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Does anyone know about any usb ssd disks which work with Linux, and which Linux can boot from?
If the disk also have a sata connector it will be even better.
MTilsted
Posted 2010-12-27T07:43:24.593
Reputation: 982
A ssd disk with usb, working with linux
Answers
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What you call "real usb harddisk" is exactly the same as putting a generic hard drive in a case equipped with a sata to usb converter. The difference is they are just assembled in the factory and do not necessarily offer a straightforward way to change the drive. Sometimes you can only do it by breaking the case.
I have tested several of generic sata to usb cases and all of them worked correctly : the drive was accessible and could be used as a boot drive. There is nothing specific in the distros, all of them use a 2.6 linux kernel.
If you really want to know a name of a brand, I can confirm that Icy Box cases are indeed working with linux as I have two of them at home (one 3.5" and one 2.5") right now and both are ok.
Tomi
Posted 2010-12-27T07:43:24.593
Reputation: 26
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You should be able to use any USB-to-SATA converter to use the SATA-SSD as external USB drive.
Mike L.
Posted 2010-12-27T07:43:24.593
Reputation: 4 539
Should: Yes. Is: No - Linux really have problems working(And especially booting) with most of those. Do you know any specific which linux can boot from? – MTilsted – 2010-12-27T08:08:56.910
Your question did not said that you want to boot Linux from the USB drive. – Mike L. – 2010-12-27T08:17:49.217
Sorry. Part of working is booting but I have updated the question. – MTilsted – 2010-12-27T08:28:35.333
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I haven't exactly, but it is probably just like booting from a USB stick. You either have to have all the drivers compiled into the kernel (including the USB controller and block device drivers, which usually aren't), or use an initrd (initial ram disk) that can dynamically load drivers from.
If the disk has a SATA connector then it will look just like any other SATA disk to Linux. Same rules apply, but SATA does not require the USB subsystem in-kernel.
Keith
Posted 2010-12-27T07:43:24.593
Reputation: 7 263
Yes one would think so. Booting linux from a real usb harddisk is no problem for me(Doing that right now in fact). But it looks like those sata to usb converters are really really flaky. As an example: I bought a Corsair ssd disk which have both usb and sata connectors, but the usb connector don't work in linux at all. And even Corsair have given up on making it work. So I would really like something known to work, not just something which should work. – MTilsted – 2010-12-27T10:57:24.317
1Ah, well my bet is most do, and only a few (maybe one), don't. ;-) – Keith – 2010-12-27T11:06:52.023
One can hope, but I would really like someone saying "This one works, I have tested it myself" before I buy any more hardware :} – MTilsted – 2010-12-27T11:12:50.680
Aha thanks i will try to buy an Icy Box then :} – MTilsted – 2011-01-08T16:22:02.380