TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 1,967
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
We try these things not because they are easy, etc etc.
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As the ongoing memory crisis continues to make DRAM unaffordable for the majority of us, I'd imagine many are choosing to hold onto what they've got. But can you run a PC with no system memory at all? That's the question that YouTube channel PortalRunner has been investigating, and the answer is...
No, not really. After realising that a new editing server would require considerable amounts of both SSD storage and DDR5 RAM, PortalRunner began by attempting to lower the initial DRAM loadout of a machine to its minimum point.
The first experiment involved tweaking Linux boot parameters to limit system memory to a measly 256 MB (hey, remember when that was a good amount?), but the system failed to initialise (via Hackaday). After some tomfoolery with the boot settings, a 446 MB DRAM limit, and just 4 GB of swap space on a SATA SSD allowed for a successful startup.
Unfortunately, the system ended up being too slow to pass PortalRunner's three stress tests—a browser benchmark, a memory access test, and a Portal 2 bench to test out casual gaming.
This configuration caused the browser benchmark to crawl to a near halt, the memory access speed test to output a miserable 68 MiB/s result (compared to 11,069 MiB/s using a 4 GB RAM control system), and the Portal 2 benchmark to fail entirely, as Steam refused to load correctly. Quelle surprise.
A later experiment involved using graphics card VRAM as a system memory replacement, via a modded swapfile on a GTX 1660 Super. This caused multiple crashing issues, as Linux began killing processes to fit within its constraints, and led to two failed benchmarks and an unbelievably slow browser test.
Eventually, PortalRunner settled for modifying a BIOS chip to prevent system DRAM usage and leaning on the CPU cache of an old Intel chip as a memory substitute. This satisfied the initial goal of running a machine with technically no traditional RAM at all, but also limited the system's capabilities considerably.
How considerably? Well, it can technically output a custom-coded Snake clone over a serial port. Briefly. Until the data-providing BIOS chip is removed and the ca...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
As the ongoing memory crisis continues to make DRAM unaffordable for the majority of us, I'd imagine many are choosing to hold onto what they've got. But can you run a PC with no system memory at all? That's the question that YouTube channel PortalRunner has been investigating, and the answer is...
No, not really. After realising that a new editing server would require considerable amounts of both SSD storage and DDR5 RAM, PortalRunner began by attempting to lower the initial DRAM loadout of a machine to its minimum point.
The first experiment involved tweaking Linux boot parameters to limit system memory to a measly 256 MB (hey, remember when that was a good amount?), but the system failed to initialise (via Hackaday). After some tomfoolery with the boot settings, a 446 MB DRAM limit, and just 4 GB of swap space on a SATA SSD allowed for a successful startup.
Unfortunately, the system ended up being too slow to pass PortalRunner's three stress tests—a browser benchmark, a memory access test, and a Portal 2 bench to test out casual gaming.
This configuration caused the browser benchmark to crawl to a near halt, the memory access speed test to output a miserable 68 MiB/s result (compared to 11,069 MiB/s using a 4 GB RAM control system), and the Portal 2 benchmark to fail entirely, as Steam refused to load correctly. Quelle surprise.
A later experiment involved using graphics card VRAM as a system memory replacement, via a modded swapfile on a GTX 1660 Super. This caused multiple crashing issues, as Linux began killing processes to fit within its constraints, and led to two failed benchmarks and an unbelievably slow browser test.
Eventually, PortalRunner settled for modifying a BIOS chip to prevent system DRAM usage and leaning on the CPU cache of an old Intel chip as a memory substitute. This satisfied the initial goal of running a machine with technically no traditional RAM at all, but also limited the system's capabilities considerably.
How considerably? Well, it can technically output a custom-coded Snake clone over a serial port. Briefly. Until the data-providing BIOS chip is removed and the ca...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?