Bug #10485
Load Tails fully into RAM
0%
Description
Hi,
I previously used an interesting Linux distribution called Porteus.
The use of this distribution is interesting by the fact it can load the distribution in the RAM to get a spontaneous reaction from the system.
As they explained this functionality (here below in P.S.) I ask you if you could consider this to implement it on Tails. The only switch you must consider could be the fact that this option will automatically activated if there is at least enough RAM on the workstation. (Example : if I use Tails on an old computer with only 2 Gb of RAM and that is not enough to run Tails then the Copy2RAM is not considered and used at boot. But if I use Tails on a computer that have more than 2 Gb of RAM then it must automatically use this Copy2RAM option to speed up the Tails distribution).
By considering this functionality Tails will get a more attractivity near the user whom are looking for a speed distribution (and as it give also a protective way they will better consider Tails as an usual distribution).
Sincerely thanks and have a nice day.
Miguipda ;-)
P.S. :
Comes from :[[http://www.porteus.org/tutoriels/45-other/117-cheatcodes-what-they-are-and-how-to-use-them.html]]
copy2ram
... Copy all modules to RAM. You'll need at least 256MB of RAM
to boot Porteus properly. 64-bit Porteus with KDE-4 requires
at least 768MB of RAM for this.
Copy2ram slows down the boot phase but speeds up Porteus!
Reminder: the 'noeject' cheatcode can be used together with
'copy2ram' to prevent unmounting of your booting media
(CD/DVD disc, usb, card readers, etc).
History
#1 Updated by mercedes508 over 2 years ago
- Priority changed from Elevated to Normal
There already is a possibility of doing so with Tails, by adding toram in the boot menu, and I'm not sure it make Tails any faster or add something according to Tails usecases.
#2 Updated by sajolida over 2 years ago
- Subject changed from Copy2RAM = Tails load in RAM to speed up to Load Tails fully into RAM
- Status changed from New to Confirmed
- Priority changed from Normal to Low
From the top of my head:
- The downsides of toram, Copy2RAM, or whatever, is that: 1. if we make this mandatory then we're raising the bar for hardware requirements 2. and if we make this optional that we need to make sure that all the security of Tails (RAM erasure, persistence, etc.) work fine in both cases. Another downside is slower startup.
- The upsides are faster opening of new programs.
I'm using Tails daily from USB and honestly I don't suffer from the opening up new programs being slow. I'm suffering more from other operations being slow due to running from being a live system (loading of additional programs on every boot, synchronizing big chunks of data to persistence) or limited processing power (rebuilding of APT state on every boot).
So, in my humble opinion, the upsides don't compensate for the downsides. But I'd be happy if the toram or an equivalent option was given some love by other people and reached a state of integration and QA that allowed providing it as an official option. But I don't think we should put much energy into this ourselves.
#3 Updated by miguipda over 2 years ago
Ok,
I take note of your recommendations and appreciate if it could in fact stay in mind to get a toram.
Another aspect I also though by using the toram option is to keep the external (USB/SD Card,...) live longer than well known if Tails will read/write too much on those external drives.
Then as you perfectly wipe the RAM at the shutdown I did not saw any problems that load Tails all in RAM to get it speed up and keep external driver life longer.
Have a nice day.