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running a Linux distro from ext HDD
sonictk
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Basically I have a laptop running Win 7 that I'm going to be bringing around whereever I go, and I'd like to be able to have a external HDD with an OpenSUSE install on it that I can boot from whenever I feel like, so that I won't have to have a measly ~100 GB partition for it (my laptop's HDD is 500 GB and it's got about 240 GB left free so yea) and can have an entire external HDD dedicated to it.
I'd like to ask, apart from probably suffering a lot slower transfer rates, what other problems should I expect if I go down this road? Would I be able to just connect it via USB/Firewire and boot from it any time I wanted without having to mess with GRUB or anything like that? If I was running the OS and the connection got cut off, loose etc would I seriously screw it up? Googling around makes it seem easy and awesome but I'm not sure about the drawbacks.
Mainly I'm planning to just have an OpenSUSE install to learn more about working with a Linux-based environment in general (e.g. fooling around with Terminal) and for trying out all sorts of apps. Also it's fun to screw around with Compiz for a while, I guess.
I'd like to ask, apart from probably suffering a lot slower transfer rates, what other problems should I expect if I go down this road? Would I be able to just connect it via USB/Firewire and boot from it any time I wanted without having to mess with GRUB or anything like that? If I was running the OS and the connection got cut off, loose etc would I seriously screw it up? Googling around makes it seem easy and awesome but I'm not sure about the drawbacks.
Mainly I'm planning to just have an OpenSUSE install to learn more about working with a Linux-based environment in general (e.g. fooling around with Terminal) and for trying out all sorts of apps. Also it's fun to screw around with Compiz for a while, I guess.
sonictk on
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Journaling filesystems make the chances of accidentally destroying your files because of a HD disconnect go way down. ext3 especially is pretty robust (although one of the slower ones because of it's robustness). Ext4 is faster, but it's faster because it's not updating the journal as frequently. Your chances of loosing work go up somewhat if there's an accidental disconnect or unexpected power outage (there was a kerfluffle about this a while back and ext4 changed to be slightly more like 3? So please correct me if this isn't correct anymore).
Also since I am planning for my laptop to be the power source that should be ok. I'm mainly worried about accidentally swiping my hand and ripping out the USB cable or something. Additionally should I be worried about anything software-wise that this might affect, or driver installation, even? I can't think of a reason why it might happen but all the same I'd appreciate it if anyone can foresee any problems I'm going to have :P
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Ripping out the hard drive cable would theoretically be the same as yanking the battery out of the laptop while it's running. I think.
I really don't know much about this; I'm in the process of doing the same thing with OpenSUSE myself. I suspect the main issue will be just getting it to boot properly.
LiveCDs just aren't the same thing.
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The principles are the same for HDD's, but you're better off using an SSD.