Running arcade off memory stick

[Ophelius]

I heard it's possible to run a deflated miniature version of XP that can be run off a memory stick. Has anyone used this option for their arcades? And if so, how's the performance. I'm wanting to use this option because it's a lot cheaper than hard drives, and I can easily setup multiple sticks each with different configurations if I want, or easily keep a backup of the system this way, etc.

[CheffoJeffo]

OK, if you are going to keep posting about this intriguing project of yours, I am going to have to insist that you STOP confusing "arcade" with "arcade machine". And get offa my lawn! 

Back on topic -- sorry, haven't done what you asked about, but flash memory is called flash for a reason. I just don't know how running an OS on the stick would cut down on the stick's lifetime.

[Ophelius]

Hehe, sorry, I've always called the machine an arcade. I know an arcade is actually a place where you can play arcade machines. Thanks for the correction.

[WhereEaglesDare]

yes its called Bart PE, its is not easy to do, you will need a larger thumbdrive and PARTITION it to smaller drives, there are several tutorials on how to do it.  It took me around 8-10 hours to get working.

[Thenasty]

you could probaly get a 40GB HD for $20.00. I think thats cheaper than you Falsh Drive IDEA.

[Ophelius]

you could probaly get a 40GB HD for $20.00. I think thats cheaper than you Falsh Drive IDEA.

"I can easily setup multiple sticks each with different configurations if I want, or easily keep a backup of the system this way, etc." Much easier to switch than a bulky hard drive.

yes its called Bart PE, its is not easy to do, you will need a larger thumbdrive and PARTITION it to smaller drives, there are several tutorials on how to do it.  It took me around 8-10 hours to get working.

I'm giving Bart PE a try, but when you say I have to partition it to smaller drives, what smaller drives are you talking about?

Also, I found some pre-built versions of Windows PE, so that should save me some time at least.

[Thenasty]

you can easily swap HD

http://www.numark.com/hdcaddy

Just TURN machine off, pull out, push the other one in, turn machine on.

The above is is jsut a pic of what it looks like. The price on that thing is obsurd. It goes around $10-15. If you need some, I got some.

[Ophelius]

Hey, that's even better! Didn't know those things existed. 

[WhereEaglesDare]

PLUS I forgot to mention, deflated XP or a PE version of XP means NO DIRECT X which mean most games wont play...  Why not just do what they said, get some small HDDs, hell I got a handful I'll sell you cheap, and install a real full copy of XP on each one...  For what you want to do, this is perfect, you can hide the caddy under the CP so when you pull it off to change the CP out you can do the HDD at the same time.

[Ophelius]

They won't run directX? Well, that won't do. Ok, thanks everyone.

[bkenobi]

You don't need an enclosure either.  You could just use PATA or SATA -> USB adapters and leave the drive exposed.  It's not as clean, but if it's hidden, who cares!  It'll save you ~$25 over the caddy (which requires one extra bay for each drive...not included).

[DJ_Izumi]

Considdering that you're selling an entire arcade machine with your own software on it, you might want to legally make sure that you can even legally resell manipulated versions of Windows XP.

It might be worth just lisencing Windows XPe which is what a LOT of PC based arcade machines run on anyway.

[BobA]

Don't use USB adapters.  They just slow down the drive.   Best bet is to use an esata connection if your MB has drives connected by sata then the esata is the best way to connect your drives.  They run at the same speed as internal drives.

[DJ_Izumi]

CompactFlash cards are also electrically compatible with the IDE interface, you just need a simple pinout adaptor and you can run a CF card over IDE and no other modifications are necessary.

[Ophelius]

Considdering that you're selling an entire arcade machine with your own software on it, you might want to legally make sure that you can even legally resell manipulated versions of Windows XP.

It might be worth just lisencing Windows XPe which is what a LOT of PC based arcade machines run on anyway.

Thanks for reminding me. I didn't think of that.  

Edit: Ugg, 90$ for a single licence. The expenses keep rising...

[Thenasty]

use FREE OS'es. Linux, DOS etc... Just program your code witht the right OS. Thats also one way of protecting if your are wooried about pirating the game.

Heck why not use Joshua OS. Nobody uses that OS (exept Ultracade). I dunno how you can get it.

I'd go for the FREE OS and not worry about pirating. Anything could be pirated.

[WhereEaglesDare]

use FREE OS'es. Linux, DOS etc... Just program your code witht the right OS. Thats also one way of protecting if your are wooried about pirating the game.

Heck why not use Joshua OS. Nobody uses that OS (exept Ultracade). I dunno how you can get it.

I'd go for the FREE OS and not worry about pirating. Anything could be pirated.

+1

most things can be twisted and shoved enough to run in Linux...

[DJ_Izumi]

I believe Sega Lindburgh cabs even run some flavor of Linux before the later platforms with to XPe.

[Ophelius]

use FREE OS'es. Linux, DOS etc... Just program your code witht the right OS. Thats also one way of protecting if your are wooried about pirating the game.

Heck why not use Joshua OS. Nobody uses that OS (exept Ultracade). I dunno how you can get it.

I'd go for the FREE OS and not worry about pirating. Anything could be pirated.

I wouldn't know how to port my code to run on a different OS. Unless that OS can run Windows apps no problem.

[drventure]

Speaking of, I was over at my dad's and he had one of these

http://gizmodo.com/312747/hdd-usb-dock-plugs-bare-sata-drives-like-nes-cartridges

Picked it up for about 25$, i believe he said newegg.

Plus with SATA, they're hot swappable. He had a 1TB drive and swapped it out hot with a smaller 500gb he used to use for backup.

Pretty cool. Wish they had em for EIDE, though probably I won't be wishing that for long.

[bkenobi]

If you go SATA, you don't even need anything.  Just run a power and data cable to where the drive will be located and hot-swap away.  If it's the primary drive, hot swapping isn't that big a benefit. If it's a data drive, then it will help a lot (potentially).

[HaRuMaN]

I have this sata dock from newegg... got it on sale for ~$20

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066&cm_re=sata_dock-_-17-153-066-_-Product

I love it.

[DJ_Izumi]

Drive access speed could be irrelevant though.  Depending on how complicated his game is, he could just run it all out of memory.  Since it IS an arcade game, does it REALLY matter if it takes 1 or 4 minutes to boot?