Windows 98, Complete Boot From CD with Ram Drive

[jacktesterson]

I am trying to install Windows 98 SE on a PC, but I want it to
complete boot from a CD. I will install the files, then I will move all of the
windows systems files onto a CD-R. I will use this to conduct backups on
servers. I know I will require a ram drive to keep the PC from trying to
write to the CD. If anyone knows anything that can help, I would like to
know. I really need to know how to do it and if it is possible.

 

[stevewm]

This is going to be more trouble than its worth.

Win98 does alot of writes to the hardisk while booting. Most of those are to the registry data files. Other files are modified as well.

I can think of only one way to do this. Make a large ramdisk (200MB+) and copy the entire Windows directory into it and run the OS from there.

The only other method I can see would be to modify windows so it looks elsewhere for the files its going to write to. These locations are most likely hardcoded.

 

[bolsen]

I had a good friend that got Win95 to completley boot off a zip disk....

I don't think it's going to work with a CD, now maybe with an RW, but you'll have to include a dos based writing program....

 

[CotswoldCS]

I think the only way you are going to achieve this is by copying virtually all of the files to a large RAMDrive. It is possible to strip down the core Windows 98SE files to <150Mb if you know what you are doing. The only way you can get Windows to boot from the CD is to edit large portions of the Registry, and that is going to be tedious. Windows 95 stripped down, on a RAMDrive may be easier to achieve than 98SE.

Either you're mad or there really is no other way of achieving your task.

Good Luck.