NomadBSD: Persistent USB flash drive based desktop OS

nomadbsd.org

61 points·DrBenCarson··10 comments

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MX Linux is awesome for persistent install on usb stick

Even more awesome for running in/from RAM(after initial boot from stick).

$ uptime 12:40:42 up 226 days, 3:42, 3 users, load average: 0.07, 0.22, 0.31

Does FreeBSD not have a way to run from a flash drive in this way?

Not persistent. You can boot into an ISO of course but the flash drive won’t be able to store changes, files, etc

That's not true!! I installed FreeBSD many times on a USB stick...and of curse i can safe stuff.

Can you please share details? How do you partition the USB? How do you not overwrite the boot image? I’d like to learn.

You install BSD/Linux/Windows on a USB-stick like you install it on a SSD/HDD, it's the same...a blockdevice.

Right but how do you install it on that drive if you’re using that drive as the ISO on first boot?

I see what you’re saying but it sounds like you’re using two block devices on at least the first boot? Or am I missing something?

You use two USB sticks, on one you write the installer and during install you select the second usb-stick instead for example a SSD..that's it.

>I see what you’re saying but it sounds like you’re using two block devices on at least the first boot? Or am I missing something?

Exactly

You just need those two sticks for installation, after installation just one. NomadBSD is just a preinstalled Image +.

Yeah, that’s the difference. NomadBSD only ever requires a single blockdevice.

Using two is a minor inconvenience, but the work going into NomadBSD is pretty cool. You should check it out, sounds like you boot off flash drives pretty often.

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