Microsoft is testing ReFS for new Windows 11 installs

replete · 2025-04-05T07:40:53 1743838853

I found around 6-15% performance improvement in build times after implementing DevDrive (mounted VHD) on Windows machines, which uses ReFS. Deleting huge folders was also perceivably faster.

cors-fls · 2025-04-05T14:00:31 1743861631

I have been made aware of ReFS thanks to the "Dev drive"[1] technology in Win11. ReFS is apparently particularly suited to store source code and code artifacts for dev workloads.

I have been using it (dedicated DevDrive partition) for some time but performance improvement are subtle and not easily visible without measurements. Which I haven't done.

[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dev-drive/

myrandomcomment · 2025-04-06T01:30:21 1743903021

IIRC, because I am old, NT 3.1/3.51 supported HPFS from OS/2. Now get off my lawn.

hulitu · 2025-04-05T07:42:03 1743838923

> Microsoft is testing

This is a contradiction in terms. Microsoft doesn't test anything. Always the user has to do it.

justapassenger · 2025-04-05T07:57:15 1743839835

Microsoft is undisputed leader in backwards compatibility for their OS, while running on near infinite amount of hardware.

Testing is large part of why they can do that.