| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
|
 Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: Booting from USB drive? |
 |
|
| I know it's possible to boot from a USB device, right? Does this mean it's possible to build a quieter system by forgoing a hard drive and just using, say, a 16GB thumb drive? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bellum99
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: don't need to know
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I never thought about it...that is a good question. I have no answer but am waiting to hear from someone else. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 1:06 am Post subject: Re: Booting from USB drive? |
|
|
| Hater Depot wrote: |
| I know it's possible to boot from a USB device, right? Does this mean it's possible to build a quieter system by forgoing a hard drive and just using, say, a 16GB thumb drive? |
booting from USB would be more for emergency boots for when your HD fails. Running your o/s off of a thumb drive would be slow and the drive would get freakin' hot after awhile.
BTW did you get my PM yesterday? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
Problem with USB as your main hard disk is that USB drives have limited memory cycles. About a million read/write cycles. For one user it "maybe" sufficient, but for a computer used for business not to practical.
As for a hard disk, you can read/write on a hard disk until it physically stops working. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
| jvalmer wrote: |
Problem with USB as your main hard disk is that USB drives have limited memory cycles. About a million read/write cycles. For one user it "maybe" sufficient, but for a computer used for business not to practical.
As for a hard disk, you can read/write on a hard disk until it physically stops working. |
Crazytalk.
Google says you can.
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Let me clear things up. As booting a system from a USB flash memory device, it's fine. But using a USB flash memory device, as a replacement for a spinning hard drive, not practical yet. Because flash memory has a finite read/write cycle. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I thought you were implying it couldn't be done. Sorry... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thebum
Joined: 09 Jan 2005
Location: North Korea
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
first, your motherboard has to support it. most old mobos don't; new ones do.
secondly, as mentioned, it would wear out your flash drive. that's why if you plan to do it, you should set it up so your whole OS is loaded to memory, or at least so that there is nothing written to your flash drive (unless you change your system settings). there are *nix distros which do this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Delirium's Brother
Joined: 08 May 2006
Location: Out in that field with Rumi, waiting for you to join us!
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| thebum wrote: |
first, your motherboard has to support it. most old mobos don't; new ones do.
secondly, as mentioned, it would wear out your flash drive. that's why if you plan to do it, you should set it up so your whole OS is loaded to memory, or at least so that there is nothing written to your flash drive (unless you change your system settings). there are *nix distros which do this. |
This is what I was going to say... the life expectancy of your USB drive has a lot to do with the file system (and OS) you choose. Some manage drive accessing better than others. And some will manage the actual physical space of the USB drive better than others. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
