OS on a chip? 1

[Accessdabbler]

Is it possible to build a computer system that has the OS loaded onto a chip for an "instant" boot time?

I'm thinking of building a system (as a hobby) that could boot from some sort of RAM chip. Anybody know how this could be attempted?

 

[edfair]

You mean like the apple machines? Or like the handhelds?
Of course.
Time to do a search of the chip manufacturer websites for how to do it.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[franklin97355]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=disk+on+chip

 

[micker377]

The original Tandy (Radio Shack) had DOS on a ROM chip.

 

[ceh4702]

I have seen some things similar to this.

If you want a true DISK ON CHIP D.O.C., then you have to buy a motherboard with a socket for that. There may be some imbedded motherboards like Mini-ITX that have that option. Most that I have seen are using Imbedded Linux. Some of these embedded products cost more than you might imagine.

Another option is a device I have seen on some Mini-ITX websites. They sell a flash hard drive device that is designed to use a flash module, but plugs into the IDE port and functions logically as a hard drive. It may actually use less power than a hard drive. If you had a motherboard with USB ports that were bootable, then you might be able to use a flash drive or a Thumb Drive. Mitsumi makes a 3.5" floppy/Flash combo drive.

http://www.idotpc.com/TheStore/Desktop/687Spec.asp?Product.id=687&Cate.id=11&Product.status=green

I have never used this.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[BadBigBen]

As Ceh4702 pointed out...

the easiest and probably cheapest solution is to use a USB STICK (Flash drive)... there are many out there that allow you to use them as start up drives... and as was already pointed out, most use LINUX (because it is smaller than say WinXP/2k/2k3)...



Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[Accessdabbler]

Thanks all! I just discovered the Mini-ITX format the other day. These are very intriguing. My goal is to try and make a small, compact system that would look like a normal audio/video device (think DVD player). I want it to use a TV rather than a monitor as its main output video device.

I'll keep searching around but if you have any more thoughts, please post them.