OS on a Flash Drive

[LAURENU2]

Can a OS like XP be programed onto a Flash Drive like 8 Gig
I have made a Bootable Flash Drives that I use to fdisk format and do repairs in Dos
Any:idea: Do's or Don'ts I should know about

[Fozzie]

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6160062.html

I'm sure there are others too.

Have fun Lauren

[IronBits]

First thing that comes to mind is there is a limited amount of writes/del/writes, like 1,000,000, and XP does lots of that.
The other problem is not all your motherboards will support booting to a USB drive.
Have fun with it, I'm sure it will come in real handy.
Also, copy your entire XP SP2 CD to it so you can install from it as well. Much faster than any CD / DVD drive. :)

[LAURENU2]

OK picked up a new Q6600 combo W/2 Gig memory and a 8 Gig usb flash drive today
I have already taken a 1 Gig flash drive formated it with system files and Xcopy the entire XP install CD to the 1 Gig flash drive
I will Try to install the XP OS from the 1 Gig to the 8 Gig
I will see how it works out

[Bender10]

It looks like you are going for the whole XP OS on a usb drive? That sounds like it should be possible with the increase in usb drive sizes. Worth a check...? I have read that some people have had problems with certain drives not being 'bootable'.

On the XP on usb front. I had good luck with this:

http://blog.schreiter.info/boincpe-livecd-for-boinc/

But, This only produces a stripped down OS of around 150 mb, designed for BOINC'ing from a CD or usb drive.

I have a few of these XP based OS running on 1 gig thumb drives, and only had 1 drive failure in the last 6-8 months. And I am running my file server OS on a CF Drive, and this has been up for 4-6 months with no failure yeti.

[LAURENU2]

Well It did not work on my first try got to late to keep at it will try again tonight
A thought can I just copy a drive to the flash instead of doing a install on it?

[gopher_yarrowzoo]

Yes, IF your only ever going to boot with that hardware config i.e the same motherboard chipset / graphics card / network card etc as Windows is kinda picky even if you have the Full OS sitting there with all the drivers it will expect Chipset X if it don't get Chipset X it will hang and it's then a total re-install unless there is a way around it of course.

[LAURENU2]

OK this time seems to be working :cheers:
This time I am installing from a CD to a Boot-able 8 Gig flash drive
I shall see in about 30 min if it works Heres hopeing XXX

I am trying this to save space, energy, and Money 8 gig is only $30.00
And I am sure they will get bigger and cheaper

[LAURENU2]

2Nd try a no go :cry: Darn it was going good to:swear:
I will try again tomorrow:bang:

[Fozzie]

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101

Barts PE seems to be the key to your possible success.

http://www.911cd.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10806Pe2usb

[LAURENU2]

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=177102101

Barts PE seems to be the key to your possible success.

http://www.911cd.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10806Pe2usb

Yes this was going to be my next try
I D/L the sp2 and PE last night
Thanks for all the support:thumbs:

[Bender10]

Hi Lauren!

How's the XP Thumb drive werking out?

[LAURENU2]

It Was put on hold :swear:The Tax Man Cometh :swear: I will try it again ater the 15th
My desk is a mess for now:cry:

[Paratima]

It Was put on hold :swear:The Tax Man Cometh :swear: I will try it again ater the 15th
My desk is a mess for now:cry:

We DO understand!

[meckano]

I've done tried that.
Problem is when you get to the usb setup part, while you're installing to a usb stick.
the trick would be to disk copy a working copy to the stick.

I have not tried that part, and figure there may be a problem just the same when windows boots and does the usb bit.
Guess: - you may have to leave default usb settings from bios, if that's possible, in any way/shape/or form.

I used win98se

[meckano]

although, I bet DSL (Damn Samll Linux) would do it in a snap.

[LAURENU2]

although, I bet DSL (Damn Samll Linux) would do it in a snap.

I was going to use a 8 Gig Usb drive
That should be large enough to install any OS

I will try again this weekend I should be recovered from the Tax Sticker shock buy then:looney:
It hurt this year Thanks BUSH or not

[meckano]

or you can cheat, and lose all the fun by,
reading one of these :P

http://www.ngine.de/index.jsp?pageid=4176

[meckano]

little more, a stick never uses the same place twice, meaning
every 'bit' of your stick gets used Once, then Twice, then Three times, so that it lasts longer... they speak of stick burn-out.

I found this XPfildrvr1224.zip which is supposed to stop that, by making it show as a harddrive... No idea how you stop stick burn-out... sounds like 'life-time warranty' car tires :rotfl:
- but that's how I interpreted the article I read.

[meckano]

Any updates for us Lauren? :D

[LAURENU2]

Any updates for us Lauren? :D
I can't seem to get the right files to work or knowing me I am doing all ass backward
But I will keep trying:thumbs:

[meckano]

Thanks for the update! :)

Hang in there!
I doubt you'll be the first, so atleast... ...there is hope,
a light,
a... What???
Windows on a stick?
I thought we were banning windows??? :rotfl: j/k

[meckano]

Oh, I remember that I did do DOS.
- the files are still on the stick, just, I moved them to a folder to 'clean-up' while I use the stick for other things.
-- I have not tried to move them back and boot to stick though...
--- I bet it will work though.