RRRRRaaaarrr.. RAMDrive !!

[FrameBuffer]

ok I think this would go under software however the idea came from a thread in hardware (concerning harddrives)..

I'm wondering as to what the process would be to create a ramdrive/ramdisk system in which windows would be loaded onto prior to the OS loading. I have 3GB of DDRand was thinking of creating a "Drive" approx 1.5-2GB in size and installing a slimmed down XP using something like nLite. My though process is something like this:

Create 2GB Ramdisk (X: drive)
Install slimmed down XP onto Drive X:
Save Drive X to C:\Xdrive.

---- POWER OFF---

----POWER ON---
System begins boot process
(Using *.BAT , 1: create ramdisk of 2GB size, label new drive X: . 2: copy C:\XDrive to drive X. 3: begin OS boot process).
OS loaded onto X:Windows.
work as normal.. web work etc..

System shut down would I think simply image(copy) X: to C:\XDrive prior to power off.

I've looked around the web and found an app called Ramdisk (http://users.compaqnet.be/cn021945/RAMDisk/ramdriv.htm) I think may do the job as it allows to save the ramdisk to hard disk prior to powering off.

Anyone know of any application that exists that does the above or any hints or links to where as one might find out ? I've successfully done Win98SE in the past using an older ramdrive utility however Im not sure if XP and NTFS pose some type of impass or if it is even plausable.

 

[maaoouud]

I don't think the bootloader has enough functionality to be able to load a ramdrive before initializing the os.

One solution would be to invest in one of those hardware ramdrive (gigabyte I-RAM etc).

Maybe 2K/XP has a function built in though. I never found one that suited my needs.

I think that there might be some custom ramdrive that'll allow you to get atleast some of xp's folders shadowed to a ramdrive.
I never got it working the way I wanted and I don't remember how useful it could be, I was using a free version which had cut down functionality.
I used it as a temporary storage (temporary internet files etc.) but it wasn't that useful.

EDIT: No caps and a bit of clarifying.

 

[Albuquerque]

Yeah, I can't see any of the NT5 or later operating systems "liking" being forced into loading from a software-based ramdrive. You'll need a 32-bit protected mode ramdisk application to access that much memory, and then you'll be trying to run a protected-mode operating system on top of it.

If you pull that off somehow, I'd love to see how you did it

The closest thing I could think of would be some form of Windows PE (Bart PE more than likely) implementation where you'd build a stripped-down PE image, brute-force install video, audio and other drivers and create an ISO or SDI image. Then simply load the ISO or SDI straight into RAM from your harddisk by way of an OSLoadOption in WINNT.SIF... This kills your ability to make changes to the OS without remastering the ISO or SDI file though.

You could get even crazier and just simply build your PE image into a MININT folder on your harddisk and then use the /INRAM option in TXTSETUP.SIF to boot it from the harddrive into ram. That would still allow you to make permanent changes to the OS at some level, although you'd have to get a little creative about how to do it.

The first option might be neat if you built a rock-solid image that you wanted to ensure never became corrupted. The downside is, loading applications and games basically is impossible because the registry entries and whatnot would be lost every reboot. And (without becoming entirely illegal) Windows PE implementations reboot themselves every 24 hours if you keep them constantly-on.

You're better off doing the hardware ramdisk option