UBCD sets RAM drive size too small, Problem with UBCD Options

[JBurgin]

Howdy all, UBCD is by the greatest program in the world and has helped me out many of times. I'm using it to fix my friends PC however, and it's giving me a little trouble. The machine is a relatively new DELL pc with Windows XP and I'm trying to use the UBCD to clean up a virus on the computer. The DELL PC has 128MB RAM and is enough (this is debateable) to run Windows XP, but when I load the UBCD, it only sets the RAMDISK size to 15MB! Which isn't enough to run the Antivirus software on there.

Is there any way to resize the RAM disk myself? 15MB hardly seems like a good size RAM drive for 128MB RAM, any ideas?

Appreciate all the help in advance

JBurgin

[SteelTrepid]

Yes, run PE Builder again. This time select the "plugin" tab, disable the RamDisk AutoResizer plugin. Then build the ISO again.

When you boot with that disabled you SHOULD have a ramdisk of 32Meg, that should be plenty of space for you. The only thing I worry about though is the possiblity that you could run into low memory errors. Hopefully you won't!

[LittlBUGer]

128MB of RAM would BARELY run XP as well as this CD. It is recommended that you use more, but if you can't, then I'm sure there's a way to manually resize it, but I don't remember. Someone else will help you though. (IMG:http://www.ubcd4win.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[webmedic]

the solution for this is to go back to the older version of the ramdisk plugin. I have it working fine here if you guys would like my files.

Also I dont remember but i though bart had done somehting with this. Whatever he did I dont use his stuff. I'm just sticking with the older stuff that works.

[rdsok]

the solution for this is to go back to the older version of the ramdisk plugin. I have it working fine here if you guys would like my files.

Also I dont remember but i though bart had done somehting with this. Whatever he did I dont use his stuff. I'm just sticking with the older stuff that works.

I'm not sure that bart made the change/restriction.... this is quoted from the ramdisk home page at http://www.ramdisk.tk/ about the latest version

Overview :

There are currently three versions available. To Try out and/or to purchase a Single User license , go to :

RAMDisk "Free" Version 5.0.2.2 : This version ( + source code ) is fully free available for download. Ramdisk size is however restricted to 64 MB.

RAMDisk "Extended ( Pro/Standard/Basic )" Version 5.2.10.2 package : The low-priced "Extended" versions are meant to be used on home and small business systems. Theoretically obtainable disk size is 2 GB, although, the OS will likely restrict the maximum size to ~ 1.2 GB.

RAMDisk "Enterprise" Version 5.3.1.* : ( English )
RAMDisk "Enterprise" Version 5.3.1.* : ( Russian )
The "Enterprise" version covers the features of the "Extended Pro" version, extending the possible disk size to 64 GB. Furthermore, the version allows to automatically reload an image file at boot time ( and before other services / programs are started ) and to save the ramdisk content at shutdown. Home users, small and large business users, may experience this RAMDisk as a state-of-the-art solution.

[rdsok]

DigiWiz also supplied addition info about the AutoRamResizer that allocates 1/3 of the available memory here http://www.ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?sh...indpost&p=17375

Note that it the available memory and not 1/3 of the total memory, in this case there is only about 45Mb of available memory on this system in question.

As cheap as memory is at the present time... I would also suggest adding memory to the computer (at least another 128Mb for a 256Mb total)... the user will see a vast improvement in performance then.

[SteelTrepid]

Hmmm, maybe I should have provided more information and details in my initial response.

UBCD4Win uses BART'S RamDisk, I "borrowed" it from PE 3.1.4....the beta that doesn't work with the project. I was tired of QSoft's (or whoever they are) restrictions and popups......this was discussed a LONG time ago!

My response IS the solution (given the system will boot and operate with that little of memory). By DEFAULT Bart's RamDisk is set at 32Meg, so disabling the AutoRAMSizer plugin will stop it from changing it to 1/3 of the available system memory.

The reference to Digi's post, actually from what it looks like to me the RamDisk size for BART's Ram driver is 128Mb. He is also mentioning something else, talking about "newer isn't better." Well, we do not have the newer CrapSoft RamDisk....he is and was out of line and misinformed. We discussed all of this a long time ago...probably when 2.4 or 2.41 was released.

I hope it's clear now.

[webmedic]

well I was not sure on that. What I can say is that the older version has no restriction on ram disk size.

I also ram accross another project recetly that allows you to create a drive from a file. It looks rather interesting and would allow us to create an actuall file that could be used in place of the ramdisk. The only thing with this method though is that you would want to make sure only to use it on a system with a known good hard drive.

I would also think that this would work great with joshuas pre-shell. That way if thy system is good you just use the drivefile and then also set the page file on the hard drive. Then you dont have to worry at all about the size of the ram disk.

If that is not an option then you could always fall back to the ramdrive as a last resort. And if you use the older version of the ramdrive then you dont have to worry about the size of the ramdisk.

Oh and the drive file allows you to save the state of it as a file also so your could reload it back up. It might come in handy for some things but the problem is that the saved file is the same size as the actuall drive size. So it would eat up allot of space if you made it very big.

[webmedic]

Hmmm, maybe I should have provided more information and details in my initial response.

UBCD4Win uses BART'S RamDisk, I "borrowed" it from PE 3.1.4....the beta that doesn't work with the project.  I was tired of QSoft's (or whoever they are) restrictions and popups......this was discussed a LONG time ago!

My response IS the solution (given the system will boot and operate with that little of memory).  By DEFAULT Bart's RamDisk is set at 32Meg, so disabling the AutoRAMSizer plugin will stop it from changing it to 1/3 of the available system memory.

I hope it's clear now.

I also have a fix for this. I set up logging so that it takes all those popups and just logs them. I think I still occasionaly get one but most of the time the popups are simply gone.

[SteelTrepid]

well I was not sure on that. What I can say is that the older version has no restriction on ram disk size.

I also ram accross another project recetly that allows you to create a drive from a file. It looks rather interesting and would allow us to create an actuall file that could be used in place of the ramdisk. The only thing with this method though is that you would want to make sure only to use it on a system with a known good hard drive. 

I would also think that this would work great with joshuas pre-shell. That way if thy system is good you just use the drivefile and then also set the page file on the hard drive. Then you dont have to worry at all about the size of the ram disk.

If that is not an option then you could always fall back to the ramdrive as a last resort. And if you use the older version of the ramdrive then you dont have to worry about the size of the ramdisk.

Oh and the drive file allows you to save the state of it as a file also so your could reload it back up. It might come in handy for some things but the problem is that the saved file is the same size as the actuall drive size. So it would eat up allot of space if you made it very big.

Joshua's PreShell will do this....we are just waiting for him to get the new version out.

As for a fix for the old "CrapSoft" driver, I don't think it would be right for us to modify or hinder his software. If he wants to be a jerk and not give us a license for it and want's to add popup....then we move on to something else. Which we did do....moved to Bart's RamDisk almost a year ago.

[webmedic]

ok I understand.

[JBurgin]

Thanks for the information guys, I will definitely try these out. Gives me a new reason to burn a copy of 2.55 anyway (IMG:http://www.ubcd4win.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BartPE-lover]

@SteelTrepid et. al.

Regarding your two responses:

My response IS the solution...

and

Well, we do not have the newer CrapSoft RamDisk....he is and was out of line and misinformed.

I would respectfully offer: 1) Your response is A solution and 2) you do indeed have the "newer" 'CrapSoft' RamDisk, but just don't know it.

The problem crept in because you decided to deviate from the PE builder standard... UBCD4WIN proclaims that one must use PE builder 3.13, but then you substituted a driver from a different version of PE builder (v3.14 beta). The original driver provided by v3.13 is overwritten by what you supply in v2.55 of UBCD4WIN.

Here is a brief chronology for ramdriv.sys and PE builder:

• v3.032 uses v5.2.7.0 of QSoft's driver
• versions 3.10, 3.12 and 3.13 of PE builder all use v5.2.10.2 of QSoft's driver
• v3.14(beta) of PE builder uses a "customized" version of QSoft's driver made/licensed for BartPE - STILL at version 5.2.10.2. This an be verified by looking at hex offset 0x0000285A where you will see the reference to QSoft

So there are various solutions, not just one. The easiest would be to simply do what you did, except in reverse - rather than use a driver you've deemed more appropriate by "borrowing" one from a "beta" version, simply go the other direction (back in time) and download the driver located in v3.032 of PE builder.

Far be it from me to be an apologist for anyone, but I don't see Digi's comments as being "misinformed" or "out-of-line." Rather, I think he provided a rational
(and legal) alternative - use a driver easily obtainable from an older version of PE builder rather than use the one "borrowed" from a beta version. This would seem to underscore the axiom that indeed, "newer isn't always better." Even no less than webmedic advocates the use of the older driver.

Here are some helpful links for further research into the RAM disk subject:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=12467
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
http://www.nu2.nu/download.php?sFile=pebuilder3032.zip
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/pluginhelp/ramdisk.htm

Respectfully submitted...

[dhs13]

By default, I new install of 2.55 has both RamDisk (NU2) and Ramdisk (Qsoft v1.9)
enabled.

Which one do I use? or which one do I disable?

thanks

[BartPE-lover]

By default, I new install of 2.55 has both RamDisk (NU2) and Ramdisk (Qsoft v1.9)
enabled. Which one do I use? or which one do I disable?

You are confusing two files - there is no QSoft v1.9 - my guess is you're looking at AutoRAMResizer by sherpya which is at v1.9. The actual ramdisk driver is named ramdriv.sys, which is at v5.2.10.2, and while credited with NU2, is actually a modified driver made for NU2 by QSoft.

You can simply download pebuilder3.032 from any other the 30 or so mirrors located here: http://www.nu2.nu/download.php?sFile=pebuilder3032.zip and extract the ramdriv.sys file from that zip (which is v5.2.7.0) and place in your ramdisk plugin folder. Leave AutoRAMResizer alone.

AutoRAMResizer will attempt (as currently configured) to make a RAM disk that is roughly one-third the size of available RAM, but if it unable to do that, will attempt to make as large a RAM disk as possible. Sometimes it is NOT POSSIBLE to get 32MB of RAM disk on a 128MB machine, especially if it utilizes on-board graphics. You may only ever be able to squeeze out something less than 32MB - in the first poster's case, looks like ~15MB.

Regards...