[Idea] Virtual OS on USB stick?

[ayu]

Now, I had this idea last night that I thought that I should put into reality today. I format my computers a lot (overly organized), which means that I have to make a lot of backups. And I have a lot of databases that has to be backed up as well, meaning that I will have to fix everything again when the reinstall is done. Like importing databases again and such, which takes some time.

So, I had this idea that I could create a virtual system and put it on a USB memory. Like a 4 GB memory with a minimal Linux system that has only the small stuff I need like a webserver and a mysql database and some other stuff. And maybe a fileserver for some other backups for easy access.

Anyway, how would this idea swing? would it work? are there any special risks that I should know of?

[G-Brain]

Just mod some liveUSB distro, should work as you said.

[ayu]

Just mod some liveUSB distro, should work as you said.

Well I want start the OS virtually, not boot it as a live OS. Good idea though ^^

[G-Brain]

Well I want start the OS virtually

Like how? In a VM?

[ayu]

Like how? In a VM?

Yep!

I want the VM file on the USB stick, and simply load it in virtualbox on my lappy, just wondered if that would open for any issues =)

[G-Brain]

Yep!

I want the VM file on the USB stick, and simply load it in virtualbox on my lappy, just wondered if that would open for any issues =)

That should work just fine. The only problem I can think of is speed, but that depends on your USB stick.

[ayu]

That should work just fine. The only problem I can think of is speed, but that depends on your USB stick.

Yeah. Well going into town later so will buy a memory fit for the job ^^

[ayu]

hmmm, this is odd. The Virtual OS file is 5 GB, yet I can't transfer it to a 8 GB flash mem because it says the file is to big : /

EDIT: nvm -.- FAT partition.......

[DNR]

??
Floodie actually came up with this idea about a month ago, and did a pretty good job I heard:

Funny you mention this. I have been working on a portable opsystem and it is working great.

Some downsides that you may experience is that the PC must be USB bootable. You can check this by booting into the BIOS and setting it to do such. Of all the testing I have done I found that some Toshiba laptops will not allow the USB boot to work. Otherwise I am having great success.

Also when you download the operating system you have to create an installation CD or DVD from the downloaded .iso. Once this is done you can boot up using the disk and then create the USB operating system.

Feel free to PM me for more information

-----
then
Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:58 am Post subject: Booting an OS from a USB flash drive by Itzm3 #37529

----
You guys should all get together
Just feels like deja vu, for the third time

DNR

[ayu]

This idea is not to load the OS during boot though, it will be loaded from VMware or virtualbox as a virtual machine, and the USB stick will be encrypted.

So not deja vu