What does it take to run a PC without RAM?
Start Learning Cyber Security for FREE with TryHackMe: https://tryhackme.com/PortalRunner - Use code "RUNNER30" to get 30% off an Annual Subscription (Limited Time)

Thank you for watching!
Join our Discord server: https://p2r3.com/discord
Schedule a one-on-one for tutoring or consulting: https://learn.p2r3.com/

Music arrangement by @dustyhob0. Tracks used, in order of appearance:
00:01 - 01:55 Mekalopolis - Unreal Tournament III [2007]
01:56 - 04:46 Stray Sheep - CATHERINE [2011]
04:53 - 05:50 Calm's Bonk - MEGABONK [2025]
05:51 - 08:06 Flat Zone - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate [2018]
08:07 - 10:20 Noveria - Mass Effect [2007]
10:22 - 11:34 Menu Extreme Mode - Smash Hit [2014]
11:35 - 13:15 Monkey Monsatery (Eight) - Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly [2002]
13:16 - 15:17 Mystique - Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne [2003]
15:19 - 17:00 Training - Perfect Dark [2000]
17:01 - 18:13 The First Embassy - corru​.​observer [2022]
18:16 - 20:56 Start a Cult - Cult of the Lamb [2023]
20:57 - 22:53 Cerebrawl - Plants vs. Zombies [2009]
22:54 - 26:51 Resolve (Gum Guy's Recommendation) - Mother 3 [2006]
26:56 - 28:16 Mall - Minecraft [2009]

Other content attributions: https://gist.github.com/p2r3/4c62187d4338914ad7472dbaa0d070cd

PortalRunner

An exploration of running a computer with minimal or no RAM. Starting with Linux swap files on SATA SSD and VRAM (via a FUSE filesystem over OpenCL), the experiment shows severe performance degradation. The deeper dive covers CPU cache-as-RAM using the open-source CoreBoot firmware: by intercepting CoreBoot's early initialization stage, a small program (a Snake game) runs entirely in CPU cache on a 2009 ASRock motherboard with no RAM sticks installed, outputting via serial port. The experiment reveals that the CPU on that board doesn't cache ROM, so it reads instructions directly from BIOS flash, explaining the poor performance.

Running a Computer Without RAM

<p>some people just want to see the world burn. How dare you make this a possibility in this expensive RAM economy!</p>
