If you think getting Windows 11 to work on just 200MB of memory is impressive, how about running the operating system off your graphics card's VRAM? Remember that the best graphics cards aren't just one-trick ponies. They sport VRAM, which you can turn into a RAM drive. NTDev, the developer behind Tiny11, a stripped-down version of Windows 11, got his creation to run off his modest GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU.
RAM drives, also known as RAM disks, used to be a thing back when speedy and high capacity storage devices didn't exist. Converting leftover memory into a virtual disk can improve I/O performance substantially. Logically, we didn’t store operating systems on RAM drives but rather use the virtual disks for specific software that requires intensive read and write operations. RAM drives have lost their appeal over the years and nowadays, we just use them for fun, such as running Crysis 3 off a GeForce RTX 3090’s 24GB of VRAM.
Instead of using conventional RAM like a normal user, NTDev's latest project taps into the VRAM from his GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU to create a RAM drive. The magic behind the experiment is GPU RAM Drive, a utility that creates a memory buffer inside the graphics card's VRAM to function as a RAM drive.
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU has two variants: one with 4GB of GDDR6 and another with 6GB of GDDR6. Regardless of the SKU, the GDDR6 memory clocks in at 12 Gbps. NTDev's test laptop features the 4GB variant. He created a RAM drive with a capacity of 3,550MB to run his Tiny11 virtual machine (VM). The sequential performance on the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU's GDDR6 chips wasn't shabby, either.
According to the CrystalDiskMark results, the graphics card's VRAM delivered sequential reads and writes up to 1,960 MB/s and 2,497 MB/s, respectively. However, it's far from rivaling the best SSDs, since the performance numbers are somewhat inferior to your typical PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 SSD.
With all the jokes and fun aside, Tiny11 is an excellent option for outdated systems with legacy hardware. The lightweight operating system can run on PCs with just 2GB of RAM and requires around 8GB of space as opposed to a standard Windows 11 that eats up to 20GB of your hard drive or SSD. NTDev also offers an Arm version of Tiny11 for non-Windows users that want to try the operating system on Arm64 devices, such as the Raspberry Pi 4 or Apple devices with the M1 or M2 chip via VMs.
Besides maintaining Tiny11, NTDev obviously has a fondness for unconventional experiments. Remember when the developer got Windows 7 to work on a system with a 5 MHz processor and 128MB of RAM? It took 28 minutes to fully boot up, but it was an impressive feat, nonetheless. We can’t wait to see what other wacky trials NTDev has in store for us.
Stay on the Cutting Edge
Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.
RAM Reviewer and News Editor
Zhiye Liu is a Freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.
7 CommentsComment from the forums
Colif I have to assume its got some storage apart from VRAM as one problem with RAM drives is once the power is off... all the data gone.
So installing windows everytime you want to use it might get annoying :)
DougMcC Colif said:
I have to assume its got some storage apart from VRAM as one problem with RAM drives is once the power is off... all the data gone.So installing windows everytime you want to use it might get annoying :)
Usually such tools come with a 'take a backup' button, which stores the disk image to a file so you can power down.
ezst036 Admin said:
With all the jokes and fun aside, Tiny11 is an excellent option for outdated systems with legacy hardware.This is really bad advice and it doubles as running into not true.
Microsoft has explicitly stated that people with older hardware are not supported. It's all wrapped up in the whole TPM2.0 fiasco that received hundreds upon hundreds of replies over the numerous reports of it as it all unfolded during the Windows 11 preview/demo/rollout time frames. As reported by Tom'sHardware (maybe you've heard of them?) https://www.tomshardware.com/news/unsupported-win11-pcs-wont-update
Because Microsoft refuses to support old hardware they explicitly refuse Windows Updates to those hardware platforms. Which is a mainstay of ongoing security against malware.So, -(unless Microsoft changed its mind and I missed the memo) Tiny11 is NOT an excellent option for outdated systems with legacy hardware. Those users should either buy new hardware because that's what Microsoft demands them to do, or,
They should be using Linux.
Just on the malware front alone they shouldn't do this. That would create a small army of Tiny11 internet bots that replicate viruses everywhere and initiate DDOS attacks with all of the unpatched known-security flaws. Tiny11 may be great on supported systems with super-low amounts of RAM or etc as was mentioned in the article, but not legacy hardware.
So now what, you're going to load up Tiny11 with a multitude of antivirus and malware programs? Now where did all the performance go? That's not going to perform well on an old legacy system.
The one and only exception I can think if is unsupported hardware that will never touch the internet. That would probably be fine. Or you're doing fresh installs all the time? But who wants to do that just to remain virus free?
USAFRet DougMcC said:
Usually such tools come with a 'take a backup' button, which stores the disk image to a file so you can power down."such tools"?
This is a whole new experimental thing.
Not any sort of full development release.Order 66 I'm confused as to why the VRAM is being reported as being so slow in the crystal disk mark screenshot since VRAM is supposed to be much faster than RAM and RAM is supposed to be faster than an SSD.
fball922 jaydenmiller1 said:
I'm confused as to why the VRAM is being reported as being so slow in the crystal disk mark screenshot since VRAM is supposed to be much faster than RAM and RAM is supposed to be faster than an SSD.Because it is going through hypervisor to a driver layer emulating a native drive, is my guess. Plus it needs to travel over the PCIe lanes. Seems pretty fast, all things considered.
jabliese USAFRet said:
"such tools"?This is a whole new experimental thing.
Not any sort of full development release.When you see "such tools," think GPU RAM Drive, not Tiny11.
Most Popular
By Anton Shilov
I'm Zhiye Liu, a freelance News Writer at Tom’s Hardware US with a passion for hardware, particularly CPUs, GPUs, and RAM. My expertise extends to cutting-edge technologies and experimental projects, allowing me to delve into unconventional experiments within the realm of PC tech. One such noteworthy experiment is NTDev's Tiny11, a stripped-down version of Windows 11 designed to run on minimal hardware, including the impressive feat of utilizing a graphics card's VRAM as a RAM drive.
In this groundbreaking experiment, NTDev harnessed the power of the GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU, specifically the 4GB variant, to create a RAM drive using GPU RAM Drive utility. The utility establishes a memory buffer within the graphics card's VRAM, essentially turning it into a functional RAM drive. Unlike traditional RAM drives, which were popular in the past when high-capacity storage devices were limited, this experiment leverages the VRAM for improved I/O performance.
The GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU's VRAM, with a GDDR6 memory clocked at 12 Gbps, exhibited impressive sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,960 MB/s and 2,497 MB/s, respectively, according to CrystalDiskMark results. While these speeds fall short of the best SSDs, the experiment showcases the innovative use of GPU VRAM for running an operating system like Tiny11.
Tiny11 itself emerges as a lightweight alternative for outdated systems with legacy hardware. It can operate on PCs with just 2GB of RAM and requires approximately 8GB of storage space, a fraction of the requirements for a standard Windows 11 installation. The developer, NTDev, also offers an Arm version of Tiny11 for non-Windows users interested in running the operating system on Arm64 devices, such as the Raspberry Pi 4 or Apple devices with M1 or M2 chips via VMs.
NTDev's penchant for unconventional experiments doesn't stop at Tiny11. Previously, the developer achieved the impressive feat of getting Windows 7 to run on a system with a 5 MHz processor and 128MB of RAM, albeit with a 28-minute boot time. This history of pushing the boundaries in the PC tech space leaves us eager to see what other innovative trials NTDev has in store.
Now, let's address some of the discussions in the comments section:
-
Data Persistence on VRAM:
- Comment by Colif: RAM drives typically lose data when power is off. However, NTDev's experiment may include tools for data persistence or backup to address this issue.
-
Windows 11 on Outdated Systems:
- Comment by ezst036: The article suggests Tiny11 as an option for outdated systems, but caution is advised as Microsoft may not support older hardware, potentially leaving them vulnerable to security risks.
-
VRAM Speed and CrystalDiskMark Results:
- Comment by Order 66 and fball922: There's confusion about the reported speed of VRAM in the CrystalDiskMark screenshot. It's explained that the emulation through hypervisor and PCIe lanes may contribute to the observed speeds.
In summary, the article highlights the innovative use of GPU VRAM for a RAM drive, introduces Tiny11 as a lightweight alternative for legacy systems, and showcases NTDev's track record of pushing the boundaries in experimental PC tech projects.
 - Shopify)