-CSM mode. To address the lack of xHCI support in Windows 98, Yeo used a USB 2.0 expansion card through a Thunderbolt dock. The installation involved disabling Secure Boot, enabling UEFI-CSM, activating Thunderbolt BIOS assist mode, and turning off Kernel DMA protection. Yeo used the CREGFIX DOS driver for stability and applied patches from Rudolph Loew to overcome Windows 98's RAM limitation of 512 MB. Users must rely on basic VESA support and the SoftGPU driver for graphics acceleration due to the absence of updated drivers from Intel and NVIDIA. Disk access is routed through the BIOS, leading to suboptimal performance. Yeo configured the BIOS to support the S3 power state to address ACPI support issues. UEFI-CSM is often overlooked in newer systems, complicating the installation of Windows 7 and contributing to divides in the x86 ecosystem.

Tech Optimizer

February 12, 2026

Simplyblock provides Postgres Git-style branching

Simplyblock has developed Vela software, enabling instant Postgres database branches without data copying, utilizing its block storage capabilities. CEO Rob Pankow emphasizes Postgres as a key database for AI applications, with companies like Databricks and Snowflake making significant advancements in serverless Postgres technology. Pankow identifies challenges with managed Postgres instances, including IOPS limits, throttling, latency spikes, and high costs due to overprovisioning. Vela allows developers to run Postgres in their cloud accounts, co-locating data and GPUs, and employs a copy-on-write mechanism for database branches, facilitating Git-like version control. Vela is cloud-agnostic, integrates with Kubernetes, and supports features like autoscaling and lifecycle orchestration. Simplyblock has also launched a hosted Vela Sandbox for users to explore the software. A Vela Beta is available with documentation and access to the sandbox.