Boot linux from Usb ssd

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andregtable

Reputable
Jan 21, 2015
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I have an old SSD that i put into a USB 3 enclosure and would like to use as a way for me to start learning linux.

What I would like to know how to do is install whichever Distro I choose then be able to boot from the USB SSD on my PC tower and mess around/learn how to do things.

I have windows 10 installed on my PC and most of my work occurs on the windows side of things but i would like to experiment with Linux.

What im wondering is if i do this will i be able to save settings and files on the SSD and be able to boot up again later and have them still be there, or will they be wiped every time I restart.

If someone could point me to a guide on how to do this that would be great.

Thanks !!
 
Solution
Saga Lout
Yes, definitely. One it's saved, it remains where you put it.

You won't find a pre-made Documents folder but the facility exists to create new folders and subs and name them whatever you like.
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Saga Lout

Saga Lout

Retired Mod
Mar 31, 2010
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You need to download your choice of Linux - the latest Mint named Sarah is a good one - then use a utility named Rufus to create a bootable ISO on to your SSD.

Connect it via USB and go into BIOS then set the Boot Options to give you a choice every time you power up the machine. That will mean if you want the Linux system to boot, you have to press Function 11 or 12 or whatever BIOS tells you to use.

The same applies to Windows - the choice has to be made every time.
 
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Saga Lout

Saga Lout

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Mar 31, 2010
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Sorry but I have to disagree. My Kali installation takes up about 3.6 GB on a 120GB OCZ SSD with lots of space for backups of files from other machines.

Looking at the disk end of a USB cable, the system doesn't know whether it's looking at a 4GB flash drive or a 250GB SSD.
 
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A

andregtable

Reputable
Jan 21, 2015
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0
4,510


So to clarify here if I were to boot from my ssd (i know how to set up boot drives and such) onto linux and save a text file to the documents folder, then shut down go to a different pc boot from the ssd would that same text file still appear there?
 
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skittle

skittle

Splendid
Dec 27, 2006
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If you write a iso to usb using util like dd then you will overwrite all partition information and mbr. The rest of the disk wony be usable. Not sure how rufus works because I dont use windows. Maybe it just copys the iso contents and install a bootloader
 
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Saga Lout

Saga Lout

Retired Mod
Mar 31, 2010
24,042
310
69,740
Maybe. The netbook I'm writing this on is running Mint Sarah from an SdCard Rufus made from a download and made bootable. However, SdCards can't take boot precedence so it's in a USB converter.

I just saved a couple of text files on to the card to make sure it works in this setup. There's not much room to save data but this card started out with no format at all.
 
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