Advanced state hibernation

[Kryten]

This isn't really a question, more of me pondering a curiousity.

Software may even already exist to do this, so please let me know if there is. If not, this may be a workable niche to exploit if someone is bored and capable

It should really be possible (according to my simple yet logical mind) to have a form of hibernation that works in real time, similar to the state of hibernation we already have in Windows.
Basically, a way to keep an OS running "in the computers background", like hibernation, in system memory - useful for switching between OS's quickly and keeping tasks running, like downloads or large file creation.
This would also be useful for "soft restarting" of the system to boot into another OS, install another OS etc, without the performance and compatibility issues of virtual machines (despite the lowered memory usage).

Might have already been done, but surely possible?

 

[old.user4556]

Sounds plausable.

 

[Shovel]

Intel have been working on chip-level virtualisation for some time. It might even be supported in the new Core (or Core 2) chips, but I've not really followed it enough to know.

But as you say, definitely possible and will probably be supported in the next few years.