Install OS to RAM

jotdan · 06-14-2008, 12:58 AM

Hey does anyone out in the wide world of car mods know how to install an OS to RAM

Tidder · 06-14-2008, 01:09 AM

You can't really install an OS to ram. Ram is volatile memory, turn off the machine, anything stored is gone. Maybe if you post more about what you're trying to do, we might get a better idea as to what you're asking.

jotdan · 06-14-2008, 01:13 AM

If you have Gigs of Ram try this.
Programs run in RAM run 1000 times faster than off a HD or CD !!!
How about running your OS there !

The way to do this is with a Ram Drive but the one that comes with Windows is too small but

others make bigger Ram Drives that are not expensive.

Ram Drive is software to trick your Computer into thinking part of it's RAM Memory is a Hard Disk

Drive. You must have enough RAM left over to run programs outside the RAM Drive so you might want

to upgrade your RAM Memory.

Once you have a Ram Drive, install Windows on Drive C as normal.
But put IE and OE on another HD.

Then use a Program like Norton's Ghost to Copy your OS to another HD and Burn it (Windows OS) to

CD. Use your Autoexec.bat and or Config.sys Files load the RAM Drive on Bootup and Load the OS

from the CD to the RAM Drive and Execute Win.exe on that RAM Drive to run Windows.

Then do your Windows Update and use that Norton Ghost or other program to Copy the RAM Drive to

HD and or Burn that to CD. You can use you Autoexec or Config to run the Saved OS on the (D:, E,

ect...) HD for those Updates that must be installed alone and rebooted after. Install all your

Programs then save the OS in RAM Drive to CD and your on your way.

You'll also have to do this every time you install/uninstall a Program but you'll also always

have a clean OS on Boot even if infected with a Trojan or Virus.

And the Speed Boost of OS running in RAM has a 4 GHZ Computer run like a 50 GHZ Computer.

Are you a Gammer, do a lot of Multitasking or Audio/Video ?
Then this could be an option for you.

Before shutting down if you want to keep the Reg settings that changed after the OS is installed

you just copy your Registry again and import it back to Windows in the RAM Drive if you don't

want to Burn it to CD. If you install a new Program you'll want to do this so you can Burn a new

OS CD with the new Registry or just import it when you want to use that program.

When you reboot you install a Fresh OS each time making it very hard for a Virus or Trojan to

take hold. You can still get infected by user error but it's much easier to clean when you cut it

out of the OS.

Always use a Firewall and if on a Broad Band Connection get behind a NAT Router even if you have

only one Computer. It's better than a Software Firewall but I'd still use one with the NAT

anyway.

Hope this is of interest to you.
Good luck.

!:?)
Kevin

SOURCE : http://osdir.com/ml/mozilla.accessib.../msg00015.html
hopefully that helps all that are trying to do this

2k1Toaster · 06-14-2008, 01:40 AM

are you thinking of a live install? Everytime it loads the CD into a ramdrive no hd needed. But slow at loading and pretty stupid for in the car. Great for live linux kernels though to use any any computer to get what you want.

jotdan · 06-14-2008, 01:45 AM

thanks every one, yeah i did some deeper research and found that it is possible, but needs to be installed each time computer turns on.... great for virus protection and speed after load up but it would take ages to install i think i might just use a raptor drive

2k1Toaster · 06-14-2008, 01:54 AM

it is not possible for what you are thinking. And no it is irrelevant for virus protection. Good for virus elimiation, but has no benfit in prevention.

Where would you store your music. Where would you store your settings for all your programs. Anyplace that stores them is prime virus location.

jotdan · 06-14-2008, 01:58 AM

i was yeah more referring to stoping viruses taking hold in an OS such as trojans and stuff

Rob Withey · 06-14-2008, 02:19 AM

I unzip Windows 98SE to a ramdrive each time I boot and boot it from there. That is close to what you want I think. My main drive contains a zip file and some batch files and utilities to unpack it to X:

I get very fast boot times from a known unchangeable config, and since the registry and other windows writes all go to the ramdrive it saves my flash disk-on-module from being killed by writes.

More useful info:

http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/s...ead.php?t=3248
http://www.lachiesadicristo.it/w98cd/page1.htm

Tidder · 06-14-2008, 12:37 PM

When I first entered this thread, Rob's setup exactly came to mind. But man, that's complicated for a regular person I think. Rob does stuff that guys like me only dream about.

lewcamino · 07-07-2008, 02:35 AM

This is not pointless. This would work very well if implemented properly. You would still use the hard drive with a boot sector that loads the RAM drive and also the image for the RAM drive (your OS). You could still store all you music, maps, ect on the hard drive.

Theoretically (because I have not yet tried) you can simply put the computer in standby and the OS will not require a "reload" from disk.

I cannot even start to explain how much faster this is during operation.

I don't know how tolerable the OS load time from cold boot will be.

Tidder · 07-07-2008, 05:45 AM

Well you could still put a normal PC in standby and not have to reload from disk either. Unless your idea of standby differs from mine.

EvilMonkey · 07-07-2008, 08:33 AM

http://techreport.com/articles.x/9312

SFiorito · 07-07-2008, 11:08 AM

you could do this with WinXP as well, but you'd really need to cut it down significantly so as not to use up too much RAM. I posted about it a long time ago, see here: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/winn...o-not-ewf.html

The post is a bit old. I know some others have continued on it using a new version of the SDI boot loader which I believe no longer has the 512MB limit. It's a neat trick, but honestly I think using Standby along with HORM is a lot nicer, but that's just me.

lewcamino · 07-07-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Tidder

Well you could still put a normal PC in standby and not have to reload from disk either. Unless your idea of standby differs from mine.

Not exactly. I was hinting at putting the PC in standby while the entire OS is also running from a RAM disk. This would keep power to RAM and allow you to avoid a cold boot for quite a while anyway.

Later, Lew