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    Booting with No HDD or extenal media

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by BenArcher, Aug 25, 2007.

  1. BenArcher

    BenArcher Notebook Consultant

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    I'm currently on a mission to get a laptop to boot with no hard drive, cd's/DVD's, memory sticks, lan or media cards.

    Now I know this sounds insane but my Electrical Engineering lecturer basically put teh challenge out to us without relizing by going on record and stating "We are allowed to use laptops in the exam aslong as we clear the memory" She means wipe the hard drive by clear memory so I enquired and CD's etc. are band :(

    So basically I just want to see her reaction if I can get into the exam. Take the hard drive out & any external media(CD's memsticks etc.) turn on the laptop and have it boot into windows or linux.

    So far the only thing I can think of is mounting a small memory stick on the motherboard so that I can install a small version of linux or put a windows PE boot on it.

    If anyone's got any better ideas than that let me know It should be hilarious. :D
     
    BenArcher, Aug 25, 2007
    #1
  2. coriolis

    coriolis Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    That defeats the purpose doesn't it? In the end, it's still a memory stick.

    Interesting proposition, but I don't think it can be done.
     
    coriolis, Aug 25, 2007
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  3. jin07

    jin07 Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    It'd probably be much easier to fake the blank hard drive, then to boot without a HD. Also, using the memory stick defeats the purpose as coriolis stated.
     
    jin07, Aug 25, 2007
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  4. Les

    Les Not associated with NotebookReview in any way

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    If you could just tap into the onboard memory of an integrated graphics card...
     
    Les, Aug 25, 2007
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  5. BenArcher

    BenArcher Notebook Consultant

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    Memory gets cleared when you power off so using graphics memory will not work.

    When i say using a memory stick I was thinking more like say one of those sreally tiny sony micro-vaults & basically soldering it to the USB header. thereby making it kinda like onboard non-volitile memory :s.
     
    BenArcher, Aug 25, 2007
    #5
  6. SideSwipe

    SideSwipe Notebook Virtuoso

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    hmmm boot from an external source using a wireless connection? they mentioned no lan but what about wireless :p
     
    SideSwipe, Aug 26, 2007
    #6