128 GB RAM - Install windows to RAM discs - possible ??

Hi folks.

I rescued from the Tip an old server (complete) with 128 DDR 3 GB RAM in it. (fast enough). I have to provide HDD's and SSD - no probs - quite a few of those.

We have a lot of data centres here as energy is so cheap so they are always chucking out what in a lot of places would be decent hardware to upgrade to newer / faster etc -- "Vultures" like me take advantage !!!!.

Is there any way to say create "C" and "D" drives as RAM discs, install windows to that and the run entirely from RAM discs. There are of course physical HDD's and an SSD in the system too.

Since server would run 24 / 7 it would only be necessary to re-initialize RAM discs on start up - and they'd be journalled during the day so even if in the event of a power failure the system would still be up to date on re-boot.

I think I could probably do this with Linux GRUB2 (small boot partition) to load the RAM discs and then run a Windows VM - but would like to see if this could be done for Windows directly. System would really fly with this set up !!

Any ideas if it's even feasible.

Cheers
jimbo

Hi there.
@cereberus

Brilliant -- never thought of VHD disks

Tried to +rep but wouldn't let me as I've already given you some recently.

Looking forward to some decent ale !!!

the VHD idea is brilliant -- works a treat.

Finally got Windows working at a speed I wouldn't believe !!

The boot idea with grub2 is the key - loading to RAM disc and booting the windows VHD - brilliant. !!!

Cheers
jimbo

Hi folks

Will do later have to do boring things like shopping today Grh !!! hate it.

-- but the essence of the procedure is to use initrd which is a very temporary root file system from which the RAM images can be constructed and then the mount for the VHD's.

You need to get a small kernel into the system which is done like this.

# mkdir temp ; cd temp
# cp /boot/initrd-2.6.14.2.img initrd-2.6.14.2.img.gz
# gunzip initrd-2.6.14.2.img.gz
# cpio -i --make-directories < initrd-2.6.14.2.img
#


The initial bootloader does need of course to run from the HDD / SSD device to initiate the process.

Cheers
jimbo

EdTittel said:

How do you capture and store the running system image when you have to reboot for whatever reason? How do you deal with power outages, when they occur? UPS for the latter, I hope -- but that all depends on how long the power outage persists.
Thanks,
--Ed--

Hi there
On re-boot yes you have to recover the whole thing again -- the exercise wasn't trying to run a "commercially stable OS" but just to see if Windows could be speeded up compared with running base from an SSD.

You don't have to lose the whole lot as you can checkpoint the system every so often and write to HDD so on recovery you get the system as of the last checkpoint.

While check pointing though you have to "freeze" the system or use some type of VSS. !!!

It's more messing about than actually a "Useful" exercise" but fun to do and finally after all these years really know what initrd does and how it works. !!

Note you still have access to the physical HDD's of course as it's Windows.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks

@EdTittel

Always great to try out new stuff -- even if it doesn't have any obvious commercial value.

I'm too old to worry about future earnings any more -- soon will be collecting Pensions from Belgium and Iceland -- both countries supply decent inflation linked earnings that most other places can only dream about

I feel sorry for some of the youngsters who could be doing this sort of stuff but they really these days get it bad in economic terms compared with what we had --even though as a youngster we had limited electricity supply and outside loos (WC's or Restrooms I think they call them in USA) -you know that's bad when it's 20 deg C below Zero with howling gales !!!. and you need to go and "Shake a snake" !!!!!

Still we managed though and education really is the way out of any sort of poor economic conditions so never stop learning at any age !!!.

People should think of this saying --not sure where it came from but so true :

"The price of education is expensive -- but the price of ignorance is astronomical" !!

So true -- even more so when people - seemingly intelligent get scammed out of thousands of USD / other currencies on what seems the most obvious scams on the planet.

Cheers
jimbo