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From: psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Fun with RAM disks (was Re: Improve response time with paths)
Message-ID: <1199@lznv.ATT.COM>
Date: Fri, 20-Nov-87 13:45:56 EST
Article-I.D.: lznv.1199
Posted: Fri Nov 20 13:45:56 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Nov-87 06:25:26 EST
References: <15000048@silver>
Organization: AT&T
Lines: 25
Summary: populate RAM disk from archive

In article <15000048@silver>, creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu writes
about why he has lots of little .BAT files in a RAM disk, and how he
populates it by pkxarc'ing them from an archive.

I do something similar with my C compiler.  Most of the time, I boot
off of the C: drive (hard disk), without a RAM disk.  When I want to
hack, I put in my "C boot floppy" and boot off of it.  The CONFIG.SYS
builds a RAM disk, specifies that C:COMMAND.COM is the command
interpreter (so I can take the floppy out when I'm done), and does
everything else my C:\CONFIG.SYS does.  The AUTOEXEC.BAT on the floppy
take populates the RAM disk from an archive on the floppy, then goes to
the C: drive and runs AUTOEXEC (the usual one on the hard disk).

Result:  When I'm working with the compiler, I keep all my header files
in the RAM disk.  No file fragmentation, and very fast compiles.  When
I'm doing other stuff, I have the full 640K available.

The only limitation is that the boot floppy doesn't run A:AUTOEXEC on
start-up.  I assume it's confused by not using A:COMMAND.COM.  I
renamed A:AUTOEXEC.BAT to A:GO.BAT, so I just boot off of the floppy
and type "GO".

-Paul S. R. Chisholm, {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,rutgers}!mtune!lznv!psc
AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com
I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.