Chapter Four

Diskless WinXP On Standalone Computer

Ways To Run Diskless WinXP On Standalone Computer

4.1 The following are the ways to run Diskless WinXP on a standalone computer:

(a) From a local hard disk, after booting up and running WinXP on a virtual memory system disk created from a WinXP system disk image file, logically disconnect the local hard disk(s) as described in Chapter Three. Then, put the computer into Standby Mode, physically take out the local hard disk(s) and wake up the computer again.

(b) Create a bootable USB-IDE hard disk or a bootable USB Flash Disk or a bootable USB SD-Card Disk or a bootable CD/DVD capable of booting up and running WinXP on a virtual memory system disk from a WinXP system disk image file. Then either take away the local hard disk(s) before booting such bootable devices or boot such bootable devices and then take away the local hard disk(s) in the similar way as (a) above.

Saving Live WinXP System Image In Virtual System Memory Disk

4.2 Following up on the example in Chapter Three, to make a more mobile WinXP system disk image file that does not lock up any local hard disk(s) on running, user can try to run up configuration (c) as described on Page 6 of Chapter Three by hiding the second hard disk partition and save the WinXP system image by using the Build Disk Image Tool of Diskless Angel as follows:

Now pressing the Build Button creates in C:\ drive a live WinXP system image file, 850msd.dsk. The Copy Volume Tool of Diskless Angel only works for saving a live WinXP system image when running on a hard disk, it does not work for a virtual memory disk nor does it work under Win2K.

So the Build Disk Image Tool of Diskless Angel, though not in the most optimal way, can always save a live disk image where the Copy Volume Tool cannot. When saving a live system disk image using the Build Disk Image Tool, it is advised that all running applications and services opening files should be closed so that when the system disk image is to be run up later, no files are reported corrupted. For instance, if user has opened Skype for instant online chatting, it has to be closed.

Saving a disk image file in this way, in some cases such as saving it on an NTFS partition whether compressed or not, may also have reading-error problem. This problem may take place when the disk image file is accessed by the Virtual Disk Manager Tool of Diskless Angel or loaded up by grldr on booting up. The disk image file thus saved has to be re-copied once into a new file under Windows Explorer and user has to use the new file instead of the old file for solving this problem.

User can also convert this 850msd.dsk into a gzip file for loading up by grldr. This may replace and do away with the need for re-copying the disk image file for use besides compressing it. In this example, it is named 850msd.gz. To run up this WinXP system disk image file, one can edit the menu.lst file (the latest version of grldr using small capital letter name by default) by adding a title in the first entry as follows:

Physically Taking Out & Inserting Hard Disk Under Standby Mode

4.3 So after running it up again, under Windows Explorer, it can be seen as shown above that the boot-up virtual memory system disk appears as D: drive and the second hard disk partition as F: drive. User can use Diskless Angel now to logically disable or disconnect C: drive and F: drive as described in Chapter Three as in the following screen on next page.

Now to take away the hard disk safely, user need to put the computer into Standy Mode. To put the computer into Standy Mode, one has to install the video card driver specific to the video card of the computer and set up the BIOS of the computer with S1/S2 or S3 Sleeping State for power management. Put it simply, when using S3 Sleeping State, WinXP under Standby Mode will put the computer into sleep with everything stopped except some small electricity supply maintaining the state of the system memory of the computer. Under S1/S2 Sleeping State, the CPU still runs.

After taking away the hard disk and resuming from Standby Mode, the computer now runs WinXP disklessly. To put back the original hard disk or put in another hard disk or IDE device such as another CD/DVD drive, one has to make sure that the respective IDE channel(s) is/are logically disabled or disconnected first and then put the computer again into Standby Mode. When the computer enters into Standby Mode again, it is then safe to put back the IDE device(s).

It however should be cautioned that user has to give a few seconds for the respective IDE device(s) to settle down first before and after the action of physical connection or disconnection for stably powering up or down the respective device(s).

It is also noted that for fixed IDE hard disks of 2.5” or below, they can be powered from a USB port. So the data port of such hard disks can be connected to the IDE port and the power pins of such hard disks can be powered from the power pins of the USB port. There are devices for making such connection and software and hardware card can be developed to control the USB power supply to such hard disks as well.