Using a CDrom/Floppy disk to boot usb stick.

cr3ativ3

Hey, most of the newer computers today offer the ability of booting from a usb stick, I would like to do this but since my computer is 7-8 years old I can't easily do this I thought up an idea of how to do this with my computer without upgrading anything.

I am not sure if it will work, or how to do it. So here's what I am thinking I boot the computer using a CD rom then something on the CD rom gives power to the USB drive using some command allowing the USB drive/stick to do the rest of the work.

Like I side I have no idea of weather or how this would work. I searched for this stuff but just came up with botting from a CD rom or booting from a USB stick nothing that helps me.

So if anyone could tell me if it's possible and if so how to do it or if someone knows where I can get files to burn to a cd to allow me to do this. I am just trying to run linux of my USB stick seeing as a cd is only 700 mb or so where as I have a 4 gb usb.

Thanks.

kizarop

So far I know booting from USB (or any other device) is feature of BIOS.

myrevolt

Well it's not quite the answer you were looking for (I do have the sample problem because an old BIOS; you might be able to find a firmware update but unlikely), certain distros such as Knoppix allow you to boot from the cd but use the usb flash drive to store the home directory and settings. You can follow the directions at http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1728&page=7 to do what I'm talking about.

cr3ativ3

Just got an idea from your last post, Linux allows you to access usb sticks, so could you potential boot linux off of a cd rw, then anything you save, save it to the usb stick then you could use the usb stick for multiple operating system without partitioning you wouldn't need to upgrade the bios.

This way you would only have to make sure the operating system and any other essentials it needs with it, to be less then the cd's space usually 700mb which most linux's are below that I believe.

Would this work I would just like to know before I go out and buy some CD RW's.

myrevolt

I'm not exactly sure what you mean in your follow-up. I have booted up Knoppix from a cd-r and was then able to save files to a usb thumbdrive; as well as able to store the /home directory and then on the boot screen that allows you to configure your boot options you are able to input

cr3ativ3

ya, sorry I wasn't very clear in my last post just I guess if you can boot the operating system, in this case linux, from a CD then I wouldn't need to update my BIOS since I am able to boot from cd's.

All the files that I make or software I use with linux, not linux it self, I could save to the usb stick.

Or, if I boot linux from the cd will it allow me to access the Hard drive then would I be able to save files associated with linux on it? I just wouldn't be able to run them when I have windows running, I would have to have linux booted at the time? I'll try the two things i'm thinking of, thanks for inspiring me Razz

.

Thanks, for all the help!