Were amazed at how well Windows 11 runs with 176MB of RAM but dont try this at home

Date:
Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:27:17 +0000

Description:
Officially, you need over 23 times this amount of RAM to run Windows 11.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Windows 11 running with a tiny amount of system RAM is something weve seen before, but this is a new low for the OS (in a good way).

NTDEV, the developer responsible for the stripped-back version of Windows 11 called Tiny11 , has got Microsofts operating system functioning in a PC with only 176MB of system memory.

How is this possible? By removing pretty much everything the dev could, and using an extensive trial and error process to see which services and drivers Windows 11 required to boot (then getting rid of everything else).

Tiny11 has previously been run in as little as 196MB of RAM, the catch with that being that the OS was incredibly slow. You could do things, just about, but at glacial speeds.

With NTDEVs successful attempt at firing up Windows 11 in just 176MB, the system runs relatively responsively, and for example Task Manager is brought up in just a few seconds. (No, that isnt snappy, but compare it to the 15-minute wait for Task Manager to appear with the 196MB demonstration).

Its an eye-opening difference, for sure, but theres a big catch here, which well discuss next. Analysis: An impressive feat with a twist of a cheat

The cheat NTDEV has used to do this is that theyve trimmed Tiny11 down even further and removed a major element File Explorer allowing Windows 11 to
run faster because it doesnt have to bring up the desktop.

Thats right, as you can see in the video clip above, there is no desktop,
with the system booting to a command line. You then have to type manual commands (in text) to run different apps and functions, which is hardly
ideal. Indeed, its a very clunky way of operating, but it does allow for the OS to be much faster.

To put this achievement in perspective, normally Window 11 requires 4GB of
RAM to run, which is 4096MB. Thats 23x the amount the OS is seen running in here.

Whats the point of this? Well, its a fun exercise and nothing more, as nobody sane would want to operate Windows 11 in this manner. Much like huge overclocks on GPUs and CPUs that are completely impractical and happen for seconds, only thanks to exotic cooling with say, liquid nitrogen these are feats undertaken just to prove it can be done. Although in this case, the
goal isnt big numbers, but small ones as tiny as possible.

Is 176MB a world-record low for running Windows 11 (functionally)? We think
it could be, but then, technically, are you running Windows if theres no desktop? There are still windows, of course brought up via the command line but without a desktop and icons, the core graphical interface, this isnt really Windows, is it?

Still, hats off to NTDEV for what remains an impressive achievement.

Via Tom's Hardware



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/were-amazed-at-how-well-windows-11 -runs-with-176mb-of-ram-but-dont-try-this-at-home


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