Fixing missing segments in EUMETCast Using a RAM Disk & Config Changes
Creation date: 29/05/2026 15:08
Updated: 29/05/2026 15:08
The EUMETCast Europe User Guide states that RAM disks aren't necessary if you're using SSDs, but when we contacted them about missing segments with the Novra receiver, they suggested trying a RAM disk. We use one called ImDisk Toolkit, which is free and open-source. It's available for download from here: https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/imdisk_toolkit_64_bit.html
To install it, simply extract the files from the ZIP file, run the install.bat file and go with the default options.
Once installed, there will be 3 icons on the desktop. Double-click on the RamDisk Configuration icon:
A window will appear, where you can configure the various parameters for the RAM disk. Use the following settings:
Once you click OK, it will create an 8GB RAM disk, mounted at R: each time you boot up the PC. Next, you need to alter the TelliCast configuration files, to use the RAM disk instead of the standard path. We also found that increasing the receive_buffer_size value from the default of 8000000 (8MB) to a much larger (but not silly value) improved things. We settled on 500000000 (500MB). Follow these instructions to make the changes to the config files:
- Close all running instances of TelliCast using their icons in the tray (next to the clock).
- Navigate to C:\EUMETSAT\EUMETCast using File Explorer.
- Make backup copies of the cast-client_bas.ini / cast-client_hvs-1.ini / cast-client_hvs-2.ini configuration files.
- Make the following changes to all three of the above files, saving each one as you go:
- Under [channel_defaults] change the receive_buffer_size value to 500000000
- Under [parameters] change the tmp_directory value to R:\EUMETCast\tmp\bas
- Make backup copies of the cast-client-channels_bas.ini / cast-client-channels_hvs-1.ini / cast-client-channels_hvs-2.ini channel files.
- Make the following changes to all three of the above files, saving each one as you go:
- Under [channel] change the target_directory value to R:\EUMETCast\received\bas\default and the tmp_directory value to R:\EUMETCast\tmp\bas
- Start all three instances of TelliCast again, using their icons in the desktop (BAS, HVS-1, HVS-2).
- Next, you need to change the file acquisition path for each ingester tab in Geostationary Ingester:
- Starting with the EUMETCast HRIT ingester tab, change to the File acquisition sub-tab.
- Make a note of the current path under Look for files in: then click on the Choose... button next to it.
- Navigate to R:\EUMETCast\received\bas\default and click OK.
- Click Apply settings (just above the Lock button) at the bottom of the Geostationary Ingester window.
- Repeat this process for the other ingester tabs (EUMETCast MTG FCI, EUMETCast MTG LI, EUMETCast Other, HimawariCast HRIT and Electro HRIT).
- This completes the configuration for using a RAM disk with EUMETCast and Geostationary Ingester.
- If any data stream isn't being received and processed by Geostationary Ingester, double-check that you have made the above changes to all of the configuration files and that you have updated the file acquisition path in all of the ingester tabs in Geostationary Ingester.
If you don't want to use a RAM disk, you can try just making the changes in step 4 (above), to increase the buffer size.