Run linux from USB pen???

[pc999]

Hi

Just a simple question, is it possible to use a USB pen to run Linux, I know it is possible to instal from one but it is possible to run from one, like it is a HDD.

This would be great to really try it, spcially on my netbook here sometimes I just what a fast boot.

If Ubuntu cant do it is there any distribution that can?

Thanks in advance.

[veli]

Try out this Ubuntu:

http://www.ubuntu.com/GetUbuntu/download-netbook

But if you want something really, really fast, have a look at Puppy Linux.

[jeremyswalker]

What version of Ubuntu are you using? "System > Administration > USB Startup Disk Creator" will let you create a LiveUSB from a LiveCD image. I'm pretty sure it offers a "persistence" option too, which will save your settings across reboots. If that option is not available, maybe take a look at Pendrive Linux.

EDIT: As far as booting from a USB pen drive being fast, I've not experienced this. In my experience, booting from a USB is typically slow compared to booting off the hard drive. Of course, I'm sure this could be different with certain pen drives (or if your hard drive was really slow).

[bkratz]

Hi

Just a simple question, is it possible to use a USB pen to run Linux, I know it is possible to instal from one but it is possible to run from one, like it is a HDD.

This would be great to really try it, spcially on my netbook here sometimes I just what a fast boot.

If Ubuntu cant do it is there any distribution that can?

Thanks in advance.

I believe this is the source to look at for persistent installs

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

[Sarmacid]

Here you can see how to install grub2 on a usb and have multiple live distros boot from isos http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1288604

[Mighty_Joe]

In my experience, booting from a USB is typically slow compared to booting off the hard drive. Of course,

The "Live USB" install made with the Live CD USB Creator suffers from the same drawback as the Live CD itself, it is a compressed live file system. A full install to a USB drive is much faster, but takes up more space, of course.
How To: Create a Live CD covers all the possible USB install methods.

[jmundinger]

I believe this is the source to look at for persistent installs

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

I used that for a persistent install to a 4 gb flash drive, including downloading and using the 4gb-gb-casper file. It works just fine on my netbook. It also runs on my laptop, but it's a crapshoot whether it will use the wireless card in my laptop - it usually doesn't. Once in awhile - after I have de-activated/activated the wireless card driver - it might work. It usually doesn't.

I'm still trying to figure out the difference between "persistent" and the live CD - except that persistent appears in the menu when it boots up. I had assumed that some stuff would be stored on the pendrive and be available from one session to the next. But, that doesn't seem to be the case.

[markbuntu]

A persistent will save any configuration changes and your personal /home/user stuff. A live will not.

[falconindy]

Running an OS from a USB drive will shorten the lifespan of it dramatically. The flash media used is fairly cheap and can only sustain a fixed number of writes before it gives up. There's a reason that reliable SSDs cost as they do.

[Mighty_Joe]

I'm still trying to figure out the difference between "persistent" and the live CD - except that persistent appears in the menu when it boots up. I had assumed that some stuff would be stored on the pendrive and be available from one session to the next. But, that doesn't seem to be the case.

It should save your changes. There's plenty that can go wrong. Search the forum and you'll find no shortage of people who are having problems with their persistent Live USB installs.
IMHO, if you want to use a flash drive for more than experimenting, do a full install.

The flash media used is fairly cheap and can only sustain a fixed number of writes before it gives up.

All flash memory has a limited number of writes. Current drives can take a huge number, say, 90 million for a 1GB drive. Thanks to wear leveling, the larger the drive, the more writes it can take. I've been running 9.04 off a 8GB flash drive since it came out without any problems. Of course, I've turned off swap and moved logging to tmpfs to save unnecessary wear. I'll likely grow bored of Ubuntu before this flash drive wears out.