Project Linux On USB
Old Laptops and Old Spinning Harddrives
Our family has a few laptops that I'd like to enjoy for different reasons. Yet, the issue is that we are backing stuff up off of them & would still like to enjoy stuff like Windows XP, 7, & 8 on ocassion. So my big idea is to enjoy most of them with Linux. Most of the spinning harddrives are in questionable condition or really doesn't have a lot of room to give up. Shocking that we used to enjoy Windows on sub 100gb storage. So My idea is to do what my old self wanted to do but lacked patienance & intellegence enough to do, PUT LINUX ON A THUMB DRIVE!
First Attempt
So at first I tried my favorite still of rocking linux, ventoy. I had some isuse with the Sandisk drive but that was an issue with my dying Microslop Surface Pro 8's failign USB hubs. To get the item working with persistance requires a plugin and some files. So far I have not done that sucessful. I should revist that because if I bought a LARGE USB drive the benefit is that I could enjoy a few different Linux flavors. The setups that I do just fail and I'm not sure why. Again will revisit later.
Second Attempt
Rufus, at work I have to use Microslop Windows so I tried the feature and check box with Persistance but again it didn't really work. Not crazy about these being an only method. I loathe needed to use Windows. Its been slow when I try and normally give up. Eh, guess this is for the best.
Third Attempt
This works for sure and not too bad. I just have two USB drives, one with my ventoy & the other who cares other than its okay to wipe. I can just install inux to the USB that is ready to be wiped after booting from ventoy USB. This worked out pretty well, I installed Arch Linux onto it and enjoyed the process. My only issue that I had was on the old laptop the USB didn't boot. I should have changed the boot loader because I believe it went with SystemD or something. I should have used Grub or something else. This method was quite commonly mentioned on Reddit. There was one more mentioned deep in the comment section.
Reddit Deep Dive Suggestion
When two USBs came up in Reddit, diggign thorugh the comments its not hard to see a cool comment. The comment with its nonchalent manner just rolls up and says "why two? Just use VM".
This clicked for me sure yeah. A VM is a method for sure. That would work but by the time I read it was when I was leaving for work. At work I only have Microslop. It kind of worked out the gate but the work computer limited my access to USB & netowrk. Then also the Intel NUC under microslop would crash & then my work computer would wake up to spend half-n-hour of group policy updates. Man, microslop is TERRIBLE!!!
Return to Retest Ventoy
This took some time to square in microslop but I got it. I also downloaded the persistance drive unlike last time. That helped because trying to do this part is where I hung up. My USB port on my Microslop Surface Pro 8 kept messing up or I would ding the thing. I got Linux Mint to work which is cool. Hoping to get this to work with Peppermint OS & maybe EndeavourOS each with some decent space setup. If this works on the old laptops I might invest in a nicers USB thumb drive.
I hope this work because one of the old laptops is a pretty cool Dell with a YUGE!!!! screen. Not going to lie I would like to enjoy time in bed watching some old flix with my partner in bed without Microslop Windows hemmoraging from the spinning rusted disk drive. Also, the multi-OS setup would be great to have too. That would give me some itneresting stetup.
Other Setups
I have two other devices that might could be used headless with this setup once I have a good setup. I want their old harddrives to keep Windows XP & Mac OS but their screens are broken. I might purchase antoher JetKVM so then the family can all use it for fun as well but when the old stuff isn't being used then I can maybe have my LINUX USB running whne not in main use. I could then SSH or remote into my LINUX USB when need be.
Need to imporve the article & next Stepts
Something