DISKLESS ANGEL Client Configurator Tools – Ramdisk Manager

13.1

Ramdisk Manager is used to manage under Windows 9X the 16 bit ramdisk(s) created by WDDOS.EXE with WDDRV under real-mode DOS. Its main purpose is to save or backup to hard disk in the form of a partition image file or a disk partition or a VFS sub-partition the content of the ramdisk drive representing a DISKLESS ANGEL Client when its image has been changed during use or configuration such as through installing new programmes or applications into the DISKLESS ANGEL Client currently being used in ram.

This is useful when Windows 9X is running totally on ramdisk drive(s) in a diskless machine. One can back up the changed DISKLESS ANGEL Client onto the network server or onto any removable hard disk, such as a hot-pluggable USB-IDE drive for use later.

13.2

By clicking RDisk Manager under Tools Menu, if no ramdisk is loaded up by WDDOS.EXE, an error message is displayed under Windows 9X :

At present, a system image of Win98 is installed on a hard disk drive C: and running as a hard disk based system in the computer used for composing this documentation. Under Windows Explorer, its configuration looks like:

13.3

So let us run the same Windows 9X system image as a DISKLESS ANGEL Client all in ram by running WDDOS.EXE under Real-DOS mode first and then start Windows 9X into Protected-Mode Windows. Under Windows Explorer, it now looks like:

By comparing the last two screenshots, one can see that the original hard disk drive C: with the label First now becomes drive K: and drive C: is a DBLSPACE compressed volume with its host as the ramdisk drive F: loaded up by WDDOS.EXE before Windows 9X is started into protected mode.

The whole DISKLESS ANGEL Client is now running on the DBLSPACE compressed volume represented by ramdisk drive C: and the Windows Swap File is put on DISKLESS ANGEL’s Virtual Disk Drive V:.

The hard disk, with drive K:, H:, D: and E:, is only for storage purpose. Opening the Partition Editor shows:

The ramdisk drive mounted up by WDDOS.EXE is revealed under Windows 9X by opening the Ramdisk Manager:

13.4

The above Window Dialog, Ramdisk Manager, controls the real mode ram disks mounted using WDDOS.EXE. This function is useable only in Windows 9x/Me.

13.4.1

Load

Load the content of the ramdisk drive from an external DISKLESS ANGEL file to a selected ramdisk drive. The length of the file must not exceed the memory allocated for the selected ramdisk.

Save

Save the content of the selected ramdisk drive to an external DISKLESS ANGEL file.

Compress

Compress the selected ramdisk drive using Windows 9X DRVSPACE Manager.

RO/RW

Toggle the ramdisk drive between read-only and read-write mode. This option is available only for “mobile” ramdisk.

Close

Close this Window Dialog

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