Revision [34160]
This is an old revision of LiveUSB made by coolpup on 2025-11-07 11:50:04.
Running Computer Operating System Directly From External Data Storage Device
Run an operating system directly from an external data storage device:
- bypassing the existing, internal operating system on one's computer
- without altering the configuration of the existing, internal operating system on one's computer (unless one deliberately chooses to do so in order to fix a broken system configuration)
External storage devices:
- SD flash memory card
- USB flash memory drive
- solid-state drive (SSD)
- hard disk drive (HDD)
- optical disc drive (ODD) (see LiveDVD)
1. How to run an operating system directly from an external storage device
- acquire the disk image file (with file extension .img or .iso) of the desired operating system, such as a recent Puppy Linux release (read Appendix 2)
- then, flash (write) the disk image file (with file extension .img or .iso) to an external storage device
2a. How to flash (write) a disk image file to external storage device (except optical disc drive)
- From within GNU+Linux (select one of the following software tools)
- dd command
- ensure the target device is disconnected, or remove all removable USB devices, from the computer
- next, list all known disk devices connected to the computer, via the command-line interface:
lsblk -al
- next, connect the target device to the computer via an USB port
- next, determine the correct device name, which has the format sdX, of the target device by invoking the lsblk command again, and comparing both outputs:
lsblk -al
- then, flash (write) the disk image file (with file extension .img or .iso) to external device, via the command-line interface
- WARNING the dd command will overwrite all existing data on the target device sdX, where X refers to the device letter for your target device - USE ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK:
time sudo dd bs=4M conv=notrunc,fdatasync oflag=direct status=progress if=<DISK_IMAGE_FILE> of=/dev/sdX
- where <DISK_IMAGE_FILE> is replaced with the actual disk image file name, with file extension .img or .iso
- From within Android:
- ensure an external device is connected to the smartphone/tablet, via the USB port
- then, use the following free software program:
- From within Microsoft Windows:
- ensure the external device is connected to the computer, usually via a USB port
- then, use one of the following tools:
- Rufus (the latest version of Rufus requires Windows 8 or later; last supported version for Windows 7 is version 3.22)
2b. How to flash (write) a disk image file to external storage device (optical disc drive only)
3. How to run/start GNU+Linux from the external device
- Connection
- ensure the external device is connected to the computer, usually via a USB port
- Boot Sequence
- next, ensure that the U.E.F.I./B.I.O.S. firmware (low-level software that starts just prior to the operating system doing so) settings is configured to follow the desired boot sequence (read Appendix 3)
- Power-Off
- next, ensure that the computer is put in a complete power-off state
- Power-On
- next, power-on the computer
Appendix
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