Windows XP - On a RAM drive?

[foodfightr]

Has anyone tried installing windows XP on a ram drive? Curious as to what it cost you and how it changed your boot time and performance.

 

[mwmorph]

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2480&p=7

figure in about $500

 

[theMan]

windows xp boots up plenty fast. try doing it on win2k, it takes like 5 minutes or more to boot up.

 

[diapickle]

Originally posted by: theman
windows xp boots up plenty fast. try doing it on win2k, it takes like 5 minutes or more to boot up.

What version of w2k do you have???

 

[diapickle]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2480&p=7

figure in about $500

I wouldn't trust my data with such a drive though. Imagine another Aug 2003 blackout and your data only has 16 hours to live.

 

[foodfightr]

Personally, I don't worry much about black outs.

I'll probably end up running a 1GB IRAM disk with windows and my startup programs. I'll use acronis to image the drive so that in the event of a power outage for longer than 16 hours (battery life) it won't take very long to just restore the drive. Also, the battery of the IRAM charges even when your computer is off, so I'd imagine with an APC battery backup charging the battery (when the computer is off) must give a massive boost in battery life to the IRAM.

Then I'll install all my applications and store my files on a fast SATAII drive like the WD4000YR.

Sound good?

 

[0roo0roo]

yea irams as good as it gets on the cheap end of that kionda stuff
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/09/07/can_gigabyte/
http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12/05/hyperos_dram_hard_drive_on_the_block/

 

[foodfightr]

hrmm will i need more than 1gb to install xp w/ all the updates?

 

[diapickle]

Originally posted by: foodfightr
Personally, I don't worry much about black outs.

I'll probably end up running a 1GB IRAM disk with windows and my startup programs. I'll use acronis to image the drive so that in the event of a power outage for longer than 16 hours (battery life) it won't take very long to just restore the drive. Also, the battery of the IRAM charges even when your computer is off, so I'd imagine with an APC battery backup charging the battery (when the computer is off) must give a massive boost in battery life to the IRAM.

Then I'll install all my applications and store my files on a fast SATAII drive like the WD4000YR.

Sound good?

How are you gonna fit XP into a 1GB stick?

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Originally posted by: foodfightr
hrmm will i need more than 1gb to install xp w/ all the updates?

I'm pretty sure you will.

My windows folder is 2.2 gigs, so a clean install of windows would prolly be 1.6 gigs or so. Not sure.

 

[0roo0roo]

well its smaller if one turns off hibernation..perhaps delete the hibernation file if its still around

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, Since XP would have to be reloaded into RAM everytime you restarted I doubt if you would want to do it. I also doubt that you would ever get it to BOOT. Luck, Jim

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: JimPhelpsMI
Hi, Since XP would have to be reloaded into RAM everytime you restarted I doubt if you would want to do it. I also doubt that you would ever get it to BOOT. Luck, Jim

The Gigabyte IRAM has a battery backup, and also gets power from the PCI slot. So as long as the PC is plugged in, it will stay powered througth the PCI slot, and if you lose power, it will still hold it for a while with the backup battery. Still doesn't seem worth it to me, it uses SATA for the interface, they need to make a PCIe version, or update it to use SATA 3G.